This is very simple everyday soup, it took me no more than 20 minutes to make it. This time I used all organic ingredients as well as grass-fed ground beef. Healthy food for an after-school meal. My kids loved it!

OREGANO from The Spice Cookbook, 1964
Oregano is native to the hillsides of the Mediterranean region and is a perennial of the mint family. The name origanum, derived from the Greek ours, meaning mountain, and ganus, meaning joy, thus signified “joy of the mountain” to the Greeks 2000 years ago. It grew easily then, as it still does in Greece, Italy, and Spain.
In ancient times oregano was valued as much for its medicinal qualities as its savory flavor. The Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder, prescribed it as a cure for indigestion and first aid for spider and scorpion stings. In the Medieval Ages, physicians used a mixture of oregano and other herbs to “cleanse the brain” and improve sight. While Culpeper thought highly of oregano as a digestive, soothing to jittery nerves, and as a treatment for “the bites of venomous beasts,” he was in accord with modern cooks when he wrote, “There is scarcely a better herb growing for relieving loss of appetite.”

Cauliflower Soup with Tiny Meatballs & Oregano
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
- small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 small parsnip, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup oat bran + 1/2 cup hot water, mix together and let it stand for 10 minutes
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- For the soup:
- 1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- fresh oregano
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 5-6 cups vegetable stock or water
- toasted pita bread for serving
Instructions
Prepare the meatballs mixture: Using a food processor chop the onion, carrot, and parsnip. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, oat bran, chopped vegetables, salt, and the pepper. Mix gently with your hands. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the carrot, celery, and cook, stirring occasionally 3 minutes. Add the broth or water, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Add the meatballs (if you like to make the tiny ones, just scoop the ground beef mixture, using a teaspoon, to the soup), and stir gently. Boil lightly for 5-10 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork, about 5 more minutes. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve with toasted pita bread and fresh oregano.

8 Comments
Rosa's Yummy Yums
September 12, 2014 at 7:03 amA scrumptious soup! Very original.
Cheers,
Rosa
Medeja
September 12, 2014 at 8:24 amLooks very flavorful.. I think for me such soup would be like a main meal 🙂
Marcela
September 12, 2014 at 8:30 amoh! i love these tiny meatballs inside!
HEAVEN CAN WAIT
September 12, 2014 at 12:46 pmVery nice recipe, Yelena. I will definitely try this!
Greetings! – Dominique
La Table De Nana
September 12, 2014 at 12:55 pmWe were at Jean talon market yesterday..The produce was gorgeous..
Rows and rows of multi colored cauliflower..and the romanesco too..
How delicious this sounds Yelena..
Meli
September 12, 2014 at 4:54 pmHi, Yelena, greetings from Greece – the sunny home of origano and so many other tasty ingredients! I spend the last days of summer here but will be home in some days. Greek sprinkle a lot of origano on top of their most favorite Greek salad and I love it. Good, the season for eating a lot of cauliflowers is back again.
melangery
September 12, 2014 at 4:59 pmOoo, How wonderful, Meli! I never been in Greece, it was always a dream of mine. One day I'll take my family there for summer. I am so happy for you!!
Rebecca Subbiah
September 14, 2014 at 7:15 pmlooks so good lucky family having you as a cook