Savor the creamy flavors of our quick and easy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup! Loaded with vegetables and ready in 45 minutes, it’s the ideal comfort food to warm up your winter.
Cooler weather has me craving soup 24/7. Can you blame me? There’s nothing better than cozying up to a big bowl of this homemade creamy cauliflower soup with a few of my 1-hour soft & fluffy dinner rolls. And by a few, I mean like 4!
What makes this soup so amazing, aside from the cheese and cream, is its flavor. It’s packed full of flavor! Celery, shallot, and garlic are the big contributors, with coriander, paprika, and cayenne close behind. For more hearty soups, try my Creamy Asparagus Soup, Potato Corn Chowder with Bacon, Creamy Pumpkin Soup, and Better Than Panera Broccoli Soup.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Soup
- Cauliflower is low in calories yet high in vitamins, making the soup nutritious and guilt-free.
- It can be whipped up in 45 minutes which is always a win, especially on a weeknight.
- This soup is a versatile dish. It can be easily customized with various toppings and sides to make it your own!
Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower provides the base flavor and texture for the soup.
- Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese: This adds a rich, cheesy flavor.
- Chicken Broth: The base for the soup giving it a flavorful depth.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Step 1: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-low heat, add the butter.
Step 2: Once melted, add the celery and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the carrots, shallots, and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the flour. Whisk the flour until it turns golden brown, taking care not to burn it.
Step 4: Gradually pour in the chicken broth, whisking continuously until combined. Turn the heat up to medium and bring to a simmer.
Step 5: Add the salt, garlic powder, pepper, coriander, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add the cauliflower and allow the soup to gently boil for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Remove 2 cups and purée in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the mixture to the soup.
Step 7: Pour in the cream and continue to gently boil for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 8: Then, add the cheese and whisk to combine.
Step 9: Remove from the heat and garnish individual servings with parsley, if desired, and enjoy!
Alternative Methods
Can you blend it all and then heat it up? We find that letting the ingredients cook together provides great flavors that can’t be replicated after the blending process. It may be a little more complicated this way but it gets the best flavor possible!
Crock Pot: Cheesy cauliflower soup can be made in the crock pot pretty easily. Put your veggies and broth in the crock pot and cook them on low for 4 hours. Then add in your flour and dairy products and cook on high for about an hour. After that blend it up with an immersion blender and season to taste.
Instant Pot: Add in your chopped cauliflower head(s), vegetables, chicken broth, and spices. Cook this on high pressure for 8 minutes. Use quick release and then mix in your heavy cream and cheese. Use your immersion blender and then you’re done!
FAQs
Of course! Simply swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and you’re good to go!
The possibilities are endless! I always have to have cheese on top, such as sharp cheddar cheese. But some of the other toppings I like adding to this soup would be cauliflower florets, bacon bits, croutons, green onions, or even some sour cream!
Storage Info
To STORE this low-carb cauliflower soup place it in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
For REHEATING, gently warm the soup on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent separation. For a quicker reheating you can place the soup in your microwave and cook until everything has warmed through.
More Cauliflower Recipes:
Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Recommended Products
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 stalk celery - thinly sliced
- 2 carrots - julienned and cut into 1-inch strips (matchsticks)
- 2 shallots - minced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. coriander
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 large head cauliflower - or 2 small/medium heads, cut into florets
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1 c. grated cheddar or colby jack cheese
- Freshly chopped parsley - optional garnish
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-low heat, add the butter.
- Once melted, add the celery and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the carrots, shallots, and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the flour. Whisk the flour until it turns golden brown, taking care not to burn it.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth, whisking continuously until combined. Turn the heat up to medium and bring to a simmer.
- Add the salt, garlic powder, pepper, coriander, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add the cauliflower and allow the soup to gently boil for 15 minutes.
- Remove 2 cups and purée in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the mixture to the soup.
- Pour in the cream and continue to gently boil for an additional 10 minutes.
- Then, add the cheese and whisk to combine.
- Remove from the heat and garnish individual servings with parsley, if desired, and enjoy!
I LOVE this soup! It’s healthy but tastes so decadent and delicious. I used to make it in my instant pot but I don’t see that version listed on here anymore. Do you still have the instant pot directions for this one or am I just missing it somewhere? Please and thank you!
Hi Misty! My apologies, you are correct! I was editing this post and somehow that section got deleted. I have added it back in under alternative methods. Happy cooking!
Thank you SO MUCH!! This is one of our all-time favorites! 🙂
Love this soup. Making it for the second time in a month. Substituted vegetable broth for chicken to make it a vegetarian soup.
Very easy to make. Lots of prep cutting though. Texture is so smooth and creamy. Seasoning is great. I will be making this many more times, at least once more this week as there is none leftover to put in my freezer. That tells you how good it was, my husband are 4 bowls in two days.
This soup took a bit of time to cut everything up which I expected. It was worth it. This soup was absolutely delicious!! I did sub half n half for the whipping cream. I highly recommend!
Hi Beth, thank you for your review!
Can you freeze cauliflower soup
Hi Maryann, yes.
TO FREEZE the soup, let it cool completely before placing it in ziploc bags. It will last for 3 months in the freezer. When defrosting, let it sit in the fridge overnight and then rewarm it in a saucepan on the stovetop. You may need to add a bit of water, broth, or cream to get it to the right texture.