Sometimes the simple recipes are the best ones like this cauliflower soup.
In no time at all, this rich and creamy soup is ready to serve (without heavy cream)!
A Quick Meal
We love any recipe that is a cinch to make, healthy, and super versatile for add-ins and garnishes!
- 20 minutes start to finish & is a great meal
- use prechopped/washed cauliflower to make it even faster
- this soup is rich and creamy without the addition of heavy cream
- it’s flavorful but also has room for variations and additions
Ingredients and Variations
DAIRY In this recipe we replace heavy whipping cream with cream cheese for a great creamy soup with less fat and calories. Shredded cheddar (use a great sharp cheddar) really punches up the flavor.
VEGETABLES The cauliflower florets in this recipe are equivalent to one small head, or ½ of a large head. Frozen cauliflower can be too. Onion, garlic, and celery add flavor.
POTATO Potato adds a bit of starch without the need for a roux or flour to create a thick creamy texture.
BROTH Use a carton or make your own homemade chicken stock. For a purely vegetarian soup, switch out the chicken broth for vegetarian broth (I prefer the flavor of chicken broth).
How to Make Cauliflower Soup
Cauliflower soup is super easy to make, and ready in no time!
- Soften celery, onion, & garlic in butter. Add potatoes & broth and simmer.
- Add cauliflower, cook until tender. Remove one cup of veggies.
- Add cream cheese to soup, blend with immersion blender until smooth.
- Simmer soup, return vegetables to pot. Add half the cheddar cheese.
- Season with salt & pepper, garnish with remaining cheese.
PRO TIP: Cream cheese blends faster when left at room temperature for 30 minutes before use. No immersion blender? No problem! Pour soup into a blender, or use an electric mixer.
GARNISH TIP: Slice leeks horizontally in thin circles. Roast leeks or pan fry them and add them as an elegant garnish to the soup. Top with homemade croutons.
In the Instant Pot
- Set pot to sauté, soften celery, onion, & garlic in butter. Add potatoes, cauliflower, & broth.
- Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Quick-release pressure, remove one cup of vegetables.
- Add cream cheese & cheddar, blend with immersion blender until smooth.
- Return vegetables to Instant Pot, cook on high another 4 minutes. Quick-release, pressure, add salt & pepper.
- Garnish with remaining cheese or sliced roasted leeks as described above.
What to Serve with Cauliflower Soup
Cauliflower soup tastes great alongside a crunchy kale Caesar salad. Or try it with the best coleslaw ever. For dipping make some tasty cheesy garlic breadsticks or these super easy 30 minute dinner rolls.
Leftovers
- Leftover cauliflower soup will last about 4 days in the refrigerator in a covered container. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze it in zippered bags with the date labeled on the outside and it will last up to 3 months.
Other Tasty Cauliflower Recipes
- Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Tots – perfect for game day
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower – savory and delish
- Cream of Cauliflower Soup – rich and creamy
- Cauliflower Potato Soup – so easy & cheesy
- Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese – cheesy casserole
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust – low carb & healthy
Did you like this Easy Cauliflower Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large baking potato peeled and diced, or 2 small potatoes
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook butter, celery, onion, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until softened.
- Add vegetable broth and potatoes, bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 8 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook 5-6 minutes or until tender.
- Remove 1 cup of vegetables and slightly chop. Set aside.
- Add cream cheese to the soup and using a hand blender, blend in the pot until smooth. Simmer 2 minutes. Stir in chopped vegetables and ½ of the cheddar cheese. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Garnish with remaining cheese.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Great soup! I added an extra cup of broth, more celery, an extra small potato and about 5 cups of cauliflower, then added about a half cup of Parmesan cheese at the end. This is a keeper.
Thanks for leaving a comment, Julie! Happy to hear you enjoyed this soup!
Haven’t made this yet but would love to try it today! Lots of snow out so can’t get to the supermarket; any subs for the cream cheese?! I have everything else on hand! Thanks so much, your recipes are amazing!!!
I have only tried the recipe as written Cari. You could try leaving it out, and while it won’t be as creamy I am sure it will still be delicious! Or you could try swapping for cream. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
So easy and so good. I followed the recipe except added a dash of nutmeg. I’m on my 3rd small bowl today!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Judy!
Do I need to make any changes to the recipe when using frozen cauliflower?
You may need to add a minute or two of cooking time but the rest of the recipe should remain the same.
Hello, I want to try this recipe but I have an instant pot. Do you have directions?
Hi Jennifer, we have never tested this recipe in an Instant Pot but I imagine it would cook similarly to our Instant Pot Potato Soup. You will have to let us know how it turns out!
Oh my goodness , this was absolutely delicious. Definitely will make it again.
I liked this soup, but found it a little bland, as written. After seasoning with s&p, I ended up putting all the cheese in, then added a little nutmeg, as suggested by V.S, and also a little chopped fresh parsley, which brightened it up a bit.
I do have a question about the nutritional info: where did the 1 g of trans fat come from? Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the soup Nesta. That comes from the butter. Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary based on the actual ingredients and brands used.
hey,
thanks for sharing such delicious recipes it helps a lot to me to cook delicious food at home. please keep sharing such recipes.
Amazing
This recipe sounds very delicious ! I will give it a try but would definitely add, at least 1 tsp. of nutmeg to this amount .
Sounds great!