Easy cheesy cauliflower soup recipe

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is a comforting and nourishing dish. This luxurious-tasting soup recipe doesn’t require heavy cream for its delicious taste.

A generous amount of farm-fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, onion, cauliflower, and sweet corn are gently cooked in a creamy, savory broth that combines the richness of blended cauliflower and chicken stock. 

The soup is then elevated with freshly shredded cheese, creating a truly indulgent and joyfully flavorful dish that will brighten your day.

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🛒 Ingredients for making Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

• Oil. Either olive oil or butter is suitable for sautéing the onion. Sautéing brings out the flavor, so don’t skip this step.
• Cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into small florets so it is easy to cook them until tender. 
• Vegetables. In addition to the cauliflower, various vegetables with different colors and textures would create the ideal combination. I use carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion, but you can use your variation.
• Milk and stock. Heavy cream is not required for this recipe as the soup is thickened by pureeing the vegetables. However, adding milk will enhance the flavor. Also, use vegetable stock if you want to make it vegetarian.
• Cheese. I use Parmesan, but shredded cheddar is also good. 

🫕How to make cheesy cauliflower soup

Easy cheesy cauliflower soup recipe

Recipe by kwankp

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Soup

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is a comforting and nourishing dish. A generous amount of vegetables are gently cooked in a creamy, savory broth that combines the richness of blended cauliflower and chicken stock.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 cup carrots, small dice

• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

• 1 large onion, small dice

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 large potato, peeled and dice

• 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup milk

• 1 cup water

• 1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets

• 4oz freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Bacon bits and chopped parsley to garnish

Directions

• Add the olive oil into a large skillet or pan. Saute the chopped onions until slightly brown.
• Add the celery and carrot and continue sauteing.
• While sautéing the vegetables, season them with salt halfway through, and add the chopped garlic. Saute the vegetables over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. To speed up the softening process, you can put a lid on the pot about halfway through.
• Transfer the vegetables to a soup pot.
• Slowly pour the vegetable broth into the vegetable. Add the milk, then turn the heat to bring the soup to a boil.
• Finally, add the potato cubes and cauliflower florets, turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer until very tender, for about 10 minutes.
• Remove half of the vegetables from the stock pot and transfer them to a food processor to puree them with some water. Blend until smooth, then return the puree to the stock pot.
• When it comes to a boil again, turn down the heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until completely smooth. Taste the soup and add more seasoned salt and pepper to your liking.
• Serve with chopped parsley as a garnish. If you are not looking for a vegetarian dish., add some fried bacon.

Recipe Video

💡 Variations and tips for the cheesy cauliflower soup recipe

1. Please use butter instead of olive oil if you prefer a richer flavor. 
2. Use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth for a richer flavor, especially for non-vegetarians.
3. Your choice of additional vegetables besides cauliflower depends on availability and preference. I recommend using vegetables with different colors to enhance the presentation. 
4. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and the other vegetables into small pieces. That allows them to be cooked until tender within ten minutes.
5. While it is convenient to puree all the vegetables with an immersion blender, I choose to puree only half. Keeping some vegetables intact adds a pleasant variety of textures to the soup.
6. For toppings, I’ve found that bacon bits, fresh herbs, grated cheese, and toasted breadcrumbs add beautiful flavors and textures to the soup.
7. One important tip I’ve learned is to grate the cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents, resulting in a grainy texture when melted, and I’ve found that freshly grated cheese makes the soup even more luscious and silky.
8. The puree cauliflowers create a rich and velvety texture without heavy cream.

🗄️Can I make it ahead?

This creamy, cheesy cauliflower soup is a lifesaver during hectic weekdays, especially when craving a comforting and hearty meal. Whether I need a last-minute dinner option or want to have individual portions ready to go, having this soup on hand is truly convenient.

To keep the leftover soup, allow it to cool thoroughly before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or bags for freezing. 

When ready to enjoy it, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator or reheat it directly from the freezer over low heat on the stovetop. If the soup appears to have separated during reheating, blend it with a food processor.

Note: The soup should be fully pureed, not just half pureed, with some remaining vegetable pieces if you want to freeze it. Vegetable pieces are not freezer-friendly, as their texture will alter after freezing.

🍽️ What to serve with the creamy cauliflower soup

I like to serve the cheesy cauliflower soup with roasted broccoli, a grilled cheese sandwich, or a simple green salad or crusty bread to complete the meal. It’s a satisfying and delicious combination that never fails to impress!