All you need are a few simple ingredients, and you’ll have this creamy and luscious cauliflower soup ready in no time. It comes together in a few easy steps and makes for a satisfying bowl of soup you can enjoy as a main meal or as a side. I love how thick and creamy it is, making for the ultimate comforting soup recipe, especially on a cold weeknight.
As I mentioned, this cauliflower soup is creamy and rich, so you’d think it’s full of indulgent ingredients. However, you’d have no idea this recipe is dairy-free! After cooking the cauliflower until tender, the blender turns the soup into a velvety and creamy texture. It’s absolutely irresistible! If you want to try another cozy soup recipe then check out my classic tomato soup, homemade corn chowder, or broccoli cheese soup recipe to serve with the soup.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Cauliflower — you can’t make cauliflower soup without cauliflower! It’s the base of the soup, so make sure when picking a head of cauliflower that it’s dense and feels heavy for its size. Avoid any that have yellow or brown spots on them. It should also feel firm and dense. If you want to save some time, you can buy pre-cut florets.
Garlic — for the best flavor, use fresh garlic.
Broth — I use vegetable broth. If you want, you can use low-sodium vegetable broth and add salt to taste.
Lemon juice — for the best flavor, I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice. The flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice is more bright and fresh compared to bottled lemon juice.
How to Make Cauliflower Soup
1. Place the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Toss until cauliflower is evenly coated with oil and spread out in a single layer.
2. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and browned on the edges, tossing halfway through. Set aside 6 pretty florets for serving.
3. In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
4. Add the vegetable broth, cauliflower, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Let cool slightly, and then working in batches if needed, carefully transfer the cauliflower mixture to a blender and cover, removing the centerpiece of the lid. Blend until smooth.
6. Return to the pot and stir in lemon juice. Keep warm or serve immediately, garnishing with reserved florets, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and black pepper.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Make sure you don’t undercook the vegetables. Cooking until everything is tender will ensure everything blends smoothly. Also, fully roasting the cauliflower will really bring the flavors out.
- For the smoothest texture, blend the cauliflower soup in the blender. If you don’t mind a more rustic texture, then you can use a handheld immersion blender.
- You can add more veggies to this soup, such as celery or carrots. Add them to the pot alongside the onions and cook until softened.
- Add a bit of heat to the soup with some red pepper flakes on top before serving.
- Be careful when blending hot cauliflower soup. Make sure to have a way for the steam to escape, and avoid filling the blender all the way to the top. Leave the hole in the lid open and cover it with a dishtowel before blending to allow the steam to escape.
- Make sure you cut the cauliflower to a similar size to ensure they cook evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the leftover cauliflower soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat.
Yes! This soup freezes very well. For a quick lunch, you can freeze it in single-serve portions! You can reheat the soup straight from frozen or thaw it in the fridge overnight.
This cauliflower soup is quite thick on its own. However, if you want it to be thicker, you can use less broth. You can also add a cornstarch slurry if, for some reason, your soup is thin.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Cauliflower Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Cauliflower Soup
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Large Pot
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets (about 2 pounds/900g)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth (960ml)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Toss until cauliflower is evenly coated with oil and spread out in a single layer.
- Bake until the cauliflower is tender and browned on the edges, about 35 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside 6 pretty florets for serving.
- In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, cauliflower, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Working in batches if needed, carefully transfer the cauliflower mixture to a blender and cover, removing the centerpiece of the lid. Blend until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in lemon juice. Keep warm or serve immediately, garnishing with reserved florets, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and black pepper.
Notes
- Make sure you don’t undercook the vegetables. Cooking until everything is tender will ensure everything blends smoothly. Also, fully roasting the cauliflower will really bring the flavors out.
- For the smoothest texture, blend the cauliflower soup in the blender. If you don’t mind a more rustic texture, you can use a handheld immersion blender.
- You can add more veggies to this soup, such as celery or carrots. Add it to the pot alongside the onions and cook until softened.
- Add a bit of heat to the soup with some red pepper flakes on top before serving.
- Be careful when blending hot cauliflower soup. Make sure to have a way for the steam to escape, and avoid filling the blender all the way to the top. Leave the hole in the lid open and cover it with a dishtowel before blending to allow the steam to escape.
- Make sure you cut the cauliflower to a similar size to ensure they cook evenly.
