Cauliflower Soup
This Cauliflower Soup is smooth, creamy and comforting! Roasting the cauliflower brings out its delicious caramelized, nutty flavor.
Cauliflower often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Do you agree? This versatile veggie can be prepared in so many ways, and its subtle flavor means that it welcomes a variety of seasonings. Roasted Cauliflower is tender and nutty, with delicious caramelized edges. Garlicky Air Fryer Cauliflower with Parmesan is so addictive, you might just eat it all straight from the air fryer basket. And this cauliflower soup? It’s like a hug in a bowl.
This creamy roasted cauliflower soup doesn’t contain any heavy cream, yet it has the best creamy texture and rich flavor. Roasting the cauliflower before adding it to the soup adds enticing depth of flavor. This simple step hardly takes any more effort, but it makes all the difference in the taste of the soup. Garlic, leeks and fresh thyme round out the flavors and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a pop of freshness.
Healthy cauliflower soup, you are welcome on our dinner menu any time!
Cauliflower Soup Recipe Ingredients
This easy soup recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need, including notes on substitution options.
- Cauliflower: You’ll need one medium head of cauliflower for this recipe.
- Olive Oil & Butter: Using both olive oil and butter brings the best flavor to this cauliflower soup. The butter adds richness and gives the soup a luxurious, creamy texture.
- Leeks: Leeks add mild onion flavor. Feel free to substitute 3/4 cup of chopped sweet yellow onion in place of the leeks.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves bring a subtle garlic flavor.
- Vegetable Broth: I recommend using low sodium vegetable broth so that you can better control the amount of salt in the soup. You may substitute low sodium chicken broth, but the soup will no longer be vegetarian.
- Fresh Thyme: Fresh thyme pairs perfectly with cauliflower. I recommend using fresh rather than dried thyme for the best flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: I always recommend tasting soups before serving, so that you can adjust the amounts of salt and pepper to your tastes.
- Lemon Juice: A squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the end brightens up the flavors.
How to Make Cauliflower Soup
Here is an overview of how to make this cauliflower soup recipe, with a few extra tips to ensure that your soup turns out perfect. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- First, rinse the cauliflower and cut it into florets. Dry the cauliflower pieces well and place them on a rimmed baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper. You want the cauliflower to be completely dry so that it will roast, not steam, in the oven.
- Drizzle olive oil over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
- Bake the cauliflower at 425° F for 30 minutes, until it is golden brown on the edges.
- While the cauliflower roasts, prepare the leeks. Using only the white and light green parts, cut them in half lengthwise and then chop them into 1/4-inch wide half moons. Wash them well in a bowl of cold water or in a salad spinner and then drain them well. For a visual on how to cut leeks, see my Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup recipe.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Add the leeks and cook them until they soften, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring.
- Pour in the vegetable broth. Then add the roasted cauliflower, fresh thyme sprigs, salt and pepper.
- Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
- Use a fork to remove the thyme stems. Most of the thyme leaves will have fallen off of the stems into the soup.
- Transfer the soup to a countertop blender and puree until it is very smooth. While I love my immersion blender for the convenience of blending soups right in the pot, this cauliflower soup is best when it is blended really smooth and a countertop blender does a much better job. You can let the soup cool for a few minutes before transferring it to your blender. Remove the center piece from the blender lid and cover the hole with a kitchen towel to allow steam to vent slightly as you blend.
- Stir or blend in the lemon juice. Taste the soup and season it with more salt and pepper, if needed. Then serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Cauliflower Soup
I like to garnish bowls of cauliflower soup with fresh thyme leaves and either some freshly ground pepper or a small pinch of red pepper flakes. On the side, pair the soup with bread and a salad. Here are a few ideas:
- Bread: Our favorites include Dinner Rolls, Drop Biscuits and Cornbread. Or, slice up a loaf of crusty bread.
- Salad: Try a Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad, Spinach Salad, Simple Green Salad or a zesty chopped Greek Salad.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Leftover soup makes a perfect lunch or easy dinner idea! If you’d like to freeze this soup, I recommend freezing it in individual portions for easy thawing and reheating.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Let the soup cool completely before freezing and then store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat: Reheat soup in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or reheat gently in the microwave.
More Soup Recipes
Try one of these delicious soup recipes next!
- Lentil Soup
- Crockpot Potato Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Split Pea Soup
- Asparagus Soup
Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut cauliflower into florets. Dry well and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the cauliflower and toss to evenly coat the cauliflower with the oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown on the edges.
- Cut the leeks (white and light green parts only) in half lengthwise and then cut into ¼-inch wide half moons. Wash the chopped leeks in a bowl of cool water (or in a salad spinner) and drain well.
- In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
- Pour in the vegetable broth. Add the roasted cauliflower, thyme sprigs, salt and pepper. Stir.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Use a fork or spoon to remove the thyme stems (most of the leaves will have fallen off). Carefully transfer the soup to a counter top blender, remove the center piece of the top of the blender and cover with a folded kitchen towel (to allow the steam to vent), and puree until smooth.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season the soup with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.
Notes
- Store leftover cauliflower soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
