This easy Roasted Cauliflower Soup recipe uses basic ingredients, yet delivers a rich, velvety smooth and delicious soup. This homemade soup always turns out super creamy although it can be made with milk or plant-based milk to keep this a dairy-free and vegan soup.
Recipe Summary:
- Main Ingredient: Cauliflower.
- Texture: Luscious and creamy.
- Dietary Information: Vegetarian, vegan adaptable, gluten-free, low-carb, dairy-free.
- What you Need to Know: This savory creamy soup can be finished with plant-based milk, regular milk, half and half or just broth.
- Highlight: Easy to find ingredients. Budget friendly.
- Skill Level: Easy.
Why This Cauliflower Soup Works?
- The flavor of this easy cauliflower soup recipe is built layer by layer. To make this creamy soup, we first roast the cauliflower in the oven until tender and golden brown on the edges. This process caramelizes and concentrates the natural flavor of cauliflower.
- This healthy cauliflower soup gets it’s luscious creaminess from the addition of milk or half and half however, you can make this soup super creamy without using dairy at all. To make this a vegan cauliflower soup, plant-based milk such as coconut milk, oat milk or almond milk produces great results.
- Like a good potato soup, This is one of those soup recipes that you can load with all kinds of tasty toppings. This always makes things a bit more interesting for picky eaters.
What You’ll Need to Make Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Fresh Cauliflower: You will use an entire head of cauliflower to make this cozy soup. Choose firm, tight heads of cauliflower free of brown spot. Both the florets and the stems are used.
- Oil: You can use extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or any mild tasting oil.
- Butter: This recipe uses a little bit of butter (1 tablespoon for 4 servings). Replace this ingredient with vegan butter or increase the oil by 1 tablespoon.
- Onion: White, brown or yellow onion work well. Red onions however, can give the soup a pinkish hue after the soup is blended.
- Garlic: Fresh chopped garlic cloves or garlic paste work best.
- Broth: Keep this soup vegetarian and vegan friendly by using vegetable broth. Chicken broth or chicken bone broth can be used.
- Regular or Plant-Based Milk: Whole milk, half and half and even heavy cream can be added. Plant-based milk such as oat milk, almond milk or soy milk work jut as well. You can skip the milk and use broth as well.
- Spices and Seasonings: Fresh thyme (or dried), dried bay leaf and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Toppings (optional): Although the flavor of this soup is perfect without any garnishes, toppings always make a meal extra fun.
- For a cheesy cauliflower soup, sprinkle a good amount of extra sharp cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese.
- Homemade croutons and a drizzle of olive oil or coconut milk always work add flavor and a bit of crunch.
- After roasting, reserve a few tender chunks of cauliflower to garnish the soup.
- Add a bit of heat by sprinkling the soup with red pepper flakes.
- Fresh herbs or green onions add color and fresh taste to the soup.
How to Make Creamy Cauliflower Soup?
For specific instructions, temperatures and cooking times, check the recipe card below.
- Roast: Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle it with oil and season with salt and black pepper.Toss and place on an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast until fork tender and golden brown on the edges.
- Sauté: While the cauliflower is roasting, in a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onions over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, then the broth and the spices.
- Add: When done, remove the cauliflower from the oven. Transfer the roasted cauliflower to the soup pot.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Blend: Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until the soup is smooth. Use an immersion blender if preferred.
- Season and Serve: Return the blended soup to the pot and add milk. Serve garnished with your favorite toppings
Tips from a Restaurant’s Chef
- Yield: A head of cauliflower weights about 2 pounds. Two pounds of raw cauliflower yields about 3 to 4 cups of florets. This soup gets thicker as it sits. You can add additional broth, if needed.
- Topping: Reserve some roasted cauliflower florets to garnish the soup.
- Flavor Boost: Cauliflower has a very mild flavor. One of the best ways to bring out its natural flavor and make it tasty is to roast it.
- Roasting: Roasting veggies may seem extra work but it’s totally worth it. Roasting caramelizes and concentrates the natural flavor of veggies.
- Consistency: The soup will get thicker as it sits. You can add broth or whole milk / plant-based milk until you get the desired consistency.
How Long It Takes to Roast Cauliflower?
Exact times depend on the size of the florets an oven temperature. In a 425ºF oven, I roast cauliflower for 30 to 35 minutes. The stems should be tender enough to pierce with a fork and you should have crispy golden-brown edges.
Absolutely! Cauliflower soup freezes well. Store the creamy soup in an airtight container and when completely cool, freeze it for up to 3 months.
You can also store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How Do You Know When The Cauliflower is Cooked?
Cauliflower is done roasting when it’s tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Roasted cauliflower gets golden brown around the edges which adds a ton of flavor to this very mild vegetable.
Take A Look A These Other Easy Soup Recipes:
- Chickpea Soup (Mediterranean Style)
- Black Bean Soup Recipe
- Creamy Carrot Soup
- Thai Tom Yum Soup
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Roasted Cauliflower Soup
This roasted cauliflower soup is easy to make, with simple budget friendly ingredients. Vegetarian, vegan adaptable, dairy-free adaptable, gluten-free, low-carb.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves. roughly chopped
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 sprigs or fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup whole milk, Half and Half or plant-based milk (omit if you prefer and use broth for thinning)
To Garnish (choose any or all)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onions
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyere or mozzarella)
- A few pieces of roasted cauliflower florets
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Place the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Toss until evenly coated and spread out into a single layer.
- Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cauliflower edges start to turn golden brown and are fork tender.
- When the cauliflower is almost done, heat the remaining oil and butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the onions become soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven. You can reserve a few pieces of roasted cauliflower florets to use as garnish if desired, then transfer the remaining roasted cauliflower to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Remove the soup from the heat. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Puree with an immersion blender until the desired consistency is reached or alternatively carefully transfer the soup to a blender and puree working in batches. Be careful when blending hot liquids. The steam will try to escape so holding the lid down with a kitchen towel is helpful.
- If using a regular blender, return the soup to the pot and turn the heat to medium low. Stir in the milk or Half and Half, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes then serve topped with your favorite garnishes.
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Recipe Notes
- Pureeing the roasted cauliflower makes the soup creamy however, you can finish the soup with whole milk or half & half or plant-based milk.
- This soup gets thicker as it sits. You can add additional broth if needed, when warming it up.
- This soup is healthy, vegetarian, vegan adaptable, low in carbs, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 222
Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 1049mg46%
Potassium 771mg22%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 757IU15%
Vitamin C 115mg139%
Calcium 99mg10%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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