This roasted cauliflower soup is rich and creamy without any cream! Not only is it delicious but it works well as a light lunch or simple side dish and stores well in the freezer for months to come so you can whip up a batch and have heart-warming meals ready for days to come.
Interestingly, the key to a creamy soup isn’t always cream. In fact, there are many different ways to create a creamy texture without any cream at all. For this roasted cauliflower soup, I opted to use a combination of potatoes and milk to create a creamy texture and added some parmesan cheese to give it an extra smooth velvety feel.
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Made with 100% real food ingredients, this healthy roasted cauliflower soup is a delicious and nutritious heart-warming meal. Serve it on its or with a slice of crusty bread for a simple lunch on a cold day.
Ingredients for Roasted Cauliflower Soup
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this creamy roasted cauliflower soup:
- Cauliflower: You can use the entire head of cauliflower, stem and florets, for the soup.
- Potatoes: To create a creamy texture without adding cream.
- Leek and Onion: To add a slightly sweet flavor to the soup.
- Garlic: The recipe calls for 5 cloves but feel free to add more if you want it extra garlicky.
- Broth: I used chicken broth; however, you can use vegetable broth if you prefer.
- Milk: To give it a creamy texture and add big of protein.
- Mustard: To add a depth of flavor and a hint of spice.
- Nutmeg: To add a bit of warmth and fragrance.
- Cheese: To enhance the creamy texture and add flavor. The recipe calls for parmesan cheese, but cheddar cheese works well too.
In addition to the above, you’ll also need some butter, olive oil, salt, and black pepper, as well as some optional parsley and red pepper flakes to serve.
Dietary Adaptions
Make it Gluten-Free: No adaptations are needed; this recipe is gluten-free. If using store-bought chicken broth, just read the label to ensure it is in fact gluten-free.
Make it Dairy-Free: Swap the butter for additional olive oil, swap the milk for unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice, such as coconut milk, and omit the parmesan cheese.
Make it Vegan: Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth, butter for additional olive oil, milk for unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice, and omit the parmesan cheese.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Soup
While making roasted cauliflower soup does an extra step compared to regular cauliflower soup, it’s well worth the time and effort for the additional flavor it provides. Here’s what you’ll do:
- Roast the cauliflower. Begin by roasting the cauliflower florets and cauliflower stems.
- Build the base. Sautee the leek, onion, and garlic in olive oil and butter, then add spices.
- Cook the soup. At the potatoes and broth and cook until potatoes are tender.
- Add the cauliflower. Add the roasted cauliflower to the pot.
- Add the dairy. Add the milk and cheese to the pot.
- Puree until creamy. Blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
Once blended, the soup can be served immediately with toppings of your choice (my personal favorites are cheese, croutons, and olive oil) or stored in the fridge or freezer. See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
Want to make this soup a balanced meal? Serve it with a side of protein and complex carbohydrates, such as boiled eggs and crackers, deli meat and bread, or a small side sandwich!
Tips for the BEST Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Although cauliflower soup is rather easy to make, here are some simple tips to help make the best roasted cauliflower soup possible.
Roast your cauliflower until golden. Cauliflower does not take long to roast in the oven, however, for optimal flavor and texture be sure to leave it long enough that it actually builds some color. You can also turn the oven to broil for a few minutes at the end if you find your oven is taking too long.
Build flavor. Cauliflower is pretty bland on its own, so be sure to season it well with salt and pepper before roasting. This recipe calls for garlic, nutmeg, and mustard for a punch of flavor, however, herbs would also be a nice touch.
Blend until completely smooth. For an extra rich, creamy, and velvety texture, be sure to blend or puree your smooth until it’s very creamy. You can use a fancy high-speed blender, but an immersion blender also works well.
Add heavy cream. While this recipe uses a combination of potatoes and milk to provide a creamy texture to the soup, if you want it extra rich and creamy, stir in a bit of extra heavy once the soup is blended.
FAQs
Cauliflower soup is a very neutral-tasting vegetable, so without adequate seasoning, a cauliflower soup can end up rather tasteless. Be sure to season your soup with adequate salt and better, use a flavorful broth, and add herbs and spices, such as garlic, nutmeg, and fresh thyme, to enhance flavor.
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, along with broccoli and cabbage, and is a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and folate. Moreover, the high-fiber, low-fat, and low-calorie content of cauliflower makes it a great ingredient to add to a healthy soup.
Topping Ideas for Cauliflower Soup
While you can enjoy cauliflower soup as is, here are some of my favorite toppings for cauliflower soup:
- Roasted Cauliflower Florets
- Parmesan Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Croutons
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Green Onion
- Chives
- Fresh Herbs
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Storage + Reheating
To Store: Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Once cooled, transfer the soup to airtight containers and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Roasted cauliflower soup can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat for 5 minutes or until warm, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. If using frozen leftovers, allow the soup to thaw completely before reheating.
More Roasted Soup Recipes:
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Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
This rich and creamy roasted cauliflower soup is easy to make and pairs perfectly with a piece of crusty bread for a simple yet delicious lunch or dinner.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 40 minutes
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Total Time: 50 minutes
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Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Category: Soup
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Method: Roasted and Blended
- Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 leek, sliced (white part only)
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated, about 1/4 cup
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add chopped cauliflower to a large baking sheet, drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil, season generously with salt, and toss until well coated. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and allow the cauliflower to roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and lightly browned on the edges.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, in a large pot or large saucepan, warm butter and remaining olive oil. Once melted, add leeks, onion, and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender and slightly translucent.
- Add mustard, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, and stir to combine with the vegetable mixture. Then add potatoes and cover with broth, bring to a boil, cover with a lid, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. (You need just enough broth to cover the potatoes completely.)
- Once the cauliflower has finished roasting and the potatoes are tender, add the cauliflower, parmesan cheese, and milk (just enough to cover the potatoes and cauliflower) to the pot and stir to combine.
- Using an immersion blender or in batches using a bar blender, purée until smooth. Add additional milk as needed for desired texture and season to taste with salt and pepper as needed.
- Once cooked the soup can be served immediately into bowls or cooled completely and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 215 calories
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Fat: 9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 28 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Protein: 8 grams
My son does not care for cauliflower but he liked this soup when I made it and so did I. Easy and delicious.
★★★★★
My husband did not really like the soup. He is not a picky eater so he ate it but found it rather bland and not thick enough using milk instead of cream. I thought the same. I prefer a thicker, creamier soup and do not plan to make this soup again. .
★★★
Delicious! Super creamy without cream, my husband was impressed.
★★★★★