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    Home » Soups

    Cauliflower Soup

    Published: Sep 8, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Roasted cauliflower soup is nutty, cheesy, creamy, and delicious. Ours is an easy and naturally vegan recipe you can make with a few simple ingredients and a blender.

    The secret to making the most flavorful soup is roasting the cauliflower with garlic, onion, and herbs before blending it with veg broth.

    roasted cauliflower soup
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage
    • Questions
    • More soup recipes
    • More cauliflower recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best easy dinner recipe collection!

    easy cauliflower soup

    Homemade soups are one of the best ways of incorporating more veggies into one's diet because they are easy to make and taste delicious.

    When it comes to fall and winter veggies, cauliflower is hard to beat; a homemade roasted cauliflower soup is one of our favorite cozy meals.

    It has a creamy, buttery texture and a mellow nutty, and cheesy taste, although there's no cheese in it.

    Over the years, we developed a simple method for making the best soup with the least effort. That's what we call the "bake and blend" method. First, bake the veggies in the oven, then blend them with vegetable broth (both immersion or regular blender work).

    Roasting the veggies in the oven (as opposed to cooking them on the stovetop) is not only a lot easier since you can put the baking tray in the oven and forget it. It also produces a richer flavor thanks to the browning and caramelization that happens at high oven temperatures.

    With cauliflower soup, for instance, we roast the cauliflower with onion, garlic, thyme, and a drizzle of olive oil. As the veggies get tender and brown in the oven, they become a concentration of flavor; blend them with vegetable broth, and your soup is ready.

    Ps. Want to make the soup extra creamy without using butter? Add a microwaved potato to the blender. The potato's starch will make the creamiest soup you've ever had!

    cauliflower soup with parmesan gremolata topping
    Roasted cauliflower soup with parmesan gremolata topping.

    Ingredients

    ingredients for cauliflower soup
    To make the creamiest soup, substitute one potato for butter.

    Cauliflower

    Pick a large white cauliflower head to make an off-white colored cauliflower soup. You can use both the cauliflower florets and stem.

    You can use purple, orange, or green cauliflower to make the soup more colorful.

    Garlic, onion, and thyme

    We roast crushed garlic with the peel to protect the clove from burning, chunks of onion and fresh thyme leaves off their stem.

    Roasting those veggies in the oven makes the richest cauliflower soup ever. The garlic and the onion get soft and caramelized to perfection. The thyme infuses everything with its pleasant aroma.

    Remember to discard the garlic peel before tossing the roasted garlic cloves in the blender.

    Olive oil

    We use extra virgin olive oil to help the cauliflower, garlic, and onion roast and caramelize in the oven without burning or getting overly dry.

    We recommend extra virgin because it tastes better (fruitier and nuttier) and is richer in antioxidants than any other oil. Antioxidants make the oil stable at high temperatures, preventing it from burning.

    Salt and pepper

    Sea salt or kosher salt for taste. We add it to the veggies before roasting them. Freshly ground black pepper for a fragrant peppery aroma.

    Nutmeg

    Nutmeg is optional, so if you don't have it in your pantry, go ahead and make the soup without it.

    However, for us, a cauliflower soup wouldn't be complete without it. Nutmeg has a cozy, autumny flavor, with mild notes of clove. You'll only need a small amount to make this cauliflower soup exceptional.

    If you are thinking of buying nutmeg, then we recommend getting the whole nutmeg that you can quickly grate at home as you need it. It'll last you longer than ground nutmeg without losing its aroma.

    Vegetable broth

    You can make your own or use store-bought veg stock. We prefer it to the chicken broth so that vegans and vegetarians can enjoy this recipe too.

    Creamy ingredient

    We have two favorite ingredients to make this cauliflower soup recipe extra creamy and velvety. They are butter (dairy-free or regular butter) and potato.

    Potatoes are great to add creaminess to soups because they have a mildly earthy but mostly neutral flavor and are rich in starch.

    When blended, the starch in the potato binds with the cauliflower making this soup the creamiest, even creamier than soup made with butter.

    To use potatoes in a soup, you must first cook them till soft. You can microwave a large potato whole, pierced with a fork and with the skin on, for 5 to 10 minutes.

    Alternatively, boil it whole with the skin on, for about 30 minutes, until soft throughout. Then peel it, and add it to the blender.

    Heavy cream (regular or dairy-free works, too) - add about ½ cup or more to taste.

    Garnish

    We like to garnish our cauliflower soup with homemade croutons, roasted chickpeas, or a parmesan gremolata made with grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and finely chopped fresh parsley.

    The recipe is gluten-free as long as you don't add croutons.

    Cauliflower soup with homemade croutons.
    Cauliflower soup with homemade croutons.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Bake

    Preheat the oven to 410°F or 210°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Rinse the cauliflower, dry it, and chop it into chunks. Add crushed garlic with the peel, chopped onion, fresh thyme leaves picked off their stem, salt, black pepper, and olive oil.

    cauliflower, onion, and garlic on a baking tray

    Toss the veggies, spread them on the baking tray, and bake for 30 minutes. Discard the garlic peel before blending the veggies.

    roasted cauliflower on a baking tray

    Step 2: Blend

    You can blend this cauliflower soup with an immersion or regular blender. The immersion blender will produce a coarser soup; the regular blender will make a velvety smooth one. They are both delicious.

    Note: If you make the soup with the potato, remember to microwave it for about 7 to 10 minutes or boil it for about 30 minutes, until soft throughout.

    Immersion blender

    To a dutch oven, add the roasted veggies, 2 cups of vegetable broth, grated nutmeg to taste, and butter or cooked and peeled potato.

    roasted cauliflower and cooked potato in a dutch oven

    Blend for a couple of minutes until your reach your desired texture. Then, add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.

    Note: we like our cauliflower soup with 3 cups of vegetable broth.

    cauliflower soup blended with an immersion blender

    Regular blender

    Add the roasted veggies, the vegetable broth, grated nutmeg to taste, and the butter or cooked and peeled potato.

    Blend at high speed until you reach your desired texture and consistency. Add more vegetable broth if necessary.

    Note: we did this in a large Vitamix blender jug, and it all fit in perfectly; however, if your blender is smaller, you might have to blend the soup in batches.

    soup blended with a high speed blender

    Step 3: Warm up and serve

    In a dutch oven or large saucepan, simmer the soup on medium heat for a couple of minutes to warm it up. Taste and adjust for salt, pepper, and nutmeg before serving it in a bowl.

    warming up the soup in a dutch oven

    Serving suggestions

    We have three favorite toppings for this roasted cauliflower soup:

    1. Roasted chickpeas or crispy air fryer chickpeas.

    cauliflower soup served with roasted chickpeas

    You can make them easily with canned chickpeas, salt, olive oil, and optionally a spice of your choice (paprika, curry powder, garlic powder).

    We like them with cauliflower soup because they add crunch and healthy plant protein to the meal.

    2. Homemade croutons or air fryer croutons.

    Cauliflower soup with homemade croutons.
    Cauliflower soup with homemade croutons.

    Crispy little cubes of toasted bread seasoned with olive oil and other spices, croutons are perfect for soup because they add crunch and flavor.

    3. Parmesan gremolata.

    parmesan gremolata

    Gremolata is an Italian condiment with chopped parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. In this parmesan gremolata, we substitute a couple of tablespoons of grated parmesan for garlic; then, we mix it with some freshly chopped parsley and a bit of lemon zest.

    Sprinkle this delicacy on top of your roasted cauliflower soup to add zesty, savory, and cheese notes from these three delicious ingredients.

    Storage

    Store cauliflower soup in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes or in a small saucepan on the stove.

    You can freeze this recipe for up to 6 months. Let it cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator over a few hours or in the microwave. Do not freeze multiple times.

    Questions

    How do you thicken up cauliflower soup?

    Thick up cauliflower soup by blending in a large boiled or microwaved potato. The potato's starch will act as a natural binder making the soup velvety and extra creamy.

    How long does fresh cauliflower soup last?

    We recommend eating fresh cauliflower soup within three days of making it, provided you store it in the fridge in an airtight container.

    If you want to store it for longer, we recommend freezing it.

    What to add to cauliflower soup?

    We recommend adding homemade croutons, crispy roasted chickpeas, fried tofu, or parmesan gremolata made with chopped parsley, lemon zest, and grated parmesan.

    More soup recipes

    Are you looking for more creamy and delicious soup recipes? Check out our:

    • Roasted sweet potato soup
    • Easy tofu soup with seasonal variations
    • Delicious zucchini soup
    • Roasted eggplant soup
    • Earthy Tuscan soup with white beans
    • Creamy roasted butternut squash soup
    • Nourishing and tasty lentil soup
    • Delicious red lentil curry
    • sweet potato soup
      Sweet Potato Soup
    • Zucchini soup with croutons
      Zucchini Soup
    • lentil curry with basmati rice
      Lentil Curry
    • Tuscan soup with spoon and bread
      Tuscan Soup
    • roasted butternut squash soup
      Butternut Squash Soup
    • tofu soup with spoon
      Tofu Soup
    • eggplant soup
      Eggplant Soup
    • Lentil soup with veggies and a spoon
      Lentil Soup

    More cauliflower recipes

    For more cauliflower inspiration, check out our:

    • Roasted cauliflower
    • Delicious cauliflower pasta
    • Air fryer cauliflower
    • Cauliflower salad with creamy dressing
    • Mediterranean-inspired cauliflower lentil salad
    • Cauliflower rice with parsley and lemon
    • Red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower
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      Roasted Cauliflower
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      Cauliflower Pasta
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      Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

    Recipe

    roasted cauliflower soup

    Cauliflower Soup

    Author: Nico
    Roasted cauliflower soup is nutty, cheesy, creamy, and delicious. Ours is an easy and naturally vegan recipe you can make with a few simple ingredients and a blender.
    The secret to making the most flavorful soup is roasting the cauliflower with garlic, onion, and herbs before blending it with veg broth.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 3 votes
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American, International
    Servings 3 people
    Calories 223 kcal

    Equipment

    • Blender or immersion blender

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 large cauliflower (about 1.7 pounds or 770 grams)
    • 1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 large onion white or yellow
    • 5 sprigs thyme only the leaves, no stem
    • ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 pinch grated nutmeg
    • 3 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 potato (boiled or microwaved) or 2 tablespoons butter

    TO GARNISH

    • Roasted chickpeas
    • Homemade croutons
    • Parmesan gremolata mix 2 tablespoon grated parmesan, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon lemon zest

    Instructions
     

    BAKE

    • Preheat the oven to 410°F or 210°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      Rinse the cauliflower, dry it, chop it into chunks, and add it to the baking sheet.
      Add crushed garlic with the peel, chopped onion, fresh thyme leaves picked off their stem, salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
      cauliflower, onion, and garlic on a baking tray
    • Toss the veggies, spread them on the baking tray, and bake for 30 minutes. Discard the garlic peel before blending the veggies.
      In the meantime, cook the potato. To microwave it, pierce it with a fork and microwave with the skin on, for 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, boil it whole with the skin on, for about 30 minutes, until soft throughout.
      roasted cauliflower on a baking tray

    BLEND

    • Regular blender/high-speed blender
      To the jug of your blender, add the roasted veggies, 2 cups of vegetable broth, grated nutmeg, and cooked and peeled potato (or butter).
      Blend for a couple of minutes until your reach your desired texture. Then, add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.
      Note: we did this in a large Vitamix blender jug, and it all fit in perfectly; however, if your blender is smaller, you might have to blend the soup in batches.
      soup blended with a high speed blender
    • Immersion blender
      To a dutch oven, add the roasted veggies, 2 cups of vegetable broth, grated nutmeg, and cooked and peeled potato (or butter).
      Blend for a couple of minutes until your reach your desired texture. Then, add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.
      cauliflower soup blended with an immersion blender

    WARM UP AND SERVE

    • In a dutch oven or a pot, simmer the soup on medium heat for a couple of minutes to warm it up.
      Taste and adjust for salt, pepper, and nutmeg before serving it in a bowl.
      warming up the soup in a dutch oven

    SERVING SUGGESTIONS

    • Add roasted chickpeas or air fryer chickpeas on top for extra crunch and protein.
      cauliflower soup served with roasted chickpeas
    • Add homemade croutons or air fryer croutons for extra crunch and flavor.
      Cauliflower soup with homemade croutons.
    • Sprinkle with parmesan gremolata that you can make mixing parmesan, lemon zest, and parsley.
      cauliflower soup with parmesan gremolata topping

    Video Recipe

    Easy Cauliflower Soup in 30 minutes

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for one portion of cauliflower soup out of three portions, without any toppings.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Cauliflower Soup
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 223 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 1191mg34%
    Carbohydrates 35g12%
    Dietary Fiber 8g33%
    Sugar 10g11%
    Protein 7g14%
    Vitamin A 616IU12%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 150mg182%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 47µg45%
    Calcium 91mg9%
    Folate 174µg44%
    Iron 2mg11%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 65mg16%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this soup recipe, you might also like:

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    « Lentil Pasta
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laura Heath

      February 22, 2023 at 3:31 am

      Thinking of making this and wondering: If one is using potato in the recipe, why not chop and roast it with the other vegetables?

      Reply
      • Nico

        February 22, 2023 at 6:45 am

        Hi Laura,

        Thanks for your message 🙂

        Yes, you can try baking the potato with the cauliflower.

        It might have a different cooking time, though, taking longer than the cauliflower (what you don't want is burnt/overcooked cauliflower and hard/undercooked potato).

        Also, I noticed that the potato is easier to blend when boiled, steamed, or microwaved. The soup gets creamier this way, even with an immersion blender.

        I hope this helps 🙂
        Nico

        Reply
    2. Marta

      November 29, 2022 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      Splendid!

      Reply
      • Louise

        November 30, 2022 at 5:51 am

        Thanks Marta! I'm happy you liked the soup. Cheers, Louise

        Reply

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