Cream of cauliflower soup is a creamy, decadent, rich soup. I consider it comfort food because of its smooth and delicate texture. Once you take your first bite of this savory soup recipe, you'll think you are eating a fattening creamy soup, when in fact, it is made of all vegetables. Although most creamy soups contain nuts or plant milk, this cauliflower soup is nut-free, soy-free, and plant-milk-free. Instead, potatoes provide creaminess.
Cauliflower is so versatile; it can be used for pizza crust, cauliflower steaks, buffalo cauliflower bites, General Tso Cauliflower, and the list goes on. As a kid, I remember cauliflower having little to no flavor. My only recollection of its use was on a vegetable tray that I immediately drowned in a dip to disguise its taste or lack thereof. Who knew cauliflower could be elegant and delectable?
THE BENEFITS OF INCLUDING CAULIFLOWER IN YOUR DIET
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one cup of chopped raw cauliflower, cut into half-inch pieces, and weighing around 107 grams, contains:
- 27 calories
- 2 grams (g) of protein
- 0.3 grams of fat
- 5 g of carbohydrate, including 2.1 g of fiber and 2 g of sugar
- 24 milligrams (mg) of calcium
- 16 mg of magnesium
- 47 mg of phosphorus
- 320 mg of potassium
- 51.6 mg of vitamin C
- 16.6 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K
- 0.197 mcg of vitamin B6
- 61 mcg of folate
One cup of raw cauliflower will provide:
- 77 percent of daily vitamin C needs
- 20 percent of daily vitamin K needs
- 10 percent or more of daily needs for vitamin B 6 and folate
It also contains small thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED FOR CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP?
- Shallots
- Leeks
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- Rosemary
- Organic vegetable broth
- Nutritional Yeast
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Rosemary
- Chives
- Smoked paprika
CHOPPING THE INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP
One of my favorite kitchen tools, my Pro Vegetable Chopper, saves me a ton of time in the kitchen. As a result, chopping vegetables for various recipes takes minutes instead of hours. For creamy cauliflower soup, for instance, I used the larger chopping blade to chop my potatoes. Then, I used a small knife to chop the shallots.
TIPS FOR COOKING WITH LEEKS...THE SECRET INGREDIENT
When cooking with leeks, it is essential to remember that leeks generally require a lot of cleaning. Even though they may appear clean on the outside, dirt hides in the multiple layers of each leek. For that reason, I suggest chopping leeks and then transferring them to a colander and rinsing them under water to remove excess debris.
HOW TO MAKE CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP
First, saute the garlic, shallots, and leeks together until translucent in a large soup pan. Then add the chopped potatoes, nutritional yeast, and vegetable broth. Next, bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, roast the cauliflower in the oven. While the cauliflower roasts and the potatoes soften with the leeks and shallots, chop the chives to garnish.
Be sure, though, to separate some of the roasted cauliflower (I picked small pieces) to use as a garnish when serving the cauliflower soup before you begin to blend the soup. Now, allow both the cauliflower and the potato mixture to cool, so you can safely blend the creamy cauliflower soup in small batches. 
Cauliflower has become one of my favorite vegetables, as it transforms into so many different dishes with versatile flavors; it absorbs herbs and seasoning, and when used creatively, is the best fat-free food around. So if you love savory soups and want to feel like you are cheating with every delicious bite, try this cream of cauliflower soup.
DO YOU LOVE CAULIFLOWER? HERE ARE SOME GREAT RECIPES
- Tahini Roasted Cauliflower
- BBQ Cauliflower
- Buffalo Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Cauliflower Steaks
- Curried Cauliflower
- General Tso Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Avocado-Cilantro Cream
- Cauliflower Nachos
- Spicy Korean Baked Cauliflower
- Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Cauliflower Fried Rice with Tofu
📖 Recipe
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large shallots diced
- 3 leeks trimmed and cleaned (it is very important you rinse the multiple layers; leeks are fabulous but dirty); chopped
- 1 head cauliflower cored and chopped in bite sized pieces (reserve several small roasted pieces for soup garnish)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium sized potatoes peeled and chopped
- 2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped rosemary
- 8 cups organic vegetable broth
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Onion powder
- ½ cup chives garnish
- Smoked paprika garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees; line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat
- After chopping and washing cauliflower, make a single layer of cauliflower on the cookie sheet.
- Generously season with garlic powder and onion powder
- Roast for 40 minutes until lightly brown on top
- While cauliflower roasts, saute garlic, leeks, and shallots together in a soup pot
- Add 4 cups organic vegetable broth and stir; reduce heat to medium
- Add chopped potatoes and return heat to medium-high. The potatoes need to cook through.
- Add rosemary and nutritional yeast
- Bring to a boil and stir; cover cook, reducing heat to simmer until the potatoes are soft (30 minutes)
- Using a high-speed blender, combine small portions of broth/potato shallot mixture and roasted cauliflower in the blender until smooth. It will be thick but blended without any chunks.
- Now return the thick mixture to the soup pot
- Using the remaining 4 cups of organic vegetable broth, add small amounts of broth and stir; the soup will thin out and brighten in color.
- Serve:
- Sprinkle the top with paprika
- Using the small pieces of roasted cauliflower and the chopped chives, decorate the center of the soup bowl.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Susan
Just made this soup....delicious! There is no mention of the nutritional yeast in the instructions. I added it at the end when adding final broth. When should it be added?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Susan! You must have read my mind 🙂 I add it at the end. Thanks for pointing that out. I will fix it. I am so glad you enjoyed the soup.
Anonymous
Anonymous