Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
This cauliflower soup recipe is the BEST! Roasted cauliflower makes it taste amazing, and a little butter (instead of cream) makes it luxuriously creamy.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 1, 2024
Behold! Lusciously creamy, yet cream-less, cauliflower soup. This cauliflower soup recipe will absolutely satisfy your craving for warm, creamy soup—no cheese required.
I know “cauliflower soup” might not sound super appealing if you’ve never had it before. Trust me, it can be so delicious! Today, I’m sharing my favorite cauliflower soup recipe, and I can’t wait for you to make it at home.
My friend Tessa introduced me to cauliflower soup a few years ago. I loved it so much that I developed my own recipe for my cookbook, Love Real Food.
As the temps and leaves have dropped this fall, I’ve had a hankering for warm, creamy soups. So, I thought I’d share a slightly simplified version of my cauliflower soup for everyone to enjoy. Let’s make some!
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Soup
This soup calls for basic ingredients but yields amazing flavor. If you have a head of cauliflower in the fridge, you probably have everything else you’ll need.
This cauliflower soup is the perfect accompaniment to salads and sandwiches. This traditional cauliflower soup will go with just about any other fall or winter flavors, including butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and greens like arugula and kale. It’ll warm you up without weighing you down!
This soup freezes well for later. This recipe doesn’t yield a ton (about 4 medium bowls), but if you have extra, just freeze it!
This creamy soup is special diet-friendly. It’s gluten free as written. Check my recipe notes to learn how to make this soup vegan/dairy free by using cashews instead of butter.
How to Make the Best Cauliflower Soup
1) Roast Your Cauliflower
Behind that creamy beige exterior, you’ll find loads of irresistible roasted cauliflower flavor. Roasted cauliflower is key here—cauliflower develops caramelized notes with a greater depth of flavor as it roasts in the oven.
2) Build Flavor
Once your roasted cauliflower is almost done, you’ll sauté onions in a soup pot until tender, then add garlic and vegetable broth. Then, add your roasted cauliflower and simmer the mixture on the stove for about 20 minutes to meld the flavors.
3) Add Butter for Creaminess
You’ll transfer the contents of the pot to a blender and add butter. Butter is an easy way to add mega creamy, luxurious flavor and texture without any cream (I borrowed this technique from my butternut squash soup). If you’re like me, you always have butter in the fridge, but rarely heavy cream!
4) Blend Until Completely Smooth
I recommend blending this soup in a stand blender, rather than an immersion blender, because stand blenders yield the creamiest results. Fortunately, the ingredients used here are fairly soft, so even an inexpensive stand blender should work well (I used my fancy Vitamix, affiliate link). The final texture, in my opinion, is absolutely worth dirtying the blender bowl for.
5) Season with Nutmeg and Lemon Juice
We’re using small, subtle amounts of nutmeg and lemon juice here. You probably won’t be able to pinpoint them while you’re sipping your soup, but they offer a certain je ne sais quoi factor. They take this soup from great to fantastic!
6) Sprinkle Something Fresh on Top
I tried garnishing my soup with fresh parsley, green onion and chives. I loved them all and couldn’t pick a favorite, so use whichever you have on hand!
Watch How to Make Cauliflower Soup
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I really love hearing from you.
Having a moment with cauliflower? Here are some more of my favorite cauliflower recipes on Cookie and Kate:
- Roasted Cauliflower (Four Ways!)
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice
- Lemony Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
- Parmesan-Crusted Cauliflower Steaks with Marinara
- Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado
Craving more soups? Don’t miss the other eight soup recipes in Love Real Food! You’ll also find quite a few more soups here on the blog.
Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
This cauliflower soup recipe is the best! Roasted cauliflower makes it taste amazing, and a little butter (instead of cream) makes it luxuriously creamy. Recipe yields 4 bowls of soup.
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Fine sea salt
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed
- Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- On the baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and caramelized on the edges, 25 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.
- Once the cauliflower is almost done, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broth.
- Reserve 4 of the prettiest roasted cauliflower florets for garnish. Then transfer the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, to give the flavors time to meld.
- Once the soup is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. (Do not fill past the maximum fill line or the soup could overflow!)
- Add the butter and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg and blend again. Add additional salt, to taste (I usually add another ¼ to ¾ teaspoon, depending on the broth). This soup tastes amazing once it’s properly salted! You can also a little more lemon juice, if it needs more zing. Blend again.
- Top individual bowls of soup with 1 roasted cauliflower floret and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, green onion and/or chives. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about four days, or for several months in the freezer.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my cookbook, Love Real Food.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Use cashews instead of butter. Soak ¼ cup cashews for 4 hours, then drain and rinse them (if you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, you can skip this). Add the cashews when you would add the butter.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this recipe first when I got your cookbook this summer. I. Love. It. It’s my absolute favourite soup and I keep it vegan using vegan becel. Anyone reading the reviews for this recipe – make this soup. You will NOT regret it.
What is “vegan becel”? To make it vegan, I plan on just using my Earth Balance “butter”.
Or could I sub some coconut milk for the butter?
Vegan becel is just vegan margarine so badically butter!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for buying the cookbook, too. :)
Hi Kate, this sounds caula-mazing and I fully intend to give it a try! Just a couple of things: if you’re putting hot soup into a blender and you have the type of blender with a removable “button” on the lid, you should remove that button, but hold a cloth or towel over the opening. If you’ve filled your blender to the max level, the hot soup will expand and it could end up being a messy situation, not to mention potentially burning yourself.
Also, don’t throw out those cauliflower leaves. I clean them, chop them up and add them to soups, stews, stir frys or just sautéed them with garlic. So delicious that I actually seek out cauliflower heads with lots of leaves still on them.
Thanks for sharing, Rose!
This was delicious, with such a rich taste! My husband loved it, too! I will definitely add this to my favorite soup list.
Love this made your favorites list, Cheryl! I appreciate the review.
OMG, this sounds SO good. Perfect for a rainy, gray day like today.
It even sounds like it would be worth braving all of the above to go to the store for the ingredients! I think I now have dinner sussed…..
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
This recipe is definitely going into my “Soup Library”. Love the cauliflower garnish idea. I think I will try some cherry tomatoes as garnish too.
Let me know what you think! Cherry tomatoes sounds nice!
Roasted cauliflower is one of my all time favourite things! I’ve never really eaten cauliflower soup before but will give this a try as it looks delicious! Thanks for the share!
Roasted cauliflower is so good! Let me know what you think!
Oh my gosh, yum!!!!! And so easy.
I actually did try this yesterday. If you have some garlic bread on the side, it is more than enough for a dinner meal.
Myself and my roommate both liked the simplicity of the recipe – and that it tasted fabolous! :)
After all: it is also environmentally friendly as it doesnt contain any meat products.
Thanks, Jenn!
after the election tomorrow i do plan to make the cauliflower soup. I have purple cauliflower can’t wait to make it. I even have my bread bowls.
What did you think of the soup, Carrol?
This came out great! Added a little cayenne pepper and that was perfect.
Wonderful, Charlotte!
Oh yummy! This looks so good! Saving this recipe for when I finally get a blender this spring! Are there any options for making this if you don’t have a blender…. probably not. I can’t wait to try this!!!
Great to hear, Emily!
Do you have an immersion blender, or a magic bullet or nurtribullet? I used those items while getting started. If you use these, let the soup cool to room temperature. You can warm it up up after blended. It’s so good, I highly recommend! You can use either bullets for the cashews as well. Good luck!
Absolutely love it! So much flavour and still extremely healthy! Will definitely make it again and again!
Hooray! I’m so glad you love this soup as much as I do. I appreciate the review, Bruna.
Who knew cauliflower could be this yummy! Thank you!
I know, right?! Thanks, Leslie for trying this soup.
This was perfect! I used homemade stock and this hit the spot since I am battling a cold. Creamy, not too rich and great flavor. I am not a vegetarian yet cook many of your recipes. Thank you!
The perfect medicine when you aren’t feeling yourself! Thank you for trying this recipe, Jennifer. I appreciate your review!
This looks tasty! I have a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen grilled cauliflower – would I still need to roast it, or could I use it after thawing?
Hmmm… I haven’t tried it! I would think a nice rewarm in the oven would be nice, but since it is already cooked, you may not need to. Love Trader Joe’s!
I received cauliflower almost every week in my CSA box last fall and winter, and I was so glad I had your cookbook for inspiration! I made this soup on rotation and it never disappointed. I especially love it with fresh garlicky croutons sprinkled on top and a side salad. Thanks so much, Kate!
Hooray! Oh, garlicky croutons sound delicious!
Delicious soup! Nice, thick and creamy. Definitely one to repeat!
Thank you, Aileen!
This soup is just further proof that cauliflower is the cooking MVP!
Agree, Gaby!
OMG. I just made this soup and it is to die for! I would double the recipe because it’s a bit of work for just 4-5 cups of soup. I would also use a tinch less lemon juice. I added another garlic glove.
I’m really glad you’ve tried it already and that you love it, Lynne! I appreciate the review.
Thank you, Kate for your great recipes. I posted this one (your link) on my Facebook. :-)
Hello Kate,
Your roasted cauliflower soup is wonderful. Thanks for your efforts to create and share such a gem.
I carefully followed you recipe, but kicked it up a notch with 1/8 teaspoon of ras el hanout.
Exotic mind bending.
Thank you for sharing, Tom!
I have to tell you this…I have your cookbook and last summer I decided to try this recipe. We roasted the cauliflower and it was SO tasty we never made the soup! Since then we have just made roasted cauliflower several times and our visiting vegetable hating son in law even liked it! So thanks for the recipe, it has served us well. Maybe sometime I will make the soup!
You’re welcome, Marilyn! Thank you so much for your support with the blog and cookbook.
Yummy, easy, and tastes like you spent more time than you did! Full disclosure: I took the easier route and used my immersion blender and it was still creamy. I added a bay leaf and some Suya seasoning and a few shakes of red pepper flakes. I am headed out for more cauliflower to make a batch for the freezer. Thanks!
You do you, Kate! I’m glad the immersion blender worked well. Thanks so much for your review!
This is so delicious, it’s hard to believe it’s so simple. I made the vegan version with cashews (I keep some soaked ones in the freezer) and they worked beautifully. I appreciate your options for dairy-free! Your cookbook is wonderful; I never hesitate to try something new because I know it will be good!
I like your mentality, Anne! Thanks so much for your review.
I just made this and it was delicious! Thank you! I garnished the soup with pomegranate arils which was pretty.
That does sound lovely, Tracy! Thank you for taking the time to comment and review.
Loved this soup!!! So easy and so tasty!! Creamy, delicious, and packed with flavor.I’m deifnitely going to add this to my soup rotations.
Great to hear, Robin!
I saw this post yesterday and had to make it today. Followed your recipe to the pinpoint and it was fabulous. Served with fresh slightly baked focaccia with a smear if evoo and sprinkle of parm-reg. A perfect fall supper. Thank you.
I’m so glad you made it right away! Thanks for sharing, Mary!
I made this soup last night, it was delicious ! I bought nutmeg especially for the recipe and forgot to add it in :-( Still delicious though.
As I’m French, I made toasted some baguette with butter in the oven and made croutons to add to the soup, 10/10 would recommend ;-)
That sounds perfect, Madeleine! Thanks for sharing and giving your thoughts.
Made this soup to serve to friends from Italy and it was a hit! Sprinkled chopped bacon on top, parsley and drizzle of olive oil. Very pretty and delicious!
I’m happy to hear that, Becky! Thanks for sharing.
This is good but the flavor is not for me. I think every cream soup benefits from a garnish of dulse flakes for added color and a mild salty flavor.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one, Cynthia! Thanks so much for trying it.
I only have chicken broth right now. Would that work?
Made this just now using chicken broth & it’s amazing! I roasted all the vegetables together, only used 1/2 the butter and added a few red pepper flakes.
Sure! It will impact the flavor, but chicken broth should work.
Couldn’t wait to try this out, as it sounded so good. On a whim, I also added 3 good sized carrots, roasted along with the cauliflower. The result was fabulous! Will definitely be making this one again.
Thanks, Mike!
Omg this is the best cauliflower soup recipe I have ever made and I have made a lot. This will definitely go into my soup rotation. Thank you Cookies and Kate for providing such great tasting recipes
I’m love that you think this is the best, Angie! I appreciate your review.
Do you or any of your readers have a suggestion for a brand of vegetable broth? I know some of them don’t taste very good. This is what holds me back. I want to try your soup, even in spite of our warm temperatures and fires here in California, but I need to find a good broth first. Thanks so much
Hi Susana, Great question! I don’t have a huge preference. I know several people have liked Pacific brand or Whole Food’s 365 brand.
I love Knorr’s Vegetarian Vegetable bouillon cubes. Very convenient to keep on hand. I like salty soup, so I often use more cubes than the package recommends.
I’ve been on a bit of a soup tear lately and this is by far my favourite that I’ve made! It’s simple but so flavourful. I didn’t have any nutmeg on hand so I used cinnamon instead and I *imagine* it’s just as yummy. Will definitely make again!
Soup is in season! Thanks for sharing, Kate. :)
Delicious. Made as written but held out a cup or more of the veg before blending to have some chunky goodness in the soup. High on flavor, very satisfying. Will definitely make this again. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Pam! Thanks so much for your review.
I made this cauliflower soup on the weekend and my family and guests all loved it! I made the vegan version with cashews since my daughter is vegan. It is creamy, rich tasting and delicious.
Thanks again Kate for another delicious healthy recipe!!!
You’re welcome, Marisa! I love that you made this one already!
This flavor-packed savory soup is also unbelievably creamy! It has earned a regular rotation among my winter meals.
I’m happy to hear that, Laura! Thanks so much for your review.
Somehow I missed this amazing and simple recipe in the book all this time! I made it tonight and both of my kids loved it too. I used Earth Balance to make it vegan since I already use a lot of cashews in other recipes. And since I’m lazy, I roasted the garlic and onion along with the cauliflower before letting it all simmer in the stock.
Thank you for sharing, Rhonda!
I want to thank you for this delicious soup. My girlfriend has food allergies and quite a few of your recipes can be tweaked to meet her needs. This is a great addition to our meal rotation now. We did add cooked broccoli cauliflower and carrots to the dish to make it more hearty. She added shrimp to hers and I added pork to mine to make it a stand alone meal.
Thanks for sharing! I love how you each customized this, Russell.
I made this on Sunday night after going to the gym. I bought all the ingredients at the store and was so excited! I made the soup exactly as described, and it came out perfect! I couldn’t find my blender attachment so had to do this in batches in a smoothie blender which worked great. This soup is so creamy and hearty and totally hit the spot, thanks Kate! My only regret is that I wish I had doubled it, but it made enough for my partner and I for one dinner.
Thank you for sharing, Darryn!
I made the cauliflower soup two nights ago for dinner…oh my!!! It was absolutely fantastic! I could have eaten all of it by myself…too bad I had to share it with another. Next time, I will add a bit more vegetable broth as it was very thick. Yummmmmmmy!
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Cynthia!
I made this tonight and it is going to be a regular!! This is so good, warm and very creamer! My son didn’t want it but after trying it he had more! Thanks!
Kristine
Love that! Thank you, Kristine!
Only was this easy to make, but it’s possibly the best soup I’ve had in a long while – and I’m an unrepentant soup junkie. My only sub was Earth Balance for the butter, and it was perfectly rich and incredibly satisfying. As for the boys? My husband attacked it while it was still boiling in the pot, and my 15 year-old son scraped the bowl left and right to get very last little bit out. Definitely one soup I’ll be doing again and again! Thank you!
Love hearing that! Thanks so much for letting me know, Da.
Delicious! A few thoughts and suggestions; I had left over grilled chicken which I rough chopped and added after the soup was puréed. Just pour the purée back in to the pan, add the chicken and heat through. Was a great addition of protein to this yummy soup. When we reheated the leftover soup, I also added cooked green peas and a good seasoning of pepper. Made for a super meal. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing! I appreciate the review, Judi.
If you’re considering making this recipe, DO IT. I doubled the recipe and I am so glad I did because I can’t stop eating it. Once I got the amount of salt correct (as mentioned above in the recipe) the soup was magic. Note: I used my immersion blender because I don’t have a regular blender and it worked perfectly! Thank you Kate for another amazing recipe.
Thanks for your encouragement to make this recipe, Rebecca! I love you like this so much. I appreciate your review!
This might be a silly question, but when I let the soup simmer for 20min, should I keep the pot covered or uncovered? Thanks!
Not silly at all as it always depends on the recipe! For this soup, simmer uncovered. :)
Made this soup this evening, and it is BEYOND delicious!
Will be a regular one for us, and will be sharing your site with others, thank you!
Liza Witt
Thank you, Liza!
Just finished making this soup and it smells amazing, I did the vegan/dairy free version. Excellent results.
I’m happy to hear that, Ryan! Thank so much.
I made this as written (not vegan) for dinner tonight. It was delicious and quite fast to make as long as you leave time for the roasting. I’m freezing the leftovers. Good recipe. I’m deleting my previous favorite smooth cauliflower soup recipe in favor of this one.
Hooray!! Glad this is now a new favorite for you, Tina. I appreciate your review!
I made this soup Vegan by substituting the butter with Earth Balance. A very delicious recipe. I will file this under ‘ favs’
Thanks for sharing, Becky! If you would like to leave a star review since this is a favorite, I would appreciate it!
This was delicious! Super easy to make and loved by both me and hubby. Will be adding this to the rotation for soup season!
Wonderful, Candice!