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 just made this recipe and it was delicious! Very comforting and tasty.
Instead of red onion, I added some leek and topped it with paprika butter breadcrumbs and spring onions. Least to say my guests were impressed (which was not their first impression when they heard there was soup for dinner haha).
Thanks a lot!!
Thank you for sharing your variation, Paula! I love the creativity.
This turned out so well!! I was surprised at how much sodium it contained even after using a low sodium vegetable broth but it does taste excellent :)
I’m glad you loved it, Kristin! Thank you for you’re review.
Have made it 3 times, including in the summer. Only way I roast my cauli now too. Excellent!
Lovely and filling. I blended half of the soup then stirred it back in for a more ‘rustic’ version.
This also makes a great base for a healthy tomato soup. Stir in a tin of tomatos and plenty of fresh herbs through the leftovers, serve with Parmesan shavings and a drizzle of olive oil. Yum!
Thanks for sharing, Bree!
Soooo delicious! Perfect meal post jaw surgery! Will definitely become a regular dish in my house. Thanks <3
I’m happy to hear that, Emily!
Today I tried this recipe, yet I am not a great cook, it came out very well. The cream is delicious and the instructions are written well.
Thank You for awesome dish.
Making this for the second time. Delicious recipe. I add a little bit of potato to thicken it up. This time I roasted the onions with the cauli (cut into quarters).
Thank you for sharing, Melanie!
Really good! I love soups, and this recipe is definitely a keeper, I’ve already made it 3 times in a few weeks!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Sophie.
Loved it!! I did have to make one improvisation though. I thought I had vegetable or chicken stock, all I had on hand was beef and mushroom stocks. So I used mushroom and hoped for the best. I must say I think the mushroom added an earthiness to the taste that was quite rich. It also darkened it a bit making it a beige color instead of the off white the original version has. It is a great tasting and easy soup! I’ll definitely be making it again for guests!
Thank you for sharing, John!
This soup is beyond scrumptious & I gobbled it all up in two sittings. Thank you so much for this recipe, it will be made often!
You’re welcome, Brenda!
This is the absolute first time I have ever felt compelled to rate and leave a comment on a recipe. I am utterly blown away by how creamy and delicious this cauliflower soup is, without the need for milk or cream! And I even forgot to add butter, oops. I will definitely be making a double batch next time. Thank you for the recipe!
Wonderful, Lilyann! Thanks for your review.
Fabulous! I was worried it wouldn’t be creamy enough without cream…however it was perfect!
Great to hear you loved it, J!
I’m a bit lazy so roasted the onion and garlic with the cauliflower. Turned out amazing!
I’m glad you loved it!
I really really really wanted to love this. I have a recipe for cauliflower bisque that I love and thought roasting could only make it better. I don’t know if I blended too long but it was sooo thick. Had to add 3 cups of broth more. Even before that I just didn’t like the taste. Maybe I browned the cauliflower too long, or it was my broth, or the lemon which my bf said made it taste tinny. I wish I loved it as much a others do, but it was too much work for me for something that I just didn’t care for :(
Hi Stacey, I’m sorry you didn’t love this one! What kind of broth did you use? They can be tricky sometimes! Also, did you by chance use more than the recommended amount of cauliflower?
Same with the garlic, though I also added a bit more (ok, 2 cloves)minced to the blender
SO delicious! I had to ‘clean out’ the vege drawer and had THREE cauli’s – what to do?!
I made a double batch, cooking one in a metal pot, and one in an enamel cast iron pot, and the cast iron soup had much richer flavours, so for those of you out there with cast iron cookware, definitely use it for an even richer flavoured soup!
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Lauren.
Wonderful taste and flavor, but too salty. Next time I won’t salt the cauliflower or the sautéed onions. I ended up adding 2-3 additional cups of water to mellow it out. Would make again
Thank you for sharing, Kim!
I rarely comment on a recipe but this was just so delish that I had to say thank you! Nutmeg and lime did add nuance. I used homemade chicken stock (tip: roasting the bones makes exceptional flavour for stock) – so there was very little sodium in the soup and I didn’t need to add butter for richness. An incredibly delicious soup!
I’m glad you loved it! Thank you for your review, Jane.
Loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome, Marylin! thank you for your review.
Absolutely delicious; its a winner and will definitely be making again, I also added 3 potatoes.
Thank you for sharing, Jacqui!
I made this a while ago and am going to make it agin soon. I followed the recipe and served it to friends — it was delicious. One question — can it be frozen?? Please email me the answer as I have the cauliflower and will make it sooner rather than later if I can freeze it.
This one seems to freeze well, according to other readers!
Has anyone made this in a crock pot before?
I believe some have. I suggest searching the comments to see what others recommend.
I made it and is heavenly.
Good to hear, Susan!
Could not have been better for a rainy Seattle day.
Doubling the batch next time, cuz finishing it in three bowls was like stopping halfway through really good sex.
Doubled the lemon bc I love lemon, just a sprinkle of nutmeg. Used handheld immersion blender. Super yum!! Just what I needed after oral surgery but now I will make it in the winter as well. Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your review.
I’ve just ordered ‘Love Real Food’ based on how fantastic this recipe was. The soup was so full flavoured and creamy, I’ll be making it again for sure. Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe.
I hope you love the book!
Kate, these recipes look so amazing. I cannot wait to try them. Thank you for making my day.
You’re welcome!
This soup is so delicious! Anytime cauliflower is on sale I buy enough for a double batch. To avoid running the oven inside during the summer I just throw the sheet pan of cauliflower on the grill and shut the lid to roast. Even my picky husband and toddlers LOVE this creamy soup.
That’s a great idea! This freezes well too. Thanks for your review, Leigh!
Just made this 2 nights ago from the book. It was so amazing, I could have eaten it all myself. I loved the addition of croutons and even tossed them with a sprinkle of garlic powder for garlic croutons. My 4 year old told me I can make it for him again. Sharing it with family and totally making multiple times when the weather gets colder. Who knew so few ingredients could be so delicious.
It’s so good! Thank you for commenting, Eva.
I didn’t have any nutmeg, but the soup still came out delicious! Best cauliflower soup recipe I’ve ever tried!
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Kelly.
This is my favourite soup. Easy recipe and roasting the cauliflower really does add a depth of flavour that was previously missing in my old recipe.
Being super lazy I also roast the onion in the skin and the garlic too.
I like to add Parmesan cheese but only because I’m a cheese fiend and will use it any way I can. Thanks for this recipe. Yum!
I love to hear that, Lexi! Thanks for your review.
Just made it for the second time and love it just as much. Its going to be the perfect lunch for a gorgeous fall day. Love your recipes!
Muy buena esta receta gracias :D
I just made this soup and was surprised how great it was. I didn’t even bother to add the butter at the end, it was so good. I blended mine in a Nutrabullet and it was outstanding. I will make this again and again in the future, and will try it with broccoli too. My only suggestion would be to use a white onion rather than a red onion. The red onion gave the cauliflower soup an odd pale pink color.
I just cooked the soup .
It came out delicious!
I added finely chopped carrot and a small potato , also roasted one onion with cauliflower, and used Emiril’s organic chicken stock .
Otherwise, I follow same instructions and it’s easy and tasty.
Thank you ,
Mila
Made a double batch of this soup tonight. Loved the dairy free option so added the cashew cream (soaked the raw cashews in boiling water for the length of time it took to make the soup, and blended them with a bit of their soaking water). Sadly found the nutmeg and lemon overpowering, such that we couldn’t really taste the lovely roasted cauliflower flavor so the overall result was a bit bland. The texture was incredible! Honestly I feel like if I made this thicker I could use it as a dairy free “cheese” sauce. I think we were let down by the boxed chicken stock I used, and I think I will try other commenters suggestion of just roasting all the veg together – the roasty onion and garlic flavors will help I think. So… good, but needs some tweaking for our palettes. Thanks for giving me a base recipe to play with :)
I’m sorry you didn’t love this! Thanks for your feedback, Camilia.
I had never heard anything like this. Sounds so different cauliflower soup. But looking wise it is so yummy. I will try it at my home and then will surely tell you how it was.
Let me know what you think!
My partner is not a fan of cauliflower and I am so needless to say I was happy to find a recipe that he loves. No need to change anything but I did by adding yogurt in place of lemon juice … added creaminess and a bit of zing.
Thank you for this recipe as I am not one to use other people’s recipes as I am older than dirt and have quite a few of my own .. but this one … yummm … it rocked my socks.
Thank you for sharing, Maggie!
Made this soup and we have thoroughly enjoyed it! Simple recipe and easy to follow instructions. Thank you! Soups used to scare me!!!
Absolutely gorgeous! Used cauliflower rice as I happened to have in fridge. Adjusted oven time and temperature. And sprinkled rice on top for garnish and few small cut spring onion green leaves. Looked and tasted stunning. You are are a soup genius! Thank you. Pam
Thanks for sharing, Pamela!
Made this recipe for the family and a guest whom I wanted to please with a soup. Put a jar with Thai red curry paste on the table so that everyone could add according to their tolerance of the hot spices. Everyone liked the soup. The guest had three portions! Made this soup again in a week since the family kept asking, did not roast cauliflower and it turned equally well. Definitely a keeper.
I like that idea, Julia! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely delish!!! Followed the recipe exactly. I love the butter addition instead of cream because you are right, who has cream in the fridge?
I’m glad you loved it!
Hi Kate,
Made this soup today & it is awesome! My daughters introduced me to your site & I am impressed. I have been cooking & baking for many years & am always on the lookout for new recipes.
Thank you! I will be making this cauliflower soup again & again through the fall & winter. Oh, the only ingredient I omitted was the lemon juice.
Regards,
Diane
Thank you for sharing, Diane!
My whole family loved it! One of the best soups I have ever made. One child tasted it and said I should open a vegan restaurant (quite funny since this was my 4th vegan meal ever). I made it vegan by using 1 Tsbp of Myokos plant based butter and 2 Tbsp of cashew cream. Thanks Kate!
Hey Kathryne, I’m not sure what happened but the soup did not blend creamy at all for me. I followed the instructions, but perhaps the cauliflower was not baked through properly? It resembled cauliflower rice soup.
Oh no! You need to make sure the cauliflower is roasted enough and measured correctly- too much and it won’t be as creamy. What did you use to blend it?
OMG. What a delicious soup. Made it tonight for lunch tomorrow and if I carry on taste-testing there won’t be any left! Thankyou ladies for another great recipe.
Thank you, Jilly!
So good! I roasted the onion with the cauliflower, reduced the salt and just used 1/2 Tbsp of butter but other then that I followed the recipe. I loved the creaminess of this flavorful soup and it will go in my monthly recipe rotation.
This soup is delicious and the recipe was simple and fast! I roasted the garlic along wi the cauliflower. And I added chicken stock instead of vegetable – my eyes read vegetable, but my hand picked up chicken and that was that!! Still turned out very good! The pot is empty! Next time, I’ll pay closer attention and use vegetable stock to see the difference.
Thank you for the awesome recipe! I always go to your site when I get a meal idea because I know I can count on your recipes to be efficient, healthy and delicious. This soup is so simple and good. My 4 year old son who doesn’t like cauliflower ate an entire bowl without even asking me what was in it and my husband was convinced I put potatoes in it because of how hearty it is. I will be making this again soon!
You’re welcome, Sarah! I’m happy you love it.
Oh my goodness!!! This soup is such a treat. A perfect and filling lunch with some lovely wholemeal bread. Such a brilliant recipe thank you.
In your cookbook it says to use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, but here is says 1 tablespoon. Which is correct?
Hi Conner! You can go with your preference here. I found after my cookbook, when I made this again, I really liked the added lemon juice.
very good soup! i added a large carrot, the garlic (used 3 bulbs) to the roasting cauliflower. when adding the lemon juice I added about 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk – mine was pretty thick! omitted the nutmeg – used thyme and pepper. deff a keeper :)
Thanks for sharing!
Delicious! This soup is amazing!
Made this twice and it is supberb used2chicken stock cubes and 1 veg stock cube blended the finished soup then put in cauliflower florets i had saved to make it slightly rustic.mmmmmmm!!
I’m glad you loved it, Phil! Thanks for your review.
I did some doctoring, adding a jalepeno, two sweet peppers, some chili powder and cayenne…and then hit it with some honey! Delic!
Sounds interesting! I’m glad you like it though!