This cream of cauliflower soup is hearty and wholesome. You won't believe that there is no cream or butter in this soup and yet it's so rich, creamy, and delicious. A simple and easy recipe that gets done in less than 30 minutes.
Table of Content
Now that the holidays are over, we are back to our normal routine again so we are in the winter soup phase again. Dinner is all about soup, salad and a side of bread.
As you can see from the list of soup recipes I have on the blog it's a great way to get veggies in our diet including veggies that kids don't usually fancy. My kids love cauliflower and often I will make a roasted cauliflower soup too.
About this Soup
Well, you won't get a more heart-healthy cauliflower soup than this. If you see my soup recipes they are not loaded with cream or cheese. This is the same, no exceptions.
I use good quality olive oil to saute the veggies, and nice big potato. The job of the potato is to make the soup creamier. How? If you use only cauliflower, the soup has a grainy texture but the fiber in the potato blends it smooth.
I also use a little cornstarch and the job of the cornstarch is to prevent milk from splitting. Of course, cornstarch works as a thicking agent so you don't need any cream in this soup to make it creamier.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Cauliflower - I've used one head of cauliflower about a pound which works great for our family of four but you can certainly double the recipe.
- Potato – I prefer potato instead of flour as my thickening agent in this soup. I notice that potato helps blend to a more smooth consistency giving the cauliflower some fiber to blend well.
- Parmesan – adds a slightly nutty flavor to the soup. The first time I used it was by mistake and everybody complimented the soup I had to do it again. Now, it's a must-have ingredient in most of my soups.
- Thyme - I like using thyme - a little goes a long way and does not affect the color of the soup as well
- Milk - Cauliflower is high in fiber so you don't really need any heavy cream in this soup. I like using full-fat milk.
- Cornstarch - the purpose of the cornstarch here is to prevent the milk from splitting. Of course, it also works as a thickener which is why the cream is really not necessary in this soup.
Video and step by step instructions (pin)
- Chop the cauliflower, potatoes, and onions small so they cook fast.
- In a soup pot, saute onions in oil for a minute until translucent. Add the garlic and bay leaves - saute 30 seconds more.
- Then, add the chopped cauliflower and potatoes. Saute 2 minutes, then add the thyme and stock.
Tip - the potato helps keep the soup nice and creamy so we don't need any cream.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Tip - if you use the store-bought chicken stock check to see if it has salt added. - Cover and cook on medium-low for 5 to 7 minutes until the veggies are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and blend the veggies into a smooth puree
- Combine the milk and cornstarch, then add it to the soup, followed by the Parmesan cheese – combine well.
Tip - the cornstarch in the milk will prevent the milk from splitting.
- Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency - add water if the soup is too thick.
Tip - the soup will continue to thicken as it cools. If necessary you can add more water and warm the soup again. - Serve with toasted bread or croutons. I like a little more parmesan and parsley for garnish.
Frequently asked questions
The delicious cream of mushroom soup will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Always thaw in the fridge overnight for the best results.
For our family, a side salad or sauteed veggies with some homemade fresh bread on the side makes a complete meal. Try
garlic sesame asparagus, parmesan asparagus, or sesame green beans. Some cheesy baked eggplant slices, lemon rosemary potatoes, or roasted dill potatoes
Absolutely, you can replace the milk with full-fat whipping cream if you want a more rich, creamy soup.
Yes, you can. The potato, however, combines with the grainy texture of the cauliflower and helps make the soup creamier
Absolutely, just replace the butter with oil and milk with coconut or almond milk. But do take note that whatever you use will add flavor to the soup as well.
Salad & bread to serve with soup
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Printable Recipe
Homemade Cauliflower Soup
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 6 cups (6 cups) Cauliflower florets
- 1 cup Potato (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup Onions (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Garlic (sliced)
- 2 bay leave
- ½ teaspoon Thyme fresh
- 1 cup (250 ml) Stock (chicken)
- 1 cup (250 ml) Milk
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan
Instructions
- Chop the cauliflower, potatoes, and onions small so they cook fast.
- In a soup pot, saute onions in oil for a minute until translucent. Add the garlic and bay leaves - saute 30 seconds more.
- Then, add the chopped cauliflower and potatoes. Saute 2 minutes, then add the thyme and stock.Tip - the potato helps keep the soup nice and creamy so we don't need any cream
- Season with salt and pepper.Tip - if you use the store-bought chicken stock check to see if it has salt added.
- Cover and cook on medium-low for 5 to 7 minutes until the veggies are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and blend the veggies into a smooth puree
- Combine the milk and cornstarch, then add it to the soup, followed by the Parmesan cheese – combine wellTip - the cornstarch in the milk will prevent the milk from splitting
- Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency - add water if the soup is too thick.Tip - the soup will continue to thicken as it cools. If necessary you can add more water and warm the soup again.
- Serve with toasted bread or croutons. I like a little more parmesan and parsley for garnish.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Choose the right vegetables and pair them appropriately. This is important when making combining two or more veggies together.
- Know the cooking time of these vegetables. Add the longer cooking vegetables to the pot first or some will be mush while the others will be grainy.
- When possible opt for roasting the vegetables. Roasting veggies caramelize the sugars and bring out the natural sweetness in the vegetables.
- If possible make your own homemade stock. This makes a huge difference to homemade soups.
- If you use ready to use store-bought stock make sure to under season your vegetables as commercial stocks have tons of salt added to it.
- You don't always need butter or cream for every soup. Vegetables with high fiber like potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, become very creamy when cooked and pulsed. Which means you can eat them more often if you make them healthier. Right?
- Often a tab of butter or cream on the top adds that touch of flavor you need in a soup. So add just that ½ teaspoon of butter or 1 tablespoon of cream on the top as garnish.
- Yogurt and milk are a great alternative to full-fat cream. Having said that both milk and yogurt can split when added to soups. So add them warm and at the last minute. Then, turn the heat off. OR
- A teaspoon of cornstarch in every cup of milk will prevent the milk from splitting.
- While yogurt is a great low-fat addition to soups, it can add a bit of tang which may or may not work with all vegetables.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Anita
I love creamy soup but I don't stock heavy cream regularly in my kitchen, so this soup is definitely for me. 🙂
Veena Azmanov
This one is very creamy but not loaded with cream. I hope you try it.
Diane N
Easy, excellent, healthier creamy cauliflower soup recipe. Added an additional potato, tied together bay leaves, thyme sprigs and added two stems of tarragon. Season with about a quarter tsp cayenne and used 1 1/2 cups 2% milk with a heaping tsp cornstarch. I found that adding the additional potato gave the finished soup a “creamier” mouth feel.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Diane. I am so happy you enjoyed this soup. The adjustments sound delicious
Krissy Allori
One can never have too many soup recipes. I loved this one. It's creamy and so filling.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Krissy. So happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for the feedback.
Whitney
Yay, I love that there is no cream!! And all the tips you shared are gold!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Whitney. So happy you found my tips useful.
Monica
I love getting veggies through soup, especially in the winter! Cauliflower is so underrated but has such great flavor in meals like this!
Veena Azmanov
That is so true, Monica. I love using veggies in my soups too.
Lisalia
Veena! This was so creamy. LOVED the texture. The only thing different I did was to double the thyme. So delicious.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Lisalia. So happy you enjoyed this recipe. More thyme sounds very flavorful too.