This Cauliflower Cheese Soup is so delicious yet so easy to make. With wholesome, simple ingredients like cauliflower, carrots, celery, cheese, seasonings, stock, and milk, this soup is one that you will love making in the cold months of the year.
Want more hot soups for the cold months? Try our amazing Chicken Chowder or 38 Cozy Cold Weather Soup Recipes. There are so many to choose from you will want to make more than one.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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What goes into Cauliflower Cheese Soup?
Really simple ingredients that you may have already in your fridge or pantry but should be found easily at any grocery store.
Ingredients
Olive oil – Use good quality olive oil, it doesn’t have to be the best here but still an extra virgin. I have a finishing olive oil that I use more for salads or drizzling that is high quality where you want to taste the olive oil.
Carrots, celery, and onion diced – This is, as the French say, a mirepoix, which is simply these three ingredients that add so much flavor, especially to a soup.
Small cauliflower – I had 3/4 of a large, which worked great, too; an orange cauliflower, if you can find one, is slightly sweeter and more creamy and, of course, adds more color, too. Separate the cauliflower into florets.
Dried thyme – I love this herb in a soup, and you can use it more or less according to your taste.
Salt and pepper to taste – I prefer more and more to use Kosher salt for cooking and, of course, freshly ground pepper.
Chicken or vegetable stock – If you would like your recipe to be vegetarian, then using a vegetable stock is what you would want. Otherwise, homemade or store-bought chicken stock is great. You could also try our Overnight Slow Cooker Chicken Stock; it cooks while you sleep!!
Aged cheddar cheese, shredded – You want an old or aged cheddar here so that your soup will have flavor; using a mild or medium cheddar will not get you the cheesy goodness you are looking for.
3% milk – Using higher-fat milk will give your soup the creaminess it needs without having to use cream.
Parsley – Parsley is always a lovely addition to most soups to finish it off, whether it is for color or fresh flavor that you are after.
How to make Cauliflower Cheese Soup
If you would like to stick with the recipe and keep the soup gluten-free, then just adding the cheese will make the soup thick enough.
Saute the carrots, onion, and celery until tender in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 min. Add the chicken stock and cauliflower and cook until the cauliflower is nice and tender. About 12-15 min.
Using a handheld blender or a blender, process until smooth. Reheat and add cheese; stir until melted. Add the milk and heat through. Do not simmer or boil at this point, but gently heat.
Serve with a drizzle of very good olive oil and a sprig of parsley. So good!!
Recipe Pro Tips!
Why is my Cauliflower Soup Tasteless?
There can be a few issues with flavor if you don’t add in herbs, pepper, and enough salt. Also, if you use mild or medium cheese, you won’t get that wonderful cheesy flavor that an old or aged cheddar will give you. Follow the recipe for the best results.
Why do you avoid simmering your soup after adding the cheese?
Simmering or boiling your soup after you have added dairy, like milk and cheese, can result in a grainy soup that may also clump. Try to avoid that and just heat gently or remove from heat to add the cheese.
Is Cauliflower Cheese Soup Keto?
Yes, cauliflower is very low in carbs and a great healthy vegetable. Cheddar cheese is also a good choice for a low-carb diet.
Want More Fabulous Cauliflower Recipes?
We love cauliflower; it is a great vegetable that is sometimes underused. Here are some of our favorite recipes; one is a roundup that will give you tons of ideas for this fabulous vegetable.
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small cauliflower or as I had 3/4 of a large separated into florets
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups old cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup 3% milk
- olive oil good quality EVOO for drizzling
- parsley
Instructions
- Saute the carrots, onion, and celery in the olive oil until tender. Add thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 min. Add the chicken stock and cauliflower and cook until the cauliflower is nice and tender. About 12-15 min.
- Using a handheld blender or in a blender, process until smooth. Reheat and add cheese; stir until melted. Add the milk and heat through. Do not simmer or boil at this point, but gently heat.
- Serve with a drizzle of very good olive oil and a sprig of parsley. So good!!
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Comments & Reviews
Nichole@Dulce Delicious says
I love all cheese soups! This sounds great!
Colleen, The Smart Cookie Cook says
I love the little mug you served the soup in 🙂 This sounds simple & delicious!
Jill says
Cauliflower and cheese are such a winning combo – as a soup or veggie side.