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.
Wow – this soup is so simple to make, yet so good! I love the use of butter – I never have heavy cream in my fridge either. Highly recommend.
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it, Anna. Thank you for your review!
I love trying new soups. But sadly this disappointed. I followed the recipe to the letter (as info when trying brand new things) it was so salty and even adding a potato to the soup whilst simmering didn’t help. I love salty typically but not this time. I will give this another go, and use less salt next time.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this one, Nicole. You can decrease the amount fo salt or be sure to use low sodium vegetable broth next time. I appreciate your feedback.
Great recipe, very tasty. For 2nd time making this recipe, I added a can of white beans before blending to up the protein value of the soup. No difference in taste, but nutritional values increased.
Great idea! I am going to try this!
Making this after butternut and acorn squash soups. I’m excited for my partner to try it! Soup is one of his safe foods so naturally I’ve made every kind I can think of:D. Will come back in a week or so when he can try some!
That’s great, Elijah!
Could you use and immersion blender instead of a traditional one? Can’t wait to try this and will comment again when I do.
Hi Don, sure but you won’t achieve the same creamy texture. I believe others have tried it and didn’t mind the results.
I used my Nutra Bullet and it came out fantastically thick and creamy.
Thank you for sharing!
I used my immersion blender and it was fine.
Wow! This was sooooo good! I had my own homemade vegetable broth on hand so it felt like an extra special addition. Butter, lemons, and cauliflower are three of my favorite ingredients of all time! I used lemon zest in addition to the juice.
Thanks for always having perfectly delicious and easy to make recipes. This is one of the first places I come when I want to make something yummy and healthy!
I love this recipe, I added a cup of grounded roasted sea salted Pistachios instead of walnuts.
It is so good. No salt needed.
Thank you for sharing.
Ah…no walnuts in my recipe…but a lovely soup nevertheless
lmfao
This soup exceeded my expectations. It looked as beautiful as the photo and it tasted delicious!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen!
I made this recipe exactly as written and it’s perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. The balance is perfect and the proportions of how it’s written allows for the well rounded taste and velvety creaminess that makes this recipe whta it is. It would be a shame to alter it. Although it’s a great base soup to experiment with and I can see in future using it to make other dishes too. I highly recommend people to make it exactly as written at least for first time try and alter it after!
This recipe is my new favourite:So tasty, creamy, healthy and easy to make. this soup could also go really well with many dishes like sandwiches or salads! Or to use as a starter before main meal. It’s healthy and it’s a no fail crowd pleaser, for sure! Even people who don’t like soup will like this! Thanks so much Kate. I’m Definatley going to look into making more of your recipes!! Happy cooking everyone :)
Tried this recipe and glad I did. Enjoyed this soup and doing it again.
Simply delicious!
Love this soup, been making it for a few years. I add a bit of cumin to the onions and leeks while sauteeing. I also add a bit of light coconut milk to the broth. Simply delicious
Mine did not come out as creamy looking as yours, but the taste is there! How do I make sure it’s thicker?
Hi Byron, did you measure the amount of cauliflower?
Just made this and was SO good and so easy. Added some toasted cumin seeds along with the onion at the start. Stirred in oat milk after blending for dairy free version and left out lemon juice. Such an adaptable recipe. Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed this soup, Jo! I appreciate your review.
I’ve made this so many times…great recipe! My kids love it, and that’s not an easy task. Thanks so much!
I made this yesterday. It had one serious flaw! I had to force myself to stop eating it all! Having made a few cauliflour soups previously I had so so results. This was definately superior! At first I thought the extra process of baking it in the oven would be a pointless hassle. I was wrong. It made all the difference and was well worth it!
I know Cauliflour is so good for you but it is my least favourite vegetable. At almost 65 I need to find ways of making myself eat more of what is good for me. This is a definite winner for me!
Made this tonight and it is delicious. I did make one adjustments I used chicken bouillon paste (preference) in place of vegetable broth and yellow onions (that is all I had). It was great with lunch meat sandwiches. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Ashley!
This is sooo yummy! I might eat it all before I put it away. ;) I added a touch of Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika, and vegan butter instead of regular butter.
Thank you for sharing, Tanya! I’m glad you added your own twist.
Hi! Super excited to try this. I’m going to use dairy free/plant based butter instead of regular butter. Hoping I get the same creamy result!
Love this soup so easy to make.
Thank you for your review, Priscilla!
Anyone try this with frozen bags of cauliflower? Thanks!
Hi Judy! I believe others have and haven’t minded the results. Be sure to thaw the cauliflower before roasting.
I did try this. I loved it. Will be a staple. Loved many of you recipes. Not a commenteir, but will try to change. My absolute fave is Ginger beer. I’ve made it like 400 times, no kidding. I’m addicted. I’m talking in the last 4? Years. I’ll never stop making it. Thank you Kate
I love to hear that, Judy!
This soup was so good! I love how creamy it was without any milk or cheese or flour. I will be making this again!
I NEVER comment (good or bad) but this is really amazing!!!
I’m glad you loved it, Jessica!
Can you use white onion instead? I don’t have a red onion on hand :(
Sure, the flavor will be slightly different. Let me know what you think!
Made this twice in 3 weeks and loved it. My husband who is not a creamy soup lover had it twice and never complained. I invited my friend for lunch and served it this. The next day she texted me that she made it today and her husband loved it as well. Thank you for sharing.
Love this soup and so does my wife! People who have said it’s salty should think about making their own broth. I always have homemade broth in freezer bags in the freezer. I recently had open heart surgery and so am a bit sodium conscious. Homemade broth is the best and it takes any meal that calls for it to the next level AND you have complete control over the salt!
I made this and it was very good. I roasted the red onion and garlic with the cauliflower. I also added Miso paste while it was simmering.
Love this soup! I have made other cauliflower soups but roasting the florets wow make such a difference. :) Thank you so much for suggesting that.
Have you ever made this recipe with frozen cauliflower?
Hi Karin, I know others have and didn’t mind the results. Be sure thaw before roasting.
I love your soup! Thanks for doing all you do.
You’re welcome, Janine! Thank you for your review.
Making today for a sick friend. Hope you’re here this morning. Haha. Will my Vitamix work ok? Don’t have immersion blender. Looks delicious. Thank you!!
Hi, Yes your blender will work. I hope your friend can enjoy it!
This was absolutely delicious. I did roast a garlic cluster and added it to the recipe making it cauliflower and garlic soup. Served with orginal nan bread. Soooooooo Good. Thank you for sharing.
That sounds like a great combination, Florene! I appreciate your review.
It was perfect. A couple of changes only because I didn’t have all the ingredients. I carmalized a white onion and I added about 1/2 cup almond/cashew milk at the end. I didn’t have lemon juice but had some lime juice and tossed in a tablespoon + of nutritional yeast. (no butter) Was a great side to my baked salmon. PS I always salt as I go until the flavor is right.
I love when a recipe calls for common ingredients that I usually have in…like this soup! It was so easy and really delicious. Thanks for a great dinner option on a cold, snowy night.
I made this for dinner tonight – so delicious! Thanks for the great recipe
Yeah baby! This soup was so easy and absolutely delish!
I enjoyed this soup very much. It was easy to make and the addition of the lemon juice is so good.
Delicious! I finished this soup with a drizzle of white truffle oil and was not disappointed. Will definitely make again
Great to hear, Becca!
Just made this with homemade vegetable stock and it is incredible! My family couldn’t believe there was no cream or whole milk in there! Thinking of trying the same recipe but with roasted asparagus next!
That’s great! I love that you made your own stock too. I appreciate your review, JK!
I had an extra head of cauliflower and decided to try this soup. I followed the recipe pretty closely. I did use chicken broth and an immersion blender though. Though I love the slightly smoky sweet taste of the roasted cauliflower, overall I found the soup bland and a bit flat. I added a bit more salt and pepper, a dash of Tapatio hot sauce, a bit more nutmeg and the tiniest pinch of cayenne pepper possible.
This woke it up a bit, but it was still somewhat flat and quite thin. So I punted and added about a cup of half and half and about a cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese. I then mixed some cornstarch in cold milk (because the pump on my well shut down tonight and I have no running water.
The result is a truly good soup. Quite rich with lots of unami flavors (oh added a dash of balsamic vinegar in place of the lemon juice (I can’t quite recall if this recipe called for that. I looked up a lot of them.
So, while this soup is definately not vegan and I ve altered many of the healthful parts of this soup, it’s still really rich and good and goes great with the Wagu beef patty melts I served with it. (Hey, call my cooking 50s-60s modern fusion.)
I roasted my cauliflower for less than 25 minutes but it was still overcooked I think as the soup afterwards was bitter :( think the instructions should read 15 minutes or lower oven temperature maybe. Probably my fault for not checking the cauliflower more often but thought i’d warn others.
Hi Rosanne, I’m sorry to hear that! What type of oven did you use? This recipe is for a conventional oven, not a convection.
Wonderful and versatile recipe…thank you so much! I didn’t have enough cauliflower, but I did have some zucchini and a turnip heading the wrong direction, so I used those veggies to make up the difference. I also threw my onion and garlic in to roast with the other veggies. This is a great way to use up any veggies threatening to go bad. SO delicious and satisfying, and WITHOUT cream, potatoes, or cheese…pretty sure I heard the angels singing! Definitely a keeper…I will come back to this one again and again!
made it tonight without any changes but sadly everyone found it to be blah. No one wanted to have it again so wont’ make it again but surprised I was not wowed based on the many positive reviews.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Lorraine.
Love this soup! I had a beautiful organic cauliflower in my fridge and wanted to try something different. Will be making this again. Thank you for another great recipe. You never disappoint!
I made the soup and it’s delicious!
Omg I made this and it came out so great! And it was super easy!!
Absolutely delicious!!! This recipe worked perfectly as written. Looks and tastes as lush and creamy as it’s posted here. I previously made other cauliflower soup recipes with milk. You couldn’t tell that there was no cream in this. I only made a few additions of thyme and cayenne pepper. And I roasted the cauliflower with the onions and garlic cloves. For a finishing touch, I added some crumbled oven-baked cheese snacks on top. Yummy with the textures, and gave the soup a baked cauliflower cheese flavor.
A keeper!!! Thank you
I’m glad you loved it, Leslie!
I rarely comment on recipes and this one doesn’t need another good review, but here I am! This was the perfect, healthiest recipe I found for my first time making cauliflower soup. I didn’t want excess cream or fat or cheese, so this was perfect.
I followed the recipe and wish I would have doubled it, but I will do that next time. So easy to make my own with additions as well, might add broccoli next time.
I used my immersion blender right in the dutch oven that I made the soup in, after it cooled a bit. That worked out perfect. I did add some shredded cheddar cheese that I had to use up, but taste testing before that step proved it did not need the cheese as it was already full of flavor.
I served it with a dash of nutmeg, scallions and my homemade croutons and it was fabulous. My biggest disappointment was realizing that I forgot to embellish my bowl with one of the roasted florets that I had set aside in the fridge. So I had those for an after meal treat…LOL!
I’m so glad you did, Cate! Thank you for your detail on how you prepared it.
My soup is delicious! But oddly looks like turkey gravy. Ha!
How can I get the cheery yellow that you have? Maybe next time I use a yellow onion?
Hi Suzy! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes the vegetable broth can vary the color.
This soup is amazing! My head of cauliflower was shy of 2# so I added some roasted shiitake mushrooms, and I did not have a red onion so I used a Vidalia onion. I otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I did use my own veggie broth. This recipe truly elevated the humble head of cauliflower. Thank you!
In step 5 vegetable broth is missing….
Hi Gunita, it’s listed as the last ingredient in step 4. I hope you make it!
Thanks Kate! Apparently I’ve missed it. The soup turned out delllllllicious!!