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.
Amazing! I roasted the garlic and the thick purple onion slices on the sheet pan with the cauliflower. I used brown veggie broth so I was worried but my Vitamix turned it into a beautiful cashew color. I thought the lemon juice, nutmeg and butter was weird but this soup tastes wonderful.
I love C + K recipes!
Easy to make and everyone who tries it loves it!
The flavour is delicious but I find the colour unappealing as it is quite browny beiges due to the roasting and the red onion. Your picture of the finished soup has a creamy white tone. Any suggestions
This was actually really great soup! I didn’t miss the cream or cheese one bit. I used only 1/2 onion and 3 cups broth. SOOO good AND healthy!!
Loved it. I did this exactly as you’ve written. Super healthy and very tasty. I loved that no cream or milk was used and it is what it is. Thanks for such a simple yet tasty meal. Oh. I just added a bit of white pepper, but that’s a personal thing.
Crazy good!!
I have never tried cauliflower soup before, but this was pretty delicious. I added a big carrot and a single chili pepper I had leftover in the fridge and I roasted them with the cauliflower, and it turned out incredible. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome, Paula! Thank you for your review.
I made this tonight.
Simply delicious!
I will be taking this to work for lunch tomorrow. Thank you.
I just made this and it’s soooo good! Thank you! For any haters that I’ve read on here… it’s just too bad you don’t know how to cook and follow easy instructions. This is beyond great! Will be a regular! Thank you!
I love this – indeed it freezes so.well!
Thank you for your review, Brigid!
This is simply the best homemade potage soup. Simple but so flavorful!!
Thank you Kate. This soup was outstanding!
Delicious and easy to put together.
This recipe is a keeper! It will be my go to this winter!
Really delicious! Fortunately, I’m the only one who likes veggies soups! Despite the lack of cream, the butter adds a nice velvety texture. Thank you for this recipe! Topped with green onions and shredded cheddar..
this was DELICIOUS! i only had chicken stock on hand so that is what i used, other than that i made the recipe as written and its sooooo good. the child loved it as well so this will def be going into the rotation. thank you for sharing :)
This was pretty tasty! But I disagree with the reviews that say it’s super-easy to make – I thought it was kind of a hassle. Especially for a recipe that’s more of a side-dish and really didn’t yield a whole lot of soup. So for that reason, I probably won’t make it again.
This is the first recipe I have used off your site. I really love the flavor of this soup and it’s super easy to make. I wasn’t thrilled with the color of the finished product. The first batch was made with red onion and I made sure the onion was very translucent before adding the cauliflower. The soup still turned a purple/grey color after adding the lemon juice. Which is to be expected because of the acidity but the difference in color between your recipe pic and my actual soup was a lot. I made another batch with vidalia onions in leu of the red and the end result was much closer in color which is more appitizing than purple soup lol. Is your picture using the recipe or did you substitute just for the pic?
That’s great to hear you enjoyed it! That is interesting. I used what is listed in the ingredients.
Great soup . Thoought I would miss cream and/or cheese, but no. Easy too.
This is so good! Not at all what I thought it would taste like. The lemon adds a brightness and there is no need for cheese or cream as it’s already creamy and savory. I used veggie broth with salt and it was perfectly salted.
We received a beautiful large orange cauliflower in our CSA, so I looked up ways to use it and found this recipe. Made it with chicken stock (what I had on hand) but the rest as is. Super yummy and a beautiful color. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Theresa! Thank you for your review.
Had a cauliflower in the fridge and thought I’d try some soup. This was quick and easy to make with minimal ingredients. The result was a thick, creamy and delicious soup. Will definitely be making this many times in the future. Also good to offer the vegan option to family and friends.
My favorite soup ever. Period. How it all comes together to be so creamy and with the depth of flavor. Delicious!
Thank you for sharing, Olivia!
This was an AMAZING recipe. I expected it to taste at least very flavorful, but the end result was just stunning! I added a little more lemon juice, sprinkled some chili powder and a tiny little bit cumin in it as well. My mother really liked it so much, she considers it one of the best soups she’s ever had, and I can agree on that. The final taste is so powerful, creamy, punchy, tangly and so sweet, and the texture is creamy deliciousness. Definitely will make it again.
Thank you for your review, Boaz!
This was an STUNNING recipe. I expected it to taste at least very flavorful, but the end result was just stunning! I added a little more lemon juice, sprinkled some chili powder and a tiny little bit cumin in it as well. My mother really liked it so much, she considers it one of the best soups she’s ever had, and I can agree on that. The final taste is so powerful, creamy, punchy, tangly and so sweet, and the texture is creamy deliciousness. Definitely will make it again.
Made this last night on a rainy Sunday evening and I’m shocked by how simple this recipe is, but how delicious it tastes!! 5 stars in my book!!
Thank you, Neha!
This soup was ridiculously easy and delicious! My new go to to get more cruciferous vegetables in my diet! I loved it!
Great to hear, Essie! I appreciate your review.
I just made this. I wasn’t sure if I would like it but it’s delicious! I used chicken broth and just had to add fresh pepper. Thanks.
Really delicious recipe, thank you! I didn’t add the salt as I have to watch my intake right now and also skipped the butter (similar reason) and the recipe still was awesome. What a rich flavor. I used Better Than Bullion Vegetable Base, which added a lot of flavor (maybe too much – might have overpowered the cauliflower a tad bit, but, the overall flavor was still great). Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful, Lorraine! I appreciate you sharing.
Best soup ever! I roasted everything on a cookie sheet and added a couple of carrots, as well. Everything else exactly as the recipe is written. As I ate, I forwarded the recipe to my kids, and my best friend. Oh my goodness! Heaven in a bowl!
Excellent recipe! Thank you! I skipped adding to a blender as I have a Cuisinart handheld that I use directly in the pot. I also added the lemon & nutmeg just before blending, and stirred in the butter.
The soup was delicious and very easy to make! I added a little cream at the end instead of butter. Will definitely make it again
Wonderful to hear, Wendy!
I made this soup today and it is delicious. The directions were perfect. I am not a big fan of nutmeg, but don’t omit the nutmeg. It gives a perfect hint of something special. Thank you for publishing. YUM!
You’re welcome, JoEllen!
I made a triple batch to bring for an early Christmas dinner tomorrow. My wife and I had a bowl to taste it a head of time. Now I can’t stop eating it. lol I hope there is enough for tomorrow. Amazing. Thanks
I made this the other night. I followed the recipe to a T. For some reason it turned out more a puree than a soup. It was good but not something I would make all the time. Maybe in moderation. Possibly even use it as a puree on another dish….
This was a hit at our house. The only change I made was using a sweet onion rather than red. Served with grilled cheese sandwiches on rosemary olive oil ciabatta. Yummy!!
Great to hear, Paige! Thank you for your review.
I have made this recipe several times and each time it is delicious. I have frozen and served same day…no issues. I have added roasted carrots and celery and blended it all up as well….color changes a bit…but still delicious! Thank you
You’re welcome, Ksmith!
This recipe is amazing! It so easy that my husband can make it. We often make this for guests and they always ask fir the recipe.
I love to hear that, Edith! I appreciate your review.
That is the best cauliflower soup I’ve tasted – I’ve saved your recipe, thankyou!
You’re welcome, Fiona!
Any chance you can add cream?
You can if you like. But, I love this as written. I hope you try it!
YUMMY… next time I’ll double the recipe. Deeeelicious! Thankyou
You’re welcome, Sheryl!
So yummy!! I have to watch my potassium and came across your recipe! This soup is amazing!!My husband loved it!! Thank you !!
You’re welcome, Becki!
I just made this soup, and it is delicious! I used chicken stock and added extra garrlicccc . Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Bernie!
Love this soup! I used my homemade chicken bone broth and also roasted a sweet potato along with the cauliflower. YUM! I used my Vitamix to blend, but my soups still have some texture to them. Perhaps I do not blend long enough?
Anyway, I blended the onions, butter, broth, sweet potato, and cauliflower. I returned the soup to the pot and added (timidly) heavy cream. I left out seasonings except for salt. Added a little bit of the sweet potato I had reserved (small chunks) to the soup and topped it off with a roasted cauliflower floret. YUM is all I can say. Biting into the sweet potato was a little surprise in the soup, and I loved it. I have recently been using sweet potatoes sparingly in some of my dishes and they add a tiny touch of sweetness, not overly so.
Thank you for this and all your recipes! Another winner!
Great to hear! It sounds like you could blend some more. Thank you for shairng how you have made this.
Hi Kate This is very good!!! I added about a tsp mustard, 1/2 tsp celery salt, SOSS spice to the cauliflower in the oven, used butter instead of olive oil
Also I used Vegetarian “Better than Bouillon” for the broth. White onion instead of red.
Wow, very nice thank you I will be making this again, that is for sure.
Happy New Year and thank you for the inspirational recipe!
YUM. So simple and so good. I ended up adding half carrots since I didn’t have enough cauliflower and it was amazing :)
We were excited to make this with our fresh picked cauliflower.we were expecting so much more,with all of the work involved.the soup was a shade of brown,as the vegetable broth was a brown color.we roasted as the instructions said.all said and done,to try and save it for a meal I will add 1/2&1/2 to try to smooth out the finished product…
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it. Sometimes the type of vegetable broth can impact the color, they do vary.
I can’t get enough of this soup. Thanks so much for providing this recipe.
You’re welcome, Emily!
OMG. Incredibly delicious. Yummers. So creamy. I used juice of one Lemmon and a bit more garlic. I’ll be doing this again. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Barbara!
Thank you Kate for another amazing soup recipe. My family loved it, so healthy and simple to make! Big Big hit!
Great to hear, Pamela! I appreciate your review.
We made this soup tonight and it was so delicious!
We made stovetop stuffing and put it in the air fryer to make it really crispy. We topped our soup with some of the florets and crunchy stuffing.
When we make this next time (and we are definitely making this again) we are going to keep half of the cauliflower as pieces and just blend half as we really loved having pieces in the soup.
Great soup recipe!!
That’s great to hear, Teri! Thank you for your review.