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4.8 from 366 votes

Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

A simple and flavorful recipe that's sure to be a favorite.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion or leeks about 1 medium onion or 1 large leek
  • 1 cup diced celery about 3-4 medium stalks
  • 1 cup diced carrot about 2-3 medium carrots, peeled
  • 3 cloves garlic finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 8 cups chopped cauliflower florets about 2 medium heads cauliflower (see note for frozen or riced cauliflower)
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt I use coarse, kosher salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (see note)
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (see note)
Garnishes (optional):
  • cooked crumbled bacon
  • chopped chives or green onions
  • sour cream
  • shredded cheese

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a 6-quart or larger pot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion or leeks, celery, carrots and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until the veggies start to soften, 4-5 minutes.
  2. Add the cauliflower, broth, salt and pepper to the pot. The broth won't fully cover the vegetables; that's ok. Give the mixture a good stir and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower and other veggies are very tender.
  3. Use an immersion blender, potato masher (or transfer half of the soup to a blender - taking care to vent the lid when blending the hot soup), and blend or mash the soup until the cauliflower is the desired consistency. I prefer some small bits of texture rather than blending until completely smooth.
  4. Whisk or blend together the milk and flour until smooth. Pour the mixture into the soup, stirring constantly, and cook the soup over medium heat until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.
  5. Off the heat, stir in the shredded cheese until melted. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.
  6. Serve the soup, if desired, topped with bacon, chopped chives or green onions, sour cream, and extra shredded cheese.

Notes

  • Nutrition Facts: the nutrition facts for this recipe were calculated based on the soup (but do not include the optional garnishes as those are added based on personal preference). 
  • Cauliflower: if you end up with a bit more or a bit less cauliflower, it's ok. It doesn't have to be exact. You can also use the stems (might need a few extra minutes of cooking to soften). UPDATE: readers reporting everywhere that they used the frozen riced cauliflower and it worked great (it'll pack down more in the measuring cup, so I'd say use 7-9 cups riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen). 
  • Broth: I always use low-sodium broth (chicken broth for this recipe, but vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian version)
  • Flour: for a gluten-free version, try 2 tablespoons cornstarch in place of the flour (or a gluten-free flour blend, although I don't know how well gluten-free flours thicken soups).
  • Cheese: sharp white or orange cheddar cheese will work in this recipe (so will medium or mild, but the flavor will be better with sharp cheddar). Using freshly grated cheese will melt better than using preshredded cheese (which is often coated with a powdery substance to keep it from sticking, but it also makes it melt less well).

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Serving Calories 154kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 18mg (6%) Sodium 874mg (36%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 5g (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 Serving
Calories 154kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 874mg 36%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 5g 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.