This cauliflower cheese soup recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and is made up of mostly vegetables - but your family will only taste rich, creamy, and cheesy deliciousness. This may be the perfect way to get your kids to eat cauliflower! Find more great recipes on the Quick Healthy Recipes page.
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I LOVE this cauliflower cheese soup recipe. As in love, love, love. It's just so good, and seems so rich, that I never think that I'm eating lots of vegetables - and no one else does, either! In fact, this was the first "vegetable" soup I made that my kids would eat happily.
Fun fact: I started making this soup when my kids were little and I simply called it "cheese soup" to distract them from asking what was in it. When they got older and I finally told them the ingredients, my daughter cried out, "Oh mom! You've just ruined it!"
Guess I should've kept quiet.
I've made this for pretty much everyone who's come to our house over the years and they all agree - it is pretty amazing. Not only for the taste, or for the fact that it's chock-full of vegetables, but also for the fact that it's a thick, creamy soup that doesn't use flour or cream to thicken, only whatever type of milk you have in your fridge.
Amazing Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Aren't these ingredients great? Seriously- this is it. That's real food, people!
I do sometimes leave out the potatoes and the soup is only just a little less thick so that's an option.
And the other thing I love about this soup? Chop it all up and throw it in a pot- no complicated steps.
One thing that makes this soup a lot easier to make is an immersion blender, which I also love, love. And if you think you don't need one because you already have a blender or food processor, you are wrong. I used to transfer the hot soup into a blender, getting the soup everywhere in the process and trying not to burn myself, so it can be done. But once you use a stick blender, you'll never go back.
Since getting one (I started with a cheap plastic one, but it melts - really - in the hot soup, so I recommend one with a stainless removable blender) I use it to make recipes like this soup, and also for things like:
- Easy, homemade refried beans
- tomato soup & sauces
- maple apple butter
- cranberry sauce
- and more!
I was definitely in the camp of thinking I didn't need one - and then wondering what I ever did without it!
Serve this with a salad you make while it's cooking (a simple green salad with vinaigrette dressing), add some good bread (like this easy artisan bread) and it's a quick and easy meal.
It also makes a great first course for a company meal- and serving a soup course? They'll feel all special and not have a clue that it's mostly vegetables!
Amazing Cauliflower Cheese Soup (in 30 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock hopefully, your frozen homemade broth
- 2 potatoes diced (optional- they make the soup thicker, but I rarely use them)
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 of a large head of cauliflower chopped (about 3½ cups)
- 1½ teaspoon salt needed with homemade stock, not so much with canned, so be sure to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese medium will work, but sharp has the best flavor
- 1 cup milk
- chives dill or parsley for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the stock, potatoes (if using), onion, carrots, garlic, and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the mustard, black pepper, and salt if needed, and puree all the ingredients with an immersion blender right in the pan (alternately, transfer portions of the soup to a blender to puree, but be careful with the hot soup!).
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese and milk, stirring well.
- Continue to cook over low heat for about 5 more minutes until the soup is warmed through and the cheese is all melted. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
- Garnish with herbs if desired before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in 2011.
Looking for more easy soup recipes?
Curried Turkey-Chicken Rice Soup
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Tammy says
I'm a little late to the party but wonder if this soup can be frozen? It's just two of us and my husband doesn't like soup. (totally his loss). Anyway, I usually make a big batch of soup and then leave some in the fridge, but freeze most of it.
Jami says
Yes, this can be frozen!