Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my cheesy cauliflower soup recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Cauliflower – You’ll need about 4 cups, which is one medium head. I used fresh, but frozen works fine, too. You can also swap half the cauliflower for broccoli, or even romanesco.
• Garlic – Fresh minced gives the best flavor, but pre-minced from a jar is fine.
• Olive Oil – For sauteing the garlic. Sometimes I use avocado oil or butter instead.
• Chicken Broth – I like homemade broth or chicken bone broth for flavor and nutrition. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought brand, or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option. I recommend low or reduced sodium broth, as the cheese already has extra salt and it’s easier to adjust to your taste.
• Heavy Cream – Makes the soup rich and creamy. I’ve also used half and half, but the soup turned out a bit thinner with it. Full-fat coconut milk would also work well. I don’t recommend regular dairy milk, which will curdle too easily.
• Cheddar Cheese – Makes this a cauliflower cheddar soup, but it also acts as a natural thickener! Feel free to use other semi-firm shredded cheeses if you prefer a different flavor.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Optional, to your taste. Depending on my broth, oftentimes I don’t need any extra salt. If you like extra heat, toss in a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne.

I kept this cauliflower cheese soup recipe super basic, but check out my variations below for other ingredients you can add.

How To Make Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Saute the garlic. In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, saute the garlic in olive oil, until it smells amazing.
2. Add the broth, cream, and cauliflower. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

3. Blend it up. I usually scoop out about a third of the cauliflower to have some pieces in my cauliflower cheese soup later. Then, blend the rest with an immersion blender until smooth.
4. Melt the cheese. Turn the heat down and add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring so it melts in smoothly. I blend again to get it extra silky and help the cheese fully melt.
5. Stir the reserved florets back in. I added an extra sprinkle of cheddar and fresh parsley for garnish.

Recipe Variations

• More veggies – Sometimes I toss in diced onions, carrots, and/or celery at the same time as the garlic. This combination is called mirepoix and adds so much flavor!
• Bacon – Crumble some cooked bacon over the cauliflower cheese soup at the end for smoky flavor. If I don’t have any precooked, I saute it in the Dutch oven first, then use the bacon grease to saute the garlic.
• Add protein – To turn this into a meal, brown ground beef, sausage, or turkey in the pot first. Remove and set aside until the end, since I don’t recommend blending the meat. This is like a thicker version of my cheeseburger soup!
• Heartier base – Swap in a couple cups of diced potatoes for some of the cauliflower. They’ll blend right into the soup for extra thickness, or you can leave them chunky.
• Crackers – I love this cheesy cauliflower soup with a crumble of buttery almond crackers over it, or just served on the side for dipping.