Made with only a few ingredients, this soup is easy, satiating, and adaptable to most any taste, allergy, or preference!
When I was growing up, my mom would make me soup if I wasn’t feeling well. We weren’t above chicken noodle from a can, but sometimes she would make her own concoction.
The following soup brought her so much joy because it was so easy she couldn’t believe it. I remember how excited she would get that the recipe had just two main ingredients.
“Emily, this soup is pure health,” she would say. It’s just vegetables! As a teenager, I likely rolled my eyes, grabbed a spoon, and ate on the couch.
But as a mom myself now, I can appreciate the ease as well as the pride in feeling like you created something nutritious and delicious for your family to enjoy.
When I first talked to Ann about this soup, she was unsure if the minimalist recipe could fly on its own. The purist in her saw the value and ease of the base recipe (using only cauliflower and chicken broth!), but her creative cooking mind got us working towards multiple adaptations, meal ideas, and flavor twists to give Fountain Avenue Kitchen readers some options.
In the end, we were both really excited about these options, which maintained the utter ease of this recipe while offering additional flavors, added protein, and fun toppings to keep everyone happy.
We hope you enjoy the ease of this soup base–and the experimenting–as much as we have!
How to start – pick a pot that reflects your intentions:
For a brothier soup, or one with some added ingredients, a large stock pot is fine. For a thicker, more basic soup, start with three or three and a half cups of broth and use a smaller soup pot: if there’s not enough broth to cover the large stock pot bottom, the cauliflower may burn.
A smaller pot may be used for a thicker, more basic soup.
Get creative – what’s in the fridge?
Start with the cauliflower soup base, adding ingredients you and your family enjoy (or ingredients in the fridge that need to be used before they spoil!) to give it personalized depth of flavor. Here are some ideas:
- Add celery and sauté (with or without the onion) before adding the cauliflower.
- After the cauliflower cooks down, add a can of drained cannellini or other white beans. This will thicken the soup and increase the heartiness because of the added fiber and protein.
- Add two chopped carrots along with the cauliflower. This will give the soup a brighter color and a touch of sweetness.
- Add half a head of broccoli along with the cauliflower. This will also change the color, and it may make the soup a bit more grainy. But for broccoli lovers, this can be a great alternative to a broccoli cheese soup. Sprinkle cheese on top for a similar effect!
- Peel and dice a pound of baking potatoes and add along with the cauliflower. This will make the soup creamier, thicker, and more filling.
- Use the white and light green part of a leek (instead of the onion) for that classic cauliflower leek combination.
- If it’s easier to find (or you don’t feel like cutting a head of cauliflower), use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh. One and a half bags (or about 650 grams) is similar to a fresh head of cauliflower. Start with a lower amount of broth (three cups) because frozen cauliflower contains more water.
- If you enjoy roasted cauliflower, try roasting the florets before adding to the broth. This adds an extra step, and is not necessary, but will supply a hint of nuttiness and overall depth of flavor.
These simple ingredients make for a surprisingly easy soup base!
It’s all about the toppings!
This soup works as an appetizer, snack, or entree and can be bolstered with a wide range of toppings. These are the ones we’ve tried (they are delicious!), but honestly, anything goes!
- Turn this soup into a loaded baked potato, topping with cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- For an element of crunch, top with roasted chickpeas, croutons, or onion crisps. Store-bought is fine too.
- A sharp grated cheddar makes everything taste better, right? It’s a perfect pairing here.
- Add a dollop of hummus, plain or even red pepper for color. Stir it in for a thicker, creamier texture.
- If you like spice, drizzle in some harissa or chili oil. A swirl on top will supply appealing color as well.
- Similarly, if you happen to have leftover Romesco sauce, swirl a spoonful into the soup for a flavor and color punch.
- For added flavor and color, do the same with pesto.
- Fresh herbs like chives, dill, and parsley, work as a colorful, flavorful garnish.
Save it for later.
The cauliflower soup will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator. As a test, I froze a few batches, and they reheated quite well. If the soup should appear watery when thawed, simmer for a few extra minutes upon reheating.
💛 Tell us, how do you like your cauliflower soup! Leave comments in the section below!
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Easy Cauliflower SoupPrep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 27 minutesTotal Time: 32 minutesYield: 4-6 servings (depending if for entree or appetizer, and any add-ins)
This soup is a great base for your favorite add-ins or toppings, and with just two main ingredients could not be any easier to make!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (14g) olive oil or butter
- ½ an onion, diced (optional) *see notes for alternatives, if using
- Florets from 1 large head of cauliflower (about 650 grams/1½ pounds) **see notes for cauliflower size and optional veggie add-ins
- 3-5 cups chicken broth
- ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese; cooked and crumbled bacon; roasted chickpeas; croutons; onion crisps, snipped fresh chives; cashews pieces; nuts or seeds; a swirl of hummus, extra virgin olive oil, harissa, chili oil, sour cream or Greek yogurt, or pesto
InstructionsTip: Use a medium-size pot if preparing the basic recipe. Use a larger stock pot if including extra vegetables or other add-ins.
Heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, if using (and/or the optional celery or leeks) until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, broth. and optional add-ins (see notes). Start with 3-3½ cups of broth if using a smaller pot. If using a larger stock pot, start with 4 cups. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer with a tight-fitting lid (this also helps decrease the cruciferous odor if anyone in the household is sensitive to it) for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.
Use an immersion blender to puree soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour contents from pot into a standing blender. (In this case, vent the lid, cover with a tea towel, and be careful of the hot liquid.) Fee free to leave the soup chunky if you prefer, but pureeing it really adds to the thicker texture of the soup.
At this point, you may add more broth, half a cup at a time, if you prefer a thinner soup. If the soup seems too thin, you can simmer it with the lid off, stirring regularly. Add the salt, starting with ½ teaspoon, and some cracked black pepper. Continue to taste for seasoning.
Pour soup into bowls or mugs and top each portion with toppings of choice. Serve warm. Keeps in fridge for 4-5 days and freezes well too!
Notes*You may sauté celery and/or leeks (with or without the onion) before adding the cauliflower, which will add some depth of flavor.
**Cauliflower heads will come in different sizes. And there will be more or less waste depending on how much is trimmed from the bottom stems. If unsure, start with a larger head because a little more cauliflower can always be balanced with more broth if the soup seems too thick. The same thought process works for frozen cauliflower which we have tried successfully using both 12- and 16-ounce bags. Simply adjust the broth as needed.
Extra veggie and add-in ideas:
- Sauté 2 minced garlic cloves in the last minute of sautéing the onion.
- About half way through cooking the cauliflower, add a can of cannellini beans or other white beans. This will thicken the soup and increase the heartiness because of the added fiber and protein.
- Add two large chopped carrots along with the cauliflower. This will give the soup a brighter color and add a touch of sweetness.
- Add half a head of broccoli along with the cauliflower. This will also change the color and may make the soup a bit more grainy. But for broccoli lovers, this can be a great alternative to a broccoli cheese soup. Sprinkle cheese on top for a similar effect!
- Peel and dice a pound of baking potatoes and add with the cauliflower. This will make the soup creamier, thicker, and more filling.
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- 1 tablespoon (14g) olive oil or butter
- ½ an onion, diced (optional) *see notes for alternatives, if using
- Florets from 1 large head of cauliflower (about 650 grams/1½ pounds) **see notes for cauliflower size and optional veggie add-ins
- 3-5 cups chicken broth
- ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese; cooked and crumbled bacon; roasted chickpeas; croutons; onion crisps, snipped fresh chives; cashews pieces; nuts or seeds; a swirl of hummus, extra virgin olive oil, harissa, chili oil, sour cream or Greek yogurt, or pesto
Tip: Use a medium-size pot if preparing the basic recipe. Use a larger stock pot if including extra vegetables or other add-ins.
Heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, if using (and/or the optional celery or leeks) until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, broth. and optional add-ins (see notes). Start with 3-3½ cups of broth if using a smaller pot. If using a larger stock pot, start with 4 cups. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer with a tight-fitting lid (this also helps decrease the cruciferous odor if anyone in the household is sensitive to it) for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.
Use an immersion blender to puree soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour contents from pot into a standing blender. (In this case, vent the lid, cover with a tea towel, and be careful of the hot liquid.) Fee free to leave the soup chunky if you prefer, but pureeing it really adds to the thicker texture of the soup.
At this point, you may add more broth, half a cup at a time, if you prefer a thinner soup. If the soup seems too thin, you can simmer it with the lid off, stirring regularly. Add the salt, starting with ½ teaspoon, and some cracked black pepper. Continue to taste for seasoning.
Pour soup into bowls or mugs and top each portion with toppings of choice. Serve warm. Keeps in fridge for 4-5 days and freezes well too!
*You may sauté celery and/or leeks (with or without the onion) before adding the cauliflower, which will add some depth of flavor.
**Cauliflower heads will come in different sizes. And there will be more or less waste depending on how much is trimmed from the bottom stems. If unsure, start with a larger head because a little more cauliflower can always be balanced with more broth if the soup seems too thick. The same thought process works for frozen cauliflower which we have tried successfully using both 12- and 16-ounce bags. Simply adjust the broth as needed.
Extra veggie and add-in ideas:
- Sauté 2 minced garlic cloves in the last minute of sautéing the onion.
- About half way through cooking the cauliflower, add a can of cannellini beans or other white beans. This will thicken the soup and increase the heartiness because of the added fiber and protein.
- Add two large chopped carrots along with the cauliflower. This will give the soup a brighter color and add a touch of sweetness.
- Add half a head of broccoli along with the cauliflower. This will also change the color and may make the soup a bit more grainy. But for broccoli lovers, this can be a great alternative to a broccoli cheese soup. Sprinkle cheese on top for a similar effect!
- Peel and dice a pound of baking potatoes and add with the cauliflower. This will make the soup creamier, thicker, and more filling.
I have made this soup numerous times and it’s a favorite of ours. I use vegetable broth instead of chicken and add a can of cannellini beans and chopped celery as suggested under “extra veggie add-ins”. Next time I make it, I am going to try the roasted chickpea as a topping.
So glad to hear it Sue – I’ve been making it a lot over the past few weeks and experimenting with various add-ins. Yum!
Perfect timing since “the wagon” should soon have huge heads of cauliflower for sale. I can’t wait to try this soup recipe.
Yes, Joni! I’m so ready for cauliflower soup too!