Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Earlier this week I was trying on jeans (10/10 would not recommend) from the depths of my dresser to wear for a work thing, while Gwen sat on my bed keeping me company. As I stuffed myself into pair after pair trying to find one that fit (again, would.not.recommend!) Miss Sis cheered me on:

“Mom, you look pretty!” 

“God job, Mommy!”

Aaand I’ll officially never go clothes shopping without her ever again. Personal cheering sections, FTW!

Today I’m cheering YOU on to try my Cheesy Cauliflower Soup. This dreamy, velvety soup recipe is like cheese sauce-topped vegetables in soup form and, best of all, there’s NO heavy cream required!

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

A truck load of fresh vegetables including carrots, celery, onion, cauliflower, and sweet corn are simmered in a thickened broth made from both milk and chicken broth before freshly shredded, sharp cheddar cheese is stirred in for richness. I cannot tell you how decadent this soup tastes!

Thickened Two Ways

My cauliflower cheese soup is thickened two ways:

1. Gluten free flour is added to the vegetable base to help thicken the broth.
2. A portion of the soup is blended to give the soup a creamy, velvety texture. If you’ve never blended cooked cauliflower before, prepare to be amazed. It takes on the texture of alfredo sauce and gives the soup a luxurious thickness without having to add heavy cream.

As written, this Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is meatless – use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian – though if you’re looking to pump it up a bit, I have to admit that browned bacon, seared kielbasa, or diced ham steak would be stellar in here. As written though, you get ALL the benefits of eating your vegetables, in a cozy, satisfying way.

Similar Recipes

• Bacon-Cheddar Cauliflower Chowder
• Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup
• Healthy Cheeseburger Soup

How to Make This Recipe

Start by sauting chopped carrots, celery, and shallot or onion in butter until tender, 8-10 minutes, seasoning with my homemade seasoned salt and pepper. Add freshly minced garlic then saute for another minute or two.

FYI: I usually put a lid on about halfway through to speed up the softening process. Nobody’s got time to wait for carrots to naturally soften, good grief!

Next sprinkle in gluten free flour (can use AP flour but the soup will not be GF) then stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth and milk to the pot then turn the heat up to bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, add chopped cauliflower then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the cauliflower is very tender.

Note: cauliflower doesn’t get “soft” like a potato, so you want it at a point where it’s fall-apart-tender.

Once the cauliflower is tender, scoop 2 cups into a blender along with some broth then blend until very, very smooth and velvety. If you have an immersion blender, you could use that instead.

Pour the blended soup back into the pot then stir in frozen sweet corn and shredded sharp cheddar cheese until smooth and velvety.

Wooo!! So decadent and delicious yet NO cream required. Love it! I hope YOU love this cozy, comforting cheesy soup recipe with a veggie-heavy twist – enjoy!

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

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gluten freevegetarian

5/5 (4 REVIEWS)

Description

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is cozy and satisfying yet packed with vegetables. No heavy cream needed for this delicious soup recipe!

Ingredients

serves 4-6

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped
• seasoned salt and pepper (see notes)
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/4 cup gluten free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using AP flour)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups milk (any kind)
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
• 1-1/2 cups sweet corn
• 8oz freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and shallot/onion, season with seasoned salt and pepper then saute until tender, 8-10 minutes (I usually put a lid on the pot about halfway through to speed the softening process along.) Add garlic then saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
2. Sprinkle in flour then stir and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Add milk then turn heat up to high to bring soup to a bubble. Add cauliflower then turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 10-12 minutes. Note: the cauliflower won't become "soft" but it should be fall apart tender.
3. Scoop 2 cups cauliflower + a little broth into a blender then blend until very, very smooth. Be sure to crack the lid to let steam escape while blending. Pour blended soup back into the soup pot then add sweet corn and stir to combine.
4. Turn off the heat then add shredded cheese in two batches, stirring until completely smooth before adding the next batch. Taste then add more seasoned salt and/or pepper. Let soup sit and thicken for 10 minutes then serve.

Notes

• Click here for my Homemade Seasoned Salt recipe >

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.