Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

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

Big Bowl of Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Earlier this week I was trying on jeans (0/5 stars, do 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!

Overhead photo of a bowl of cauliflower soup

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 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:

Gluten free flour is added to the vegetable base to help thicken the broth.
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.

Spoonful of soup

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.

Spoon in a bowl of cauliflower cheese 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.

Tip: place a lid on the pot halfway through the cooking process to speed up softening the veggies!

carrots, celery, and onion cooking in pot

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

flour sprinkled on top of sautéed carrots, celery, and onion in pot

Add chicken broth and milk to the pot then turn the heat up to bring the soup to a simmer. Once simmer, 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.

soup cooking in pot

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

soup in blender

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

corn and cheese mixed into pot of soup

Decadent and delicious yet NO cream required. I hope you love this cozy, comforting cheesy soup recipe with a veggie-heavy twist – enjoy!

Close up photo of cheesy cauliflower soup

More Cozy Soup Recipes

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

5 from 11 votes

by Kristin Porter

Prep: 20

Cook: 30

Total: 50

Servings: 6

GF V LC EF

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

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 large shallot or small onion, chopped
homemade seasoned salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 cup gluten free flour, or AP if not gF
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk, any kind
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
1-1/2 cups sweet corn
8 oz freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

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 — feel free to place a lid on the pot halfway through to speed up the softening process. Add the garlic then saute until fragrant, 1 minute.
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 simmer. 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 very tender.
Scoop 2 cups cauliflower + a little broth into a blender then blend until very smooth. Be sure to crack the lid to let steam escape while blending. Pour blended soup back into the pot then add sweet corn and stir to combine.
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 903mg, Potassium: 477mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 4231IU, Vitamin C: 49mg, Calcium: 413mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.

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Photo collage of Cheesy Cauliflower Soup