Cauliflower Cream Cheese Soup is a low-carb, gluten-free version of Panera's now-retired Potato Cream Cheese Soup. Ready in just 30 minutes!
If you’re old enough to remember Panera’s Potato Cream Cheese Soup, it’s time to buy some night cream!
I kid, but actually I used to eat that soup from Panera roughly three times a week in high school and was so sad when they axed it from their menu. Since it’s not available anymore (nor could I eat it anyway on account of my Celiac Disease!) I created a similar cozy soup with a lighter twist by swapping the potatoes for cauliflower. Each bowl comes in at just 9 grams of carbs.
Low-Carb Cauliflower Cream Cheese Soup is thick, creamy, and so satisfying — just like the original!
Low-Carb Cauliflower Cream Cheese Soup is grated cauliflower, which is kissing texture cousins to potatoes, steamed with seasoned salt, feathery fresh dill, and pepper then simmered in gluten-free flour-thickened broth for a few minutes before being swirled with tangy cream cheese.
If you loved the Potato Cream Cheese Soup from Panera, you’ll adore this low-carb version. The grated cauliflower is a perfect swap for potatoes.
Best of all? It’s ready in under 30 minutes making this a weeknight friendly recipe, too!
Start by grating 1 small head cauliflower for 4 cups grated cauliflower. You can use the grating attachment on your food processor, a box grater, or simply buy frozen, grated cauliflower.
Next saute 1 small chopped shallot or 1/2 small onion, and 3 minced garlic cloves in 2 Tablespoons butter in a soup pot over medium heat, until the shallots are just starting to turn tender, 3-4 minutes.
Add the grated cauliflower plus 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, and lots of pepper, then stir to evenly coat the cauliflower in butter.
Pour in 2 Tablespoons water then place a lid on the pot and steam the cauliflower until tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Pour in 2 cups milk, 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, and more pepper, then turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer — not a boil.
Stream in 1/4 cup chicken broth whisked with 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour then simmer until the soup is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Finally, add the cream cheese! You’ll need 8oz cream cheese softened to room temperature. I tested this recipe with 1/3 less fat cream cheese, and this Greek yogurt cream cheese blend, and both were fantastic.
Scrape the cream cheese into the soup from the package in three or four hunks then switch to a whisk and whisk until it’s completely melted and incorporated into the soup.
Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary then let the soup sit and thicken off the heat for 10 minutes.
Ladle into bowls then serve and devour! I hope you love this lighter take on a Panera favorite!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups grated cauliflower, fresh or frozen
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 3/4 teaspoon homemade seasoned salt
- pepper
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 1-3/4 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 cups milk, any kind
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
Directions
- Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add shallots then saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 1 minute. Add the cauliflower, fresh dill, seasoned salt, and pepper then stir to coat cauliflower in butter. Add water then place a lid on top and steam cauliflower until tender, 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile whisk 1/4 cup chicken broth and flour together in a small bowl then set aside. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups chicken broth and milk to the soup pot, season with more pepper, then turn heat up to medium-high and bring soup to simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn heat back down to medium then stream in chicken broth/flour mixture, stir to combine, then simmer until soup is slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
- Add cream cheese in three batches, whisking until cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated before adding the next batch. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary and then let soup sit and thicken off the heat for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Fantastic recipe. My family enjoyed it w bacon on top.
Thank you. 🙏🏽
That sounds so delicious, Irene! So glad it was a hit. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is so delicious. I used original style cream cheese, dried dill (a scant 1/4 teaspoon), and shallot rather than onion. It was perfect.
I’m thrilled you loved the recipe, Penny! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Am I able to make a big batch and freeze some Let me know. Thank you for the recipe
Could I use frozen cauliflower rice?
You bet!
AMAZING soup, it was so tasty and so easy to make! I highly recommend!
Need to try this! How many carbs?
Hi!! This looks delish!! Has anyone ever used almond milk to make the soup? Did it change the taste much?
I made this soup. I’m a vegetarian so I did modify with some “Chick’n” broth and threw some leeks in. Let me tell you that it was amazing. Even the carnivore boyfriend thought it was super delightful. The dill is a great add on! Its hard to be a vegetarian in Iowa so this was a great find (once it was macguyvered)
Bless!
I am trying to loosed some weight, and wondered what some high protein low carb foods were. Besides eggs and tuna.