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.
I made this yesterday and it is amazing!!! Eating it every day this week since I am the only one in my house who will eat it! YAY!!!!
Thanks for the great recipe! I made is for an easy Sunday dinner tonight. At the end, off heat I added a shake of dried dill weed because I love the extra bit of dill flavor.
You crack me up! I love the way you write. I also love how at high school/college age, you find it perfectly acceptable to eat soups like this from Panera, on the reg…in a bread bowl nonetheless.
This looks like a really yummy recipe! Kristin, if you see this comment, I wonder if you can answer a query. I don’t generally keep fresh herbs because they mostly go bad at my house. ;) But I do keep a fairly large selection of dried on hand. Can you tell me how much dried dill to use vs. fresh? And for that matter, is there a rule of thumb in general in recipes? Thanks!!!
Great question! I usually use 1/3 the amount of dry herbs. So, for this recipe, I’d use 1 teaspoon dried dill vs 1 Tablespoon fresh. :)
Thanks again. Can’t wait to try it!
I have watched you and our beautiful Boy and family and your motherhood grow and bloom. It is so beautiful, the life you create and share and give to Lincoln. I love your blog, I just became a Grandmother and my goodness…She melts my heart. Thank you for sharing Iowa Girl…<3 you!
Looks so yummy!
nastyadrama.ru
The soup looks so creamy and satisfying! Any other herbs you would recommend subbing in for dill (dill is too strong for me)?
Maybe a little bit of dried thyme? Start with 1/2 teaspoon then add from there.
Omg, yes. I feel so sorry for all of those “young” people that don’t know who Missy Elliot is. The same thing happened recently when the Paul McCartney/Kanye/Rihanna song came out. I think I read something along the lines of “Kanye is going to make this McCartney guy famous!!” Kids these days…
It looks amazzzingggggg! So delicious! Need to try this recipe.
http://www.trangscorner.com
I thought I was the only one who remembered that soup from what we then called St. Louis Bread Company! And I love the idea of adding dill. Thank you!!!!
You for sure would have spit out your cabernet if one of your younger co-workers (somewhat jokingly) asked if the oldies station was on after a classic Britney song came on. REALLY?!
I love cauliflower, and this soup looks so perfectly creamy and wonderful. What a comforting winter meal. Pinned it :)
This soup looks amazing! And, I’m with ya when it comes to Missy. I could have used a little less Katy and LOT more Missy and Lenny!