A deliciously satisfying way to eat your veggies.
Have you ever heard of cauliflower cheese? This traditional British dish has the same rich, creamy cheese sauce as macaroni and cheese, but it’s served with lightly boiled cauliflower. So it’s just as warm and comforting as mac and cheese, but healthier – especially for folks who are avoiding carbs.
I decided to make my own version of cauliflower cheese in the form of a creamy, cozy soup. It’s got a whole head of cauliflower in it, plus half an onion, so it definitely provides a good dose of healthy veggies. But it’s also got heavy cream, chicken broth, and a blend of cheeses (I used cheddar jack), so it doesn’t taste healthy – it tastes rich, creamy, and satisfying. And with a zesty mix of seasonings – fresh thyme, black pepper, celery salt, paprika, and spicy-hot red pepper flakes – it’s definitely not boring.
You can make Cauliflower Cheese Soup even more delicious and decadent by serving it topped with bacon crumbles, grated cheese, and fresh thyme. But even without them, it’s delicious. (And if you want a vegetarian-friendly version, all you have to do is sub in veggie bouillon for the chicken bouillon. Easy peasy.)
Recipe Tips
- Soup will keep in refrigerator up to 4 days. Do not freeze.
- Sharp cheddar can be substituted for a more pronounced cheese flavor (or any type of cheese).
- The higher the fat content in the milk, the creamier the soup will be. You can substitute 2 cups of heavy cream instead of the milk or substitute 2 cups of milk instead of the cream.
- Chicken broth can be substituted for the water and bouillon. The celery salt and bouillon (or chicken broth) are going to add plenty of salt. Adjust amount of either of these for less saltiness (or more).
How to Make Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent.
- Add butter, flour, spices, and fresh thyme to onions. Sauté 1-2 minutes longer, browning the flour and toasting the spices just a bit.
- Add water to onion mixture slowly while whisking to incorporate the ingredients.
- Add bouillon and cauliflower florets. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer until cauliflower is tender (about 10 minutes).
- Whisk in milk and cream and continue cooking until soup returns to a simmer. Use a potato masher or a whisk to break down large chunks of cauliflower.
- Whisk in cheese in 1/2 cup increments until fully melted and incorporated.
- Continue cooking if desired to further break down consistency of the soup and thicken. Please note soup will also thicken some as it cools.
- Serve with bacon pieces, grated cheese, and fresh thyme.
More Soups We Love
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Cauliflower Cheese Soup
You can make the low carb, Cauliflower Cheese Soup even more delicious by serving it topped with bacon, grated cheese, and fresh thyme.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves:6 cups
Hover over “serves” value to reveal recipe scaler
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into pieces
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter salted
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder or two cubes of chicken bouillon
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups grated jack/cheddar cheese or desired cheese
- Bacon crumbles grated cheese, fresh thyme for topping (optional)
Instructions
-
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent.
-
Add butter, flour, spices, and fresh thyme to onions. Sauté 1-2 minutes longer, browning the flour and toasting the spices just a bit.
-
Add water to onion mixture slowly while whisking to incorporate the ingredients.
-
Add bouillon and cauliflower florets. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer until cauliflower is tender (about 10 minutes).
-
Whisk in milk and cream and continue cooking until soup returns to a simmer.
-
Use a potato masher or a whisk to break down large chunks of cauliflower.
-
Whisk in cheese in 1/2 cup increments until fully melted and incorporated.
-
Continue cooking if desired to further break down consistency of the soup and thicken. Please note soup will also thicken some as it cools.
-
Serve with bacon pieces, grated cheese, and fresh thyme.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 404kcal (20%)Carbohydrates: 10g (3%)Protein: 13g (26%)Fat: 36g (55%)Saturated Fat: 20g (100%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mg (35%)Sodium: 578mg (24%)Potassium: 388mg (11%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 1242IU (25%)Vitamin C: 48mg (58%)Calcium: 333mg (33%)Iron: 1mg (6%)