Cauliflower Soup

This cauliflower soup recipe is rich and creamy...without any cream! Warm, comforting, and SO flavorful, it's the perfect meal for a cold day.

Cauliflower soup

This roasted cauliflower soup recipe is rich and creamy…but it doesn’t call for any cream. Instead, the blended cauliflower creates its luscious texture—no dairy required!

I’ve had this cauliflower soup recipe in my cold weather rotation for years now. Even though all the ingredients are plant-based, it’s just as comforting as any soup made with heavy cream, milk, or cheese. On a chilly winter night, it absolutely hits the spot! It’s also super simple to make, so there’s lots to love here.

Cauliflower soup recipe ingredients

Cauliflower Soup Ingredients

You only need 10 basic ingredients to make this creamy cauliflower soup:

  • A head of cauliflower, of course! It gives the soup a silky texture without any nuts or dairy.
  • Garlic and shallots – You’ll roast them along with the cauliflower. Once they’re tender and caramelized, they add rich, nutty flavor to this cauliflower soup.
  • Fresh thyme – For fresh, earthy flavor.
  • White miso paste – It adds savory, umami flavor that tastes fantastic with the roasted cauliflower, shallots, and garlic.
  • Dijon mustard – For tang.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
  • Vegetable broth – Make homemade vegetable broth, or use store-bought.
  • Fresh lemon juice – It makes the soup nice and bright.
  • And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Cauliflower florets on a baking sheet

How to Make Cauliflower Soup

I like to think of this cauliflower soup recipe in three easy steps: roast, simmer, and blend.

First, roast the veggies. Break the cauliflower into florets and chop up the cores. Peel and quarter the shallots. Wrap them in a piece of foil with the unpeeled garlic cloves, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Recipe Tip

Don’t have shallots? Replace them with half a yellow onion, chopped. Use the onions just like you would the shallot—add them to the foil along with the garlic!

Spread the chopped cauliflower florets and core in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and toss them with oil, salt, and pepper. Add the foil packet to the sheet, and roast until all the vegetables are tender and the cauliflower is browned.

Roasted vegetables on a baking sheet

Next, simmer. Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium heat. Peel the garlic cloves, and stir them into the pot along with the cauliflower, shallots, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Broth and roasted vegetables in a blender

Finally, blend the soup. Allow it to cool slightly. Then, transfer it from the soup pot to a blender. Add the miso paste, mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Feel free to use an immersion blender for this step if you prefer!

Creamy cauliflower soup in a blender

Blend until smooth. Before you eat, season to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, as desired.

Vegan cauliflower soup

What to Serve with Cauliflower Soup

When you’re ready to eat, garnish your bowl with micro greens, fresh parsley, and/or freshly cracked black pepper. This cauliflower soup would also be fantastic with homemade croutons on top for crunch!

Enjoy the creamy soup with focaccia, crusty bread, or a grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dipping.

It also pairs nicely with a side salad. Make a simple green salad by tossing mixed greens with Italian dressing, honey mustard dressing, or lemon vinaigrette, or try one of these 25 Winter Salad Recipes!

Enjoy!

Got leftover soup? Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’ll thicken in the fridge, so you might need to stir in a little water when you reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.

This cauliflower soup freezes well too. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to airtight jars or containers, leaving an inch for the soup to expand at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months!

Allow frozen soup to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Cauliflower soup recipe

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this delicious soup, try one of these recipes next:

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Cauliflower Soup

rate this recipe:
4.93 from 247 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 6
This roasted cauliflower soup is velvety and rich, even though it's made without cream or cheese. The blended cauliflower creates the soup's amazing creamy texture - no dairy necessary!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Chop the cauliflower including the core pieces. Spread the cauliflower on the baking sheet and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Wrap the shallot and garlic cloves, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, in a piece of aluminum foil and place it on the baking sheet with the vegetables. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cauliflower is browned around the edges.
  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the roasted cauliflower, shallots, peeled garlic, and thyme and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Add the miso paste, mustard, the 3 tablespoons olive oil, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with ¼ to ½ teaspoon more salt and more lemon juice. Garnish with microgreens, if desired, and serve.

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270 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Mira
    11.23.2021

    5 stars
    My non-vegan mom and i (vegan) absolutely love your recipes, especially the creamy soups! I’ve tried the Tomato Basil Soup, Carrot Ginger Soup, and now the Cauliflower Soup, I don’t take any creamy soup recipes except from you, so thank you for these amazing recipes❤️

  2. carolyn ballard
    11.13.2021

    5 stars
    This soup is very good! Also, love for the first time roasting cauliflower it did not stink up the house! Must be the combo of roasting with shallots and garlic.

  3. Amber
    11.02.2021

    5 stars
    What is the nutritional on this dish?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.03.2021

      I’m sorry we don’t calculate nutrition facts but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.

  4. Christine
    10.26.2021

    Can I use an immersion blender for this? I’m dying to make it!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.27.2021

      Hi Christine, a regular blender will make it more creamy, but it should be just fine!

  5. Beryl
    10.05.2021

    5 stars
    I love this soup, just having some with roasted chickpeas and homemade brown bread. Thanks for the recipie.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.06.2021

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  6. Kristin
    10.04.2021

    So freaking good!!! I made this for my partner and dad and they both thought it was delicious. Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.06.2021

      I’m so glad everyone loved it!

  7. Lovett Bayne
    09.28.2021

    This is the most amazing soup! Can it be frozen?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.28.2021

      yep, it freezes well!

  8. Ruth
    09.28.2021

    Is there a save or favorites button anywhere on the website that a subscriber can use to keep recipes? Or is copy and paste somewhere else the only way? Thank you.

  9. VSM
    09.28.2021

    5 stars
    YUM! I make a cauliflower soup that uses curry and coconut milk. Your recipe is now a second cauliflower soup to add to our family favorites! The flavor is wonderful and completely different than the one we already make, and no cream needed!

    • Crystine
      11.03.2021

      I’d love your recipe!

  10. Adrienne
    07.04.2021

    5 stars
    So freaking good – never had anything like this. Thank you for sharing!

  11. Chris
    04.08.2021

    I would have never thought of a cauliflower soup, but I’ve had it so many ways now (all of them wonderful) that I’ve got to give this a try! Thanks for sharing

  12. Nancy
    03.31.2021

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy! I had never made or had cauliflower soup before – and what a treat! The cauliflower, shallots and garlic smelled so good white roasting, that I almost abandoned the rest of the prep to eat them straight from the oven. Glad I continued!

  13. Anjali
    03.20.2021

    I can’t wait to make this! I bought a bunch of ingredients to cook up some of your other recipes (like raw cashew, nutritional yeast, and hemp seed), but totally missed on the miso.

    My vegetable broth is a homemade mushroom broth- so there’s some umami there. Could I substitute the miso with raw cashew, white beans, or nutritional yeast or a mixture?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.21.2021

      Hi Anjali, you can skip the miso and just add additional salt, to taste. It’ll still be great!

  14. Jan
    03.12.2021

    Absolutely delicious, especially with the addition of crunchy chickpeas. Used dried thyme and added a few Kashmiri chilli flakes. Just what I needed on a wild and windy day 😊

  15. Debbie Gallinatti
    03.01.2021

    Left my comments in the wrong place Saturday night……said “great Saturday night soup!”

  16. Julie Ryan
    02.28.2021

    5 stars
    This was so good! So easy to make and a big hit with my husband and baby!

  17. Maria
    02.28.2021

    5 stars
    I love how easy and quick this recipe is! I topped mine off with truffle salt and crispy fried shallots….yummmmm!

  18. Jennifer from MostlyMeowsFosters
    02.28.2021

    Hi! What’s funny is im posting this comment after the second time I made your Cauliflower soup this month — the first time it was so delicious we ate it before I remembered to take a picture! This time my adopted dog and sous chef Pops reminded me… sous as in constantly underfoot just in case anyone tasty falls his way. Couldn’t find micro greens so used roasted broccoli as a garnish. I found your blog and IG via eatingwith_em and am now a huge fan of yours! Thank you for all your amazing recipes and beautiful inspiring photos. We would be over the moon if we win the Staub cocotte! What a fun challenge! Yours truly, Jennifer

  19. Heather
    02.28.2021

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness…the flavor in this simple soup is amazing!!! Thank you so much for giving us this recipe. Definitely going into menu rotation at my house.

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.