This recipe for creamy, roasted & vegan cauliflower soup is full of flavor and made with fabulous herbs & spices. It's very creamy without any cheese or cream being added, and it's Whole30 compliant, super hearty, and delicious.
This cauliflower soup is going to become a staple in your kitchen. I like to make it year round, and it also does very well frozen in batches in the freezer.
My daughter loves, it too. I give it to her cold straight out of the refrigerator, and she gobbles it right up from her little cup.
It's incredible how much flavor you can get from cauliflower after it spends some time caramelizing and roasting in the oven. All of those juices really make magic, let me tell you.
I am so ready for fall and winter here, as I am happy to make this soup year round, but it's going to taste even better when I am feeling cold and want something warm to cozy up with that will also make my stomach very happy! 😉
Why this creamy cauliflower soup is so good
It's very versatile. The soup is warm and comforting without feeling heavy or too filling. If you do eat animal protein, feel free to add grilled chicken, shrimp or another favorite protein on top / inside a bowl.
The soup is vegan, paleo and Whole30 compliant. I've provided instructions for all of these dietary instructions, woo!
This makes a great meal prep for the week: less time spent in the kitchen equals more time doing absolutely anything else that you love!
It is so easy! You are going to love how creamy the vegan cauliflower soup becomes after going into the high-speed blender. That is going to do a lot of the work for you, and you'll be left with something so lush and delightful.
Tips:
1. Roast the cauliflower. The cauliflower will take on warm and buttery notes as it spends time caramelizing in the onion. However, if you are short on time, I recommend checking out this creamy cauliflower soup recipe instead (no roasting required!)
2. Add butter, ghee or coconut oil for thickness & creaminess. All three of these ingredients will immediately improve the texture and taste of the soup. If you are using coconut oil, be sure to add (2) tablespoons of nutritional yeast in addition (see the recipe notes section!)
3. Taste for seasoning after blending. We all have different salt/pepper preferences, in addition to preferences about acid and heat.
After you finish blending the soup, taste it for additional seasoning (salt, pepper, lemon juice, cayenne, etc.) Add as little or as much as you'd like until it reaches your desired taste.
4. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top. Fresh herbs really heighten the flavors in this soup and bring out an extra dimension. Chop up fresh parsley, chives, green onions or cilantro, and don't be shy adding them.
How to make vegan cauliflower soup
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a rime baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add cauliflower florets with half of the oil to the baking sheet. Toss well until the florets have all been lightly coated. Season lightly with salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the florets are fork tender and browning. Be sure to flip and toss them about halfway through the cook time.
Once the cauliflower has about 5-7 minutes left of cook time, warm a small stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with the rest of the oil for 1 minute.
Add onion and salt. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft and almost translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant but stirring frequently.
Add broth and roasted cauliflower florets to the pot. Increase the heat to medium high until the mixture reaches a hard simmer. Reduce the heat to low so the soup is now gently simmering.
Cook, stirring here and there, so the flavors all begin to marry together for about 15 minutes. If you'd like the soup to not be as chunky, feel free to add 1 cup of filtered water.
Transfer the soup mixture into the high-speed blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth, about 30 seconds or so.
Add butter, lemon juice, and spices. Do not add any additional salt until the mixture is blended through and you taste it. Blend on medium until everything has been well incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt. I ended up adding another 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons.
Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with pancetta (omit for vegan) and fresh parsley.
This creamy vegan cauliflower soup would be the perfect accompaniment to any homemade meal.
You can top it off with additional protein sources (if you are not vegan), and you will be completely full and satiated.
You can eat it by itself, too-just pour yourself a nice and big, hearty bowl.
I actually ended up eating this soup for breakfast, alongside some crunchy potatoes and eggs- it was a match made in heaven.
More healthy recipes like vegan cauliflower soup
Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
Creamy, Roasted & Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil split in two
- ½ large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 head of cauliflower washed, dried and cut into florets
- 32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons sea salt split in two, see notes
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or nutritional yeast, if vegan
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice see notes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 ounces pancetta cubed and cooked, for garnish (omit for vegan)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a rime baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add cauliflower florets with half of the oil to the baking sheet. Toss well until the florets have all been lightly coated. Season lightly with half of the salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the florets are fork tender and browning. Be sure to flip and toss them about halfway through the cook time.
- Once the cauliflower has about 5-7 minutes left of cook time, warm a small stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with the rest of the oil for 1 minute.
- Add onions and the rest of the salt. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft and almost translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant but stirring frequently.
- Add broth, roasted cauliflower florets, and fresh herbs to the pot. Increase the heat to medium high until the mixture reaches a hard simmer. Reduce the heat to low so the soup is now gently simmering.
- Cook, stirring here and there, so the flavors all begin to marry together for about 15 minutes. If you'd like the soup to not be as chunky, feel free to add 1 cup of filtered water.
- Transfer the soup mixture into the high-speed blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth, about 30 seconds or so.
- Add butter, lemon juice, and spices. Do not add any additional salt until the mixture is blended through and you taste it. Blend on medium until everything has been well incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt. I ended up adding another 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons.
- Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with pancetta (omit for vegan) and fresh parsley.
Notes
- You can top it off with additional protein sources (if you are not vegan), and you will be completely full and satiated.
- You may need additional salt depending on whether or not the broth you used was low sodium / unsalted. Taste for seasoning at the end.
- Start by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add another after trying it if you'd like. I ended up using about 1 ½.
Melinda says
Love this!! I'm living with CKD and cauliflower is one of my favorites that I can eat. I took out the salt and added more lemon 🍋. Thank you for sharing!
Cate Damboise says
I have made this many times and love it! My sister is Vegan, so I follow your vegan instructions but add the pancetta garnish to mine. 🙂 Thank you for offering BOTH vegan and non-vegan options!