Creamy and so, so good.
I first enjoyed a bowl full of the inspiration behind this tasty cauliflower soup recipe when we were vacationing in Nashville for New Year’s Eve.
Like many of the other recipes here on Evolving Table that were inspired by a restaurant’s dish, i.e. this Zuppa Toscana Soup or this Cream of Asparagus Soup, I quickly got to work recreating it as soon as I got home.
When I ended up making this cream of cauliflower soup…
not once,
not twice,
but FOUR times over the Christmas break… I knew I needed to share it with you!
I even ate the leftover soup for breakfast…..twice! Love this soup!
– Anonymous
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Raw cashews. These are ABSOLUTELY necessary to create a thick and creamy consistency without heavy cream. Do NOT get salted or roasted cashews.
- Head of cauliflower. Make sure you choose a medium-large sized head to ensure you get at least 5-6 cups of cauliflower florets.
- Onion. Sweet onions are ideal but yellow onions will work as well.
- Broth. Water and Better than Bouillon with a chicken base is the preferred option. If you cannot find it, simply swap it for vegetable or chicken broth.
- Red pepper flakes. Adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like.
- Seasonings. Salt, pepper, and dried sage add a nice flavor. Feel free to use dried basil, thyme, oregano, or rosemary in place of the sage.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prep the cauliflower and sauté the onion.
Cut the head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets. It’s OK if they’re not all perfectly uniform, but you do want them pretty close to the same size. (Learn all the tricks for the best way to cut cauliflower!)
Drizzle oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook for 5 minutes before tossing in the cauliflower florets. Continue sautéing for an additional 5 minutes then mix in the crushed garlic.
Make the soup.
Pour in the broth, spices, butter or oil, and raw cashews. Bring everything to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
You can choose a variety of tools for this step. An Immersion (or wand) blender is super easy clean-up and does not require you to transfer hot soup into another appliance. A Vitamix or other high-speed blender is large and can hold all of the contents at once. Or, a food processor can be used, but you will need to work in batches to ensure everything gets super creamy.
Top and serve.
Garnish with fresh parsley and additional parmesan cheese. You can also pair with any of the following:
- Parmesan cheese whisps – a great alternative to the above for those of you on a low-carb diet.
- Baguettes – amazing with a touch of butter and garlic!
- Homemade croutons – for those of you that like a bit of crunch.
FAQs
Don’t forget the seasonings! Also, sauté the cauliflower, onion, and garlic to add a depth of flavor.
Blending raw cashews creates a thick and creamy consistency. If it is still not as thick as you’d like, you can stir in a cornstarch slurry.
Cauliflower contains both carbohydrates and protein. One cup of cauliflower contains 5 grams of carbs and 2.1 grams of protein.
Bring it completely to room temperature then seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze, place in freezer-safe plastic containers and bring to refrigerator temperature first before freezing for up to 3 months.
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Cauliflower Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large head of cauliflower cut into florets, about 6 cups
- 3 cloves garlic large, crushed
- 2 tablespoons butter or vegan “butter” sticks
- 6 cups broth chicken or vegetable, regular sodium*
- ½ cup cashews raw
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese grated, or dairy-free Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Saute onion and olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot for 5 minutes over medium heat.1 sweet onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add cauliflower and continue sautéing for 5 more minutes. Add crushed garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.1 large head of cauliflower, 3 cloves garlic
- Add in broth (or water and Better than Bouillon), butter, cashews, red pepper flakes, salt, paprika, and sage. Bring pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high heat, while maintaining a rolling boil, for 20 minutes.2 tablespoons butter, 6 cups broth, ½ cup cashews, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛-¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ⅛ teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon dried sage
- Turn off heat and add Parmesan or Parmesan cheese alternative. Blend ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor in batches or puree in pot with an immersion blender.¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Serve cauliflower soup with fresh parsley, additional parmesan cheese, and some toasted baguettes or Parmesan cheese whisps. Enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- Broth: My personal preference instead of chicken or vegetable broth in this recipe is to use 6 cups water + 1 1/2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon (Chicken Base) or Vegetarian base.
- Storage: Bring it completely to room temperature then seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Place in freezer-safe plastic containers and bring to refrigerator temperature first before freezing for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Cauliflower Recipes
There are so many ways to enjoy cauliflower! Here are some of the best ways to eat it:
I hadn’t made this one in a while, but whipped it up the other night and even our little guy was eating spoonful after spoonful! I love how creamy it gets- it’s such a cozy soup!
Hope you love it as much as we do in our house!
❤️ London