This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This creamy cauliflower soup recipe is silky smooth, simple to make, and it’ll warm you right up. You can have this cozy soup on your table in about 40 minutes!
Try my Potato Vegetable Soup or Kielbasa Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
I’ll be the first to admit that cauliflower isn’t the most exciting vegetable, but it is a fantastic vessel for making other ingredients shine (much like in my Easy Roasted Cauliflower)! It’s also perfect for making the irresistibly velvety texture in this cream of cauliflower soup.
Fresh thyme, smoked paprika, garlic, and Italian herbs are the stars of this silky cauliflower soup. It’s one of those soups that are even more delicious the next day after the ingredients have a chance to meld! A hint of cream rounds out this low-effort, comforting soup.
What you’ll need
- Cauliflower – grab a large head
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – I like sweet onions such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
- Broth – use either chicken or vegetable broth for the savory base of the soup
- Italian seasoning – this blend of dried herbs comes in a single jar
- Smoked paprika – one of my favorite seasonings to infuse tons of flavor!
- Cayenne – just a pinch adds a little warmth (it doesn’t make it spicy)
- Bay leaf – optional, but it gives earthy, aromatic depth
- Fresh thyme – it really complements the cauliflower
- Heavy cream – a touch of real cream gives this soup body and tastes wonderful
Pro tip
Don’t rush the onion sautéing step. Getting the aromatics golden/lightly browned adds even more flavor!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I like this immersion blender to puree the soup because it’s plastic and doesn’t scratch my Le Creuset pot.
- Mince the garlic with this super useful garlic press. No peeling necessary.
- Store the remainder of your fresh thyme in this herb keeper.
How to make cauliflower soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a soup pot, sauté the onion in the oil and butter until golden. Stir in the garlic, followed by the broth, cauliflower, seasonings, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the cauliflower is soft. Remove the bay leaf and thyme, then blend. Stir in the cream, and generously season with salt & pepper.
Substitutions and variations
- You could sub the fresh thyme with dried if you need to. I’d add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. Fresh or dried rosemary could also be an alternative to the thyme if need be.
- My preference is adding heavy cream, but half-and-half or coconut milk will work fine in this recipe if you need an alternative. Or leave it out altogether. It’ll still taste good, but it just won’t be quite as smooth/velvety, and the cream does add a little bit of richness and flavor too (and the fat content makes it more filling).
What to serve with cauliflower soup
- You can eat it as-is, or some great cauliflower soup toppings are a drizzle of olive oil on top (try a fancy flavored one or a spicy one for some kick), some chopped fresh chives, or crumbled Air Fryer Bacon.
- Don’t forget my Easy Homemade Croutons (Garlic & Parmesan)!
- For a soup and salad combo, try spring mix with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing, or make this simple and bright Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover cauliflower soup for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure it’s fully cooled before freezing.
- Reheat over a low heat on the stove until warmed through.
If you made this creamy cauliflower soup, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also find and tag me on Instagram if you made this or any S&L recipe.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil, butter, and onion to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes or until it's starting to lightly brown.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the broth, cauliflower, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, and fresh thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and reduce the heat so it's simmering for about 20 minutes (or until the cauliflower is very soft).
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. You may want to let the soup cool a bit prior to blending it. I used my immersion blender, but feel free to use a regular blender and carefully blend it in batches.
- Stir in the cream and season with salt & pepper as needed (it definitely requires additional salt as cauliflower isn't super flavorful on its own).
Notes
- A “large” head of cauliflower weighs about 2 pounds.
- Serves 4-6.
- If you need to, you may sub the cream with half-and-half or coconut milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
I absolutely ❤️ LOVED this and none of my family likes cauliflower soup! I subbed coconut milk half and half. I also sprinkled some cheddar cheese in. Then I topped it off with hellmans spicy mayo for some kick! We loved it so much everyone went back for more! I also paired it up with salad with sliced strawberries, cranberries and glazed walnuts, Feta cheese topped off with strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. Yumm! Thank you for sharing!
That’s great to hear!! Love the sound of that salad! 🙂
Thank you! Can’t wait to try. If you are buying the pre-cut florets from the grocery store, how many lbs? I was also thinking some toasted pine-nuts or herb croutons for texture?
Hi! There’s a note in the recipe saying I used about 2 lbs. of cauliflower, so aim for that. 🙂 Yes – I think that toasted pine nuts would be great. My homemade croutons and other topping ideas are also linked in the blog post. Hope you enjoy the soup, Christy!
I have made this delicious soup three times now and have shared it with my parents as well. We all love it.
It’s easy to add extra veggies too, like carrots, red pepper and butternut squash. I do use full fat coconut milk at the end and it tastes great and the consistency is perfect.
Thank you Natasha for sharing your incredible recipes! I look forward to your emails every Sunday :))
Tracy
Wow, I am thrilled to hear that, Tracy. Really appreciate you taking the time to review this recipe, and I’m so glad you enjoy the emails! 🙂 Yes, this soup is for sure versatile, and I’m glad you’ve tried adding other veggies too.
This is one of our favorites! Easy and delicious! We add a bit of Parmesan or cheddar on occasion as well. Love this one!
So happy to hear that! 🙂
This soup was simple and delicious! Complete and on the table in 30 minutes. If my husband gave it a “restaurant quality” rating, you know it’s great!! I think my cauliflower may have been a little small- it didn’t come out as thick as the picture looked so I will definitely get a bigger one next time!
Wonderful!! That makes me happy. Was yours around 2 pounds? I’d recommend that size.
How long can this soup be held (refrigerated)?
Thank you.
JS
Hi! I think it’ll be fine in the fridge for up to 5 days. It really depends what you’re personally comfortable doing, though. I tend to err on the side of eating leftovers sooner rather than later (usually within 3 days), but I also am overly cautious typically.
This soup was surprisingly good. Not surprising that it tasted good but surprising that you actually made it for me since you never actually cook for me. It was creamy, silky, and had loads of flavour. A+ but not holding my breath that you’ll actually cook it for me again. Will you?
No.
Exactly what it says creamy and easy. Perfect for cold and rainy days, and light on washing up!
I didn’t have any pepper so used some Rocket leaves in with the onion, and I used Greek yogurt in place of cream, simply because it was too wet to walk to the shop!
Thank you 🙏 Keep the recipes coming 😁🥣🥣🥄
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Harriet!! 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting! I’ll definitely keep the recipes coming.
At what point do you add the cauliflower to the pot?
Step 3! Sorry about that. Just updated it. Sometimes I miss things no matter how many times I proofread a recipe. Sigh.
When do you add cauliflower???
Step 3 🙂 Sorry! Updated it.