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I recently posted a creamy roasted cauliflower soup, but this cauliflower cheddar soup recipe is a much easier, cheesy version of that. I love that you can make this cheesy cauliflower soup with just five basic ingredients, all in one pot. One bite, and I think you’ll agree that it’s the best cauliflower cheese soup recipe ever… it’s comfort in a bowl.
This cheesy cauliflower soup also happens to be the cauliflower version of the most popular soup recipe on Wholesome Yum: broccoli cheese soup! We’re using the same method and similar components, but swapping out the broccoli for cauliflower. Both are delicious options to eat your veggies!
What Is Cauliflower Cheddar Soup?
This cheesy cauliflower soup recipe tastes similar to broccoli cheddar soup, but made with cauliflower instead of broccoli.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Recipe
- Cheesy, cheddar flavor
- Creamy, silky texture
- Made with just 5 ingredients
- Naturally low carb and gluten free
- Ready in 30 minutes
Cauliflower Cheddar Soup Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for creamy cauliflower and cheese soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – You’ll need four cups, which is about one medium head. I used fresh cauliflower, but frozen will work fine, too.
- Garlic – Fresh minced has the best flavor, but pre-minced from a jar is also fine.
- Chicken broth – I prefer free-range for best flavor and nutrition, but you can use any kind of chicken broth. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup.
- Heavy cream – This makes the soup rich and creamy. Half and half would also work, but the soup will be a bit thinner. Full-fat coconut milk is also fine to substitute.
- Cheddar cheese – Buy the cheddar pre-shredded to save some time. You can use mild or sharp cheddar cheese. Or mix it up by adding other cheeses, as long as they melt well.
How To Make Cauliflower Cheese Soup
This section shows how to make cauliflower and cheese soup with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute. In a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, saute minced garlic until fragrant.
- Simmer. Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and chopped cauliflower. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the cauliflower is tender.
- Blend. Remove 1/3 of the cauliflower and set aside. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
TIP: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can puree in a regular blender instead. You may need to do it in batches, depending on the size of your blender.
- Melt cheese. Reduce heat and add cheese 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until melted. Puree the mixture until smooth.
TIP: Use the cheese to thicken the soup to your liking. The more you add, the thicker the soup.
- Finish cheesy cauliflower soup. Remove from heat and add the reserved cauliflower florets back into the pureed soup. If desired, garnish with more shredded cheddar and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Additions
This is a basic cauliflower cheese soup recipe, but here are some additional things you can add if you like:
- Onion – Saute diced onion before you add the garlic.
- Bacon – You’ll want to cook it before adding to the soup. You can cook bacon in the oven, air fryer bacon, or microwave bacon, then chop and add toward the end. Alternatively, you can cook raw bacon in the dutch oven first, then saute the garlic in the bacon grease.
- Other vegetables – You can saute carrots or celery together with the garlic. If you like to keep them in chunks instead of pureed, remove them before you add the cauliflower to the soup and add them back in at the end. Or even make this a hybrid of broccoli cheese soup by swapping half of the cauliflower with broccoli.
- Make it spicy – Try crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or cayenne pepper.
- Ground Meat – Add some ground beef to create a cheeseburger soup. Or, try ground sausage, or ground turkey.
Storage Instructions
Store this cauliflower cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can cauliflower cheese soup be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze cheesy cauliflower soup! Simply let it cool to room temperature, then freeze flat in freezer bags or in a freezer safe container.
Thaw it in the fridge completely overnight before using. Then, you can cook it over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent curdling.
Reheating instructions:
Reheat the cauliflower cheddar soup over low heat so that the cheese doesn’t seize.
Sometimes it separates a bit after a while, but usually comes back together after you reheat while stirring frequently. If that doesn’t help, you can also puree it in a blender – this will bring it back together.
What To Serve With Cauliflower Cheddar Soup
Soup and almond flour crackers make a perfect lunch idea. Or, serve this cheesy cauliflower soup with one of the dishes below:
- Proteins like juicy baked chicken breast, sirloin steak, or pan seared pork chops
- Veggie side dishes like roasted asparagus, roasted broccoli, or roasted Brussels sprouts
- Healthy salads like avocado Caprese salad, kale crunch salad, or Big Mac cheeseburger salad
- Keto breadsticks from the Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook
More Healthy Soup Recipes
If you like this cauliflower cheese soup recipe, you might also like some of these other healthy soup recipes:
- Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Gluten-Free Cream Of Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Chicken Florentine Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Low Carb White Chicken Chili
- Italian Kale Sausage Soup
Tools To Make Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Dutch Oven – The thickness and weight of this pot help the cauliflower cheddar soup cook evenly, so the cheese doesn’t seize.
- Immersion Blender – The best way to easily blend soups.
Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe
Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe
An EASY cauliflower cheese soup recipe made with just 5 basic ingredients, ready in less than 30 minutes! Everyone loves this cheesy cauliflower cheddar soup.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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In a dutch oven over medium heat, saute garlic for one minute, until fragrant.
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Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and chopped cauliflower Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
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Use a slotted spoon to remove about 1/3 of the cauliflower pieces and set aside.
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Use an immersion blender to puree the soup with the remaining cauliflower.
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Reduce heat to low. Add the shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup (56 g) at a time, stirring constantly, and continue to stir until melted. Puree again to make it smooth.
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Remove from heat. Add the reserved cauliflower florets back to the soup.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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26 Comments
Justin
1Just made the soup for dinner. I really enjoyed it!! I’d make it again! I crumbled some bacon and put that in my bowl instead of crackers. Who would pass on bacon 🥓?? Lol I was also going to put green onion in my bowl but was out of it.
Dixie
0I made this with frozen riced cauliflower and it turned out excellent! Thank you for this one.
S Arthur J
0Great recipe, thank you. As some others have done, I did add onions, celery and carrots to the garlic which I sauteed in butter. I also roasted the cauliflower before adding it to the soup and added a small pinch of cayenne pepper.
Mari
0I had all 5 ingredients & short on time I whipped up this recipe & gave some to my senior neighbor after he said he doesn’t like cauliflower. The following day he came over with a head of cauliflower he was given. That was a huge compliment & said I was a great cook but I had to gracefully thank you for this luscious creamy goodness. It’s Delicious! And obviously a hit with my neighbor as well.
Linda A
0This soup recipe is the bomb, and so easy to make. I made it about 3 weeks ago and brought some to my mom. She said the next time I make it, bring a lot more lol. She LOVED this soup and so did I. I was out of garlic and it was late and I didn’t feel like going to the market so I just left it out. Didn’t miss it at all and mom can’t handle garlic anyway. I might try making it with garlic at another time to see the taste difference. I did add the onions, shredded carrots and celery. This soup was a HUGE hit with my husband too. I think this is a perfect base for any creamy soup. Corn chowder, asparagus, broccoli etc. Thank you SO much for this recipe!
Rebecca Needham
0This soup was perfect and easy. I sautéed the garlic in butter and added some onion and celery too. I used my Instapot. For garnishing, I sprinkled some bacon and parsley. My husband gave it 5 stars and that is what is most important to me and of course, I loved the ease and yummy taste!!
Cher S.
0It was delicious and easy to make!
Sandra
0What a wonderful soup this is! It will be on rotation for sure during fall and winter. Did make a couple of minor changes during prep, adding 1 tsp. butter to saute the garlic. Then, at the end, added 1/2 tsp. of sea salt and coarse black pepper, which I do to almost everything that I cook. Next time, I will play with this by adding a bit of celery and a couple of fried bacon strips and topping it off with parsley. Other than that, nothing else. This soup deserves 10 stars …. it’s so yummy!
Carol Hosmer
0This soup is fabulous! Just the thing for a gloomy, rainy evening! We paired it with gluten free cornbread (mix from Aldi). Comfort food! I did add a tablespoon of olive oil to sauté the garlic, it wasn’t in the recipe.
Patricia G. Dubin
0Thank you. Lovely and easy. Sautéed mirepoix in a little olive oil first. Then steamed cauliflower with medium peeled and diced potato as a thickening agent. Substituted “Silk” dairy-free alternative for heavy whipping cream (amazing product). Added 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper for smoky flavor. Used only two cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Smooth and silky. Like garnish with seasoned croutons or crunchy fried onions.–Patricia
Sandy
0Can this be made in a crockpot?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sandy, Yes, but save steps 4-6 until you are ready to serve.
Nina
0The recipe didn’t say what to saute the vegs in so I just used macadamia oil. It was delicious and just what I was looking for fast and tasty. I will try the broccoli one too.
Jackie
0Lovely & creamy will make again
Roberta
0What about using an IP to cook this recipe, would it be as good and easy?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Roberta, I think using an Instant Pot would work for this recipe. Use the “saute” function to cook the garlic and then add the remaining ingredients and use the “soup” function or the “keep warm” function.
Kristyn
0This reminds me of childhood. My mom would always make cauliflower soup. This brings all the comfort to the table & tastes delicious!
Natalie
0We love this soup!! It’s cheesy & creamy & the flavor is the best!! My kids even love it!
Scarlet
0Such a great fall comfort soup. So yummy and cheesey.
Amy L Huntley
0Um…yes please. So creamy and full of my favorite flavors. Perfect Fall soup!
Relle
0This looks amazing.
Beth
0We love this soup. So much cheesy goodness without all those crazy carbs. I like to add just a touch of hot sauce or Cajun seasoning to jazz it up.
Glenda
0A perfect comfort food hug in a bowl. Absolutely scrumptious!
Julia
0This soup could not be easier or tastier! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Gina Ceraso
0The best kind of comfort food! Thank you for this recipe.
Tiffany
0OMG! So good and easy! Perfect for the upcoming soup season!