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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Soup

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Updated: Jan 17, 2022 · Published: Jan 8, 2018 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 38 Comments

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Diet: Gluten Free / Vegetarian
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This Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup recipe is hearty, warming and filling, and a good way to up your vegetable intake. It's budget friendly and if you aren't usually a fan of cauliflower, this soup is here to change your opinion. Roasting the cauliflower really brings out the flavour and makes for a delicious creamy soup.

Two bowls of soup with slices of bread and sprigs of thyme are surrounding them.

A big bowl of this creamy and comforting soup is just 146 calories a bowl, but still really filling and it is easy to make vegan. Instead of using cream to make it creamy and indulgent, we have used some milk (plant based can be used) to intensify the natural creaminess of the cauliflower. This tastes far more indulgent than it actually is and it is actually very low in fat.

Looking for other ways to eat more cauliflower? Try our Easy Cauliflower Cheese, Cauliflower and Potato Curry, Roasted Cauliflower Salad, or Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower.

Jump to:
  • Why you will love it
  • Ingredients needed
  • Step by step
  • Health benefits of cauliflower
  • What to serve with cauliflower soup
  • FAQs
  • Extra tips
  • More soup recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why you will love it

  • A delicious way to eat cauliflower - If you aren't usually a fan of cauliflower, then this soup is going to change your mind. So creamy and indulgent, you will forget you are eating cauliflower.
  • Easy - Although this isn't a particularly quick recipe to make, as you need to roast the cauliflower first, it is so simple to make.
  • Healthy - This is such a hearty and nutritious soup and only 146 calories for a big filling bowl
  • Vegan alternative - It's really simple to make a vegan version of this roasted cauliflower soup. Just swap the milk for a plant based version.

Ingredients needed

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.
  • Cauliflower - Cauliflower heads should be firm to the touch with tightly closed florets. Make sure there are no brown patches. Soft heads are starting to spoil, so should be rejected.
  • Garlic cloves - You can use ready crushed lazy garlic to save time.
  • Olive oil
  • Shallots - This can be swapped for onion if that is all you have on hand, but shallots are sweeter and add a nicer flavour in our opinion.
  • Celery - This adds a real depth of flavour to soups.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh thyme - You can use parsley or chives instead. Fresh herbs are always best when it comes to soups.
  • Vegetable stock - Try to use a really good quality vegetable stock, as you will be able to taste the difference. Mushroom stock works well too. If you are making this for young kids, then use a low salt stock.
  • Semi-skimmed milk - You can make this vegan by using almond milk instead.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step by step

One: Cut the cauliflower in to chunks and put in a large baking pan with the garlic cloves (still in skin). Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Put in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 for 30-35 minutes until the cauliflower starts to get crispy.

Three shot collage of broccoli florets on a baking tray, then drizzled with oil then roasted.

Two: Once the cauliflower florets are cooked, add a little oil to a large saucepan and add the shallots and celery and gently cook for 3 minutes over a medium heat.

Two shot collage of celery and shallots in a pan, before and after cooking.

Three: Add the cauliflower and squeeze the garlic out of the skin into the pan. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the thyme.

Three shot collage of cauliflower, garlic, stock and thyme added to the pan.

Four: Stir well and simmer for 15 minutes.

Two shot collage of everything mixed together, before and after simmering.

Five: Add the milk to the pan and then using a stick blender, blend until smooth. If it is still a little thick, add a little more stock.

Two shot collage of milk added to the pan and then everything blended.

Health benefits of cauliflower

Cauliflower is low in calories, and also a good source of vitamins C, K and B6. It is also a good source of fibre, and there are 3 grams of fibre in one cup of cauliflower, which is important for digestive health and may reduce the risk of several chronic diseases. Cauliflower is also a good source of antioxidants, which protect your cells from harmful free radicals and inflammation.

Cauliflower is also high in choline, which is an essential nutrient that many people are deficient in. Choline is also involved in brain development and the production of neurotransmitters that are necessary for a healthy nervous system.

A tray of cauliflower florets and garlic cloves, seasoned with pepper.

What to serve with cauliflower soup

This is a really light, and pretty low calorie, soup. You could serve it as a starter as it is, but if you are having it for lunch then it has to have something to dip in it to make it a more filling meal. Bread and soup are just the perfect match, right?

You can keep it simple with some slices of toasted french stick or a buttery tiger loaf. But even something like a toasted bagel will work. Why not try our Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia?

As for what to serve on top of it, there are a few ways to make it a little bit more special and presentable. Keep a few smaller bits of roasted cauliflower to the side before blending it up, as these are nice sprinkled on top of the soup, with a drizzle of olive oil. You could make this soup a little more indulgent by topping it with some cooked chopped bacon.

Two bowls, both topped with small cauliflower florets and a sprig of thyme.

FAQs

How to make vegan cauliflower soup

Because cauliflower is naturally creamy, it is perfect to make a vegan soup with. You can use almond or oat milk to make the soup and then make it extra creamy with some oat creme fraiche or soya yogurt.

How to store roasted cauliflower soup

Once it is fully cooled you can transfer in to containers and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Can I freeze roasted cauliflower soup?

This soup freezes really well, so we make a big batch of it and then freeze it in portions for an easy lunch or something quick when we get back in late in the evening.
When you have reheated it, just jazz it up with a drizzle of olive oil and a swirl of creme fraiche. Of course some nice chunks of warm bread and butter are a must to eat with this soup.

How to reheat roasted cauliflower soup

You can either reheat this in the microwave or heat it through on the hob.

What can I use instead of cauliflower?

Cauliflower really is the star of this soup, so if you took it out it obviously wouldn't be cauliflower soup. If you don't like cauliflower, just give this a try as even cauliflower haters have loved this soup.
But, if you really can't bring yourself to try it with cauliflower then you can swap it for broccoli. Still roast the broccoli, to really bring out the flavour and follow the same directions. Why not try our Creamy Broccoli Soup?
You could even use this recipe as a base and swap out the cauliflower for any other roasted vegetable you like. Carrots, sweet potato, parsnips, courgette and even beetroot for a vibrant red soup.

Do I have to roast the cauliflower first?

What makes this cauliflower soup SO good is the fact that the cauliflower is roasted first. Roasted cauliflower is the best kind of cauliflower. I nearly didn't manage to make this soup to photograph, as I was snacking on all the cauliflower as soon as it came out of the oven. There are definitely worse things to snack on though!
Roasting the cauliflower really changes the flavour, but also intensifies it as well. It gets nice and crispy and is the best way to make cauliflower soup in our opinion.

How to make cauliflower soup creamier

You can make this even creamier by adding some creme fraiche/yoghurt or even adding a bit of cheese to this creamy cauliflower soup. Parmesan will add a lot of flavour to this.

Is roasted cauliflower soup gluten free?

As long as you make sure the stock you are using is gluten free, this is a delicious gluten free soup.

Why is my soup so thin?

This will depend on the heat that you cook it at. If you find your soup is too runny, then you can add a cornflour slurry to it.

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Extra tips

• Thyme goes really nicely with the cauliflower to make a fragrant autumn soup, but you could use parsley, rosemary or chives.
• Make this creamy cauliflower soup vegan by using almond milk and making it extra creamy with some oat creme fraiche.
• Really don't like cauliflower? Use this recipe as a base and then swap the cauliflower for broccoli, carrots, sweet potato, parsnips or even beetroot.
• Want to add a different flavour to this cauliflower soup? Add a spoon of curry power or paste for a curried version.
• Don't waste the leaves of the cauliflower! Save them to add so a stir fry.
• This soup can be made even creamier by stirring in some grated Parmesan just before serving.
• Reserve some of the roasted cauliflower before blending, to add on top of the soup for serving.
• Make sure that the cauliflower is cut evenly so it all cooks at the same rate.
• If you are using a jug blender to blend this soup, wait until the soup has fully cooled so the jug doesn't crack. We use an immersion blender.

More soup recipes

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    Parsnip Soup
  • A bowl of leek and potato soup topped with cream and seasoning.
    Potato and Leek Soup
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  • A bowl of Pasta e Fagioli on a blue towel.
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If you’ve tried this cauliflower soup recipe, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup in a bowl drizzled with cream and oil, topped with herbs.

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

By: Dannii Martin
This Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup ticks all those boxes and if you aren't usually a fan of cauliflower, this soup is here to change your opinion.
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
Vegetarian
4.94 from 32 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: British
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 48 minutes mins
Total: 53 minutes mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 168kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a bunch of celery.
Celery
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy

Ingredients

  • 1 head Cauliflower
  • 3 Garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil - for the roasted cauliflower
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil - for the shallots and celery
  • 3 Shallots - peeled and diced
  • 2 Celery ribs - chopped
  • 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon Fresh thyme - chopped
  • 750 ml (3 cups) Vegetable stock
  • 375 ml (1.5 cups) Skimmed milk - (or any milk)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
  • Cut 1 head Cauliflower into chunks and put in a large baking pan with the 3 Garlic clove (still in skin). Drizzle with 2 tablespoon Olive oil, season with 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper and mix well. Put into the oven for 30-35 minutes until the cauliflower starts to get crispy.
  • Once the cauliflower florets are cooked, add 1 tablespoon Olive oil to a large saucepan and add 3 Shallots and 2 Celery ribs and gently cook for 3 minutes over a medium heat.
  • Add the cauliflower and squeeze the garlic out of the skin into the pan. Pour in 750 ml Vegetable stock and add 2 tablespoon Fresh thyme.
  • Stir well and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add 375 ml Skimmed milk to the pan and then using a stick blender, blend until smooth. If it is still a little thick, add a little more stock.

Recipe Tips

  • Thyme goes really nicely with the cauliflower to make a fragrant autumn soup, but you could use parsley, rosemary or chives.
  • Make this creamy cauliflower soup vegan by using almond milk and making it extra creamy with some oat creme fraiche.
  • Really don't like cauliflower? Use this recipe as a base and then swap the cauliflower for broccoli, carrots, parsnips or even beetroot.
  • This soup can be made even creamier by stirring in some grated parmesan just before serving.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Lesley says

    November 23, 2018 at 9:14 pm

    5 stars
    Hi I made this last week and loved it so put servings in the freezer to last all week. Craving it tonight so had to go out to buy cauliflower! I added thyme but when serving I add parsley too. I'm not a fan of milk (taste no other reason) so didn't add it but it was still delicious. Thanks very much!

    Reply
  2. Jessica says

    January 18, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    5 stars
    I love cauliflower a lot though I've not tasted the soup. I'm definitely going to give it a try.

    Reply
  3. Michelle says

    January 18, 2018 at 9:20 pm

    5 stars
    I love cauliflower but I am the only one at home it likes it so I don't buy it as often. Soup looks amazing.

    Reply
  4. Kirsty says

    January 18, 2018 at 8:08 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never made my own soup nor tried califlower so this is something that would be completely new and interesting to try!

    Reply
  5. Eileen says

    January 15, 2018 at 9:01 am

    I made this soup yesterday, it was delicious and I truly believe it will convince those who usually avoid cauliflower.
    I'm looking forward to all the new recipes :)

    Reply
  6. Katie Bryson says

    January 12, 2018 at 10:58 am

    Ooooh you've reminded me of one of my fave soups... I made something very similar last year and I absolutely must make it again! Roasting cauliflower gives it such an amazing flavour... lush! xxx

    Reply
  7. Yaya says

    January 12, 2018 at 12:18 am

    5 stars
    Cauliflower is a staple in our home and I never considered making my own soup, this looks so perfect x

    Reply
  8. Sarah Ann says

    January 10, 2018 at 10:33 pm

    Cauliflower is one of those veggies I wish I loved but it always tastes so bland when I cook it. I love the sound of this soup though and I'd never thought of trying it in soup form so hopefully I'll enjoy it.

    Reply
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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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