Loaded Cauliflower Soup
Creamy, cheesy, and comforting. Loaded Cauliflower Soup tastes like loaded baked potato soup but with less carbs. Ready in only 45 minutes!
A HEARTY SOUP RECIPE
This Loaded Cauliflower Soup is the ultimate comfort food made just a little lighter! It’s so creamy, and full of flavor, everything you love about a loaded baked potato soup, but with cauliflower as the star instead. Crispy bacon, sautéed onions, and a touch of cream come together for a filling soup that’s perfect for chilly nights!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes! You can easily make Loaded Cauliflower Soup in your slow cooker. Add the cauliflower, onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, broth, and bay leaf to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the cauliflower is tender. Then, stir in the heavy cream and, if you’d like a thicker texture, blend the soup with an immersion blender before adding the cooked bacon and any optional garnishes.
For a creamier soup, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend half of the soup mixture.
It’s optional, but add a second cornstarch slurry at the end after the soup has blended. This will help thicken the soup even more.
Add some freshly shredded cheddar cheese at the end to melt into the soup and add a cheesy factor. Stir in fresh chopped thyme, rosemary, or sage to change up the flavors.
Crusty bread with butter or garlic bread are always great options to go with a bowl of soup. A mixed greens side salad with a lemon vinaigrette pairs nicely too. Sandwiches are great options- try a Turkey club, chicken salad sandwich, or an air fryer grilled cheese for a soup and salad combo.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Gently reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
Cream does not freeze well. If you would like to freeze this soup, leave out the heavy cream and add it after reheating. This soup can be stored without the cream in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and adding the cream.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- bacon– You could make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the bacon and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- butter
- small yellow onion– diced
- celery ribs– diced
- cloves garlic– minced
- cauliflower– I like to reserve some to use for garnish.
- chicken broth– swap chicken broth for vegetable broth for a vegetarian-friendly soup. You can use whatever brand of chicken broth you have or Homemade Chicken Broth works too, especially if you need to control your sodium. You could also use low sodium chicken broth.
- bay leaf
- heavy cream
- cornstarch– this is combined with the optional cold water to make a cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup, if desired.
- fresh chopped chives – I use this as an optional garnish.
HOW TO MAKE LOADED CAULIFLOWER SOUP:
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease in the pot. Add butter, onions, celery, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add cauliflower, broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender. Remove and discard bay leaf. Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Optional step: puree with an immersion blender until desired consistency. Whisk cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Add to soup, increase heat, continue to stir until thickened (about 2-3 minutes.)
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with reserved diced bacon, chives, and extra cauliflower, if desired.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Autumn Salad
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Crock Pot Potato Soup
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Lasagna Soup
Loaded Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cut in half
- 2 Tablespoons butter (can use salted or unsalted)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped (reserve some for garnish)
- 4 cups chicken broth (ca use low or no sodium)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Optional thickening:
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon cold water
For topping:
- fresh chopped chives or green onion (optional)
- shredded cheese (use your favorite)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 4 slices bacon, cut in half and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 Tablespoon bacon grease in the pot.
- Add 2 Tablespoons butter, 1 small yellow onion, diced, 3 celery ribs, diced, 1 teaspoon salt snd ½ teaspoon black pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add 3 cloves garlic, minced and cook for an additional minute.
- Add in 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped, 4 cups chicken broth and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
- Remove and discard bay leaf. Pour in 1 cup heavy whipping cream and stir to combine.
- Optional step: puree with an immersion blender until desired consistency.
- Whisk 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon cold water in a small bowl. Add to soup, increase heat, continue to stir until thickened (about 2-3 minutes.)
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the cooked and crumbled bacon, fresh chopped chives or green onion, shredded cheese shredded and extra cauliflower, if desired.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can this be frozen?
I answer that in more detail above in the frequently asked question section 🙂
I’ve been looking for a good cauliflower soup & I know I can always trust your recipes Brandie!
Hope you love this one Sue! Thanks so much!