Creamy Loaded Cauliflower Soup
Creamy loaded cauliflower soup is reminiscent of baked potato soup, just a little lighter. Cauliflower is roasted and then simmered with bacon, onion, white wine, chicken stock and blended to silky perfection. Then, sour cream and cheddar give the soup some body and richness. Don’t skimp on the bacon, cheddar, and chive toppings!
How to Make Creamy Loaded Cauliflower Soup
This recipe couldn’t be easier to make! It only requires a few pantry staples along with some cauliflower and you’re on your way to soup heaven.
Tools Needed
Ingredients you’ll need
- Cauliflower. For this recipe, I recommend using fresh cauliflower and not frozen.
- Bacon. Bacon really adds a lot of flavor and the onions are later cooked in the bacon fat.
- Onions. Caramelizing the onions in the bacon fat really takes this soup over the top.
- Dry White Wine. Use your favorite or skip altogether if you want to avoid cooking with alcohol.
- Herbs. I love fresh thyme and chives in loaded cauliflower soup.
- Broth. I love using homemade chicken stock or broth, I always have some in my freezer.
- Sour Cream and Cheddar. Loaded cauliflower soup must have cheddar and sour cream!
How to prepare loaded cauliflower soup
- Roast your cauliflower. Roasting the cauliflower gets rid of excess moisture so that the soup is thick and creamy. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until golden brown.
- Render your bacon. In a large soup pot (I like a 4 qt dutch oven for this), add your chopped bacon and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Remove 2 tablespoons of crispy bacon and leave the rest.
- Caramelize the onions. Add the diced onions to the bacon and fat in the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are turning golden brown. Add the white wine and thyme leaves and cook until most of the wine is evaporated.
- Finish the soup. Once the wine has mostly cooked out of the soup, add the chicken broth and roasted cauliflower. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft. Transfer the soup to a high-powered blender or use an immersion blender to puree until very smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the sour cream and cheddar. Stir until melted and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with minced chives, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and the reserved crispy bacon.
Loaded Cauliflower Soup FAQs
Can I make loaded cauliflower soup with frozen cauliflower?
I really don’t recommend it. I find that frozen cauliflower is a bit mushy and you won’t be able to effectively roast it. Fresh is the way to go here!
How can I store loaded cauliflower soup?
Loaded cauliflower soup can be kept in the fridge for about 5 days. You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
More Soup Recipes to Try
-
Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
-
Red Pozole with Chicken
-
Miso Ginger Chicken Udon Soup
-
Wonton Noodle Soup
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Creamy Loaded Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower stem removed and cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 slices bacon diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2/3 cup sour cream plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives for serving
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until tender and golden brown.
- While the cauliflower roasts heat a 4 qt dutch oven or soup pot over low heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered out. Remove 2 tablespoons of chopped bacon from the pot and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pot and cook in the bacon fat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Then, add the white wine and thyme leaves and cook until most of the wine has cooked out. Once the wine has cooked out, add the chicken broth and cauliflower to the pot and bring to a simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Transfer the soup to a high-powered blender or use an immersion blender to puree until very smooth. Return the soup to the pot over low heat and add the sour cream and cheddar. Stir until completely melted and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with minced chives, sour cream, cheddar, and the reserved crispy bacon. Serve immediately.
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