This hearty Loaded Cauliflower Soup is a creamy favorite of ours that just so happens to be low-carb AND keto-friendly to boot. Plus, it takes less than 30 minutes to whip up, which makes it an easy go-to for us during chilly weather weeknights!
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Soup Recipe
- Creamy Cauliflower Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Recipe Variations and Modifications
- How to Make Cauliflower Potato Soup
- Recipe Tips
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite Soup Recipes
- Video
- Loaded Cauliflower Soup Recipe
This recipe is…
By now you know we have somewhat of a love affair with anything “loaded.” You can take a basic recipe and elevate it to gourmet by simply topping it with a few go-to “loaded” additions. For us, this means ALL the bacon, ALL the cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions!
Not only is this soup packed with nutrients (I mean, cauliflower is the main ingredient), but it’s also packed with a ton of flavor in the form of bacon, cheese, green onions, and sour cream. So while eating a warm bowl of this will most definitely give you a major nutritional boost, you’ll also feel super comforted and satisfied!
The secret to making this hidden-veggie soup absolutely delicious is to build flavor along the way. We’ll start with simmering the cauliflower florets in chicken broth (more flavorful than water), blend them to a creamy consistency, then add in ALL OF THE FLAVORFUL GOODS! If you’re a fan of loaded potato soup but looking to keep things low-carb, this soup is for you – truly, you won’t miss the potatoes at all…it’s *that* good.
If you need MORE proof of our obsession with loaded meals, look no further than our Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup, Loaded Breakfast Fries, and my personal favorite, these Loaded Smashed Potatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Soup Recipe
- A lighter, veggie-filled take on classic potato soup
- Easy to adapt to dairy-free and Whole 30 meal plans
- Just 15 minutes of prep, and on the table in 30 minutes!
Creamy Cauliflower Soup Recipe Ingredients
A handful of ingredients make up this delicious soup. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Cauliflower – to start, you’ll need 2 medium heads of cauliflower (feel free to buy pre-chopped florets to save time!), and…
- Chicken Broth – …4 cups of chicken broth. Do note that using 4 cups of chicken broth makes for a thick, mash-like texture (as pictured), so if you’re looking for a thinner soup, go ahead and add another cup or 2 of broth!
- Sour Cream – 1 cup of sour cream gives a real tanginess to the soup and also ensures an uber creamy texture. Feel free to substitute full-fat coconut milk if you’re dairy-free.
- Lemon Juice – just 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (the juice from about 1/2 a lemon) brightens this soup up just a tinge, while…
- Spices – a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, a 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt add some flavor!
- Bacon – 6 strips of cooked and crumbled bacon,…
- Cheddar Cheese – …1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (omit for dairy-free), and…
- Green Onions – …as many sliced green onions as you’d like really take this soup over the top!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
Here are a few easy ways to make this creamy cauliflower soup recipe your own:
- Go dairy-free – for dairy-free or Whole 30 diets, swap in full-fat coconut milk for the sour cream, and omit the cheese.
- Go meatless – to make a vegetarian cauliflower soup recipe, skip the bacon and substitute veggie stock for chicken broth.
How to Make Cauliflower Potato Soup
This recipe is super easy, making it absolutely ideal for busy weeknights! Here’s how you’ll pull it all together.
STOVETOP METHOD:
Step 1: Cut the cauliflower heads into florets, discarding the tough inner core. Then, place the cauliflower florets and 3 cups of the broth in a large pot with a matching lid over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to low to cook for 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
Step 2: Transfer the cooked and softened cauliflower from the pot to a high powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Step 3: Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sour cream, and lemon juice to the blender, and blend again on high for an additional 30 seconds until fully combined. Then, pour in additional broth to your desired consistency.
Pour the soup into bowls and top each with bacon, cheese, and green onions.
INSTANT POT METHOD:
Step 1: Add the cauliflower florets and broth to the Instant Pot, then place the lid on the pot, ensure it is sealed, and set to cook for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Remove the cauliflower from the pot and add to a high powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Step 2: Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sour cream, and lemon juice, then blend again on high for an additional 30 seconds until fully combined. Pour in additional broth to your desired consistency. Pour the soup into bowls and top each with bacon, cheese, and green onions. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Thick v. Thin – made with 4 cups of broth, this soup has a thick, mash-like texture as pictured. If you like a thinner soup, add 1-2 cups additional broth to your liking.
How to Serve
Serve this soup hot, with all your favorite fixins’!
How to Store and Reheat
Store the soup and the garnishes separately. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
To get the fluffiest blended cauliflower, be sure to get rid of the tough inner core of the cauliflower head before boiling. (It’s more fibrous than the more delicate florets.) Using a high-powered blender also makes a huge difference when making this soup, as it ensures a smooth, creamy texture (as opposed to a grainy, lumpy texture).
This loaded soup is definitely a meal all on its own, but if you’d like to add a side, a really simple salad (like this Lemon Sea Salt Arugula Salad) would be great here.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you tried this recipe for Loaded Cauliflower Soup, or any other recipe on the Fed & Fit website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Video
Loaded Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads cauliflower
- 4 cups chicken broth*
- 1 cup sour cream, substitute full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free/Whole 30
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon, for garnish
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish (omit for dairy-free/Whole 30)
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
Stovetop
- Cut the cauliflower heads into florets, removing the tough inner core. Place the cauliflower florets and 3 cups of the broth in a large pot with matching lid over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to low to cook for 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Remove the cauliflower from the pot and add to a high powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sour cream, and lemon juice, then blend again on high for an additional 30 seconds until fully combined. Pour in additional broth to your desired consistency.
- Pour the soup into bowls and top each with bacon, cheese, and green onions. Enjoy!
Instant Pot
- Add the cauliflower florets and broth to the Instant Pot, then place the lid on the pot, ensure it is sealed, and set to cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cauliflower from the pot and add to a high powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sour cream, and lemon juice, then blend again on high for an additional 30 seconds until fully combined. Pour in additional broth to your desired consistency.
- Pour the soup into bowls and top each with bacon, cheese, and green onions. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Made this 2 nights ago, and it was so good!!! My picky eater loved it!!!
Just the best feeling when the picky ones love it! We are so happy it was a hit, Becca!
Is it possible to use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Absolutely! Sub with the same amount!
are y’all no longer posting the nutrition facts?
Hi Jules, our highest viewed posts and all of our new articles will have the nutrition information. We’re sorry for any inconvenience it may cause that not all of our recipes contain the information. Nutrifox is a great resource to enter in the ingredients from recipes to get the nutritional information, and they offer a free trial. -Team F&F
Wonderful and so easy! My whole family enjoyed it!
Love to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to share with us! ~Melissa
I would like to use frozen cauliflower, how many bags or ounces should I sub in? Really looking forward to making this as it is cold outside and a nice comforting hot soup sounds great.
2 16-ounce bags should do the trick! Enjoy!
This soup is delicious!!! It was cheap, easy to make, and my husband and I had it for lunch all week. So I bought the book. Can’t wait to try it.
Just made this soup for dinner and we loved it! Are you able to freeze it?
Absolutely! It will keep for up to 5 months in the freezer.
Oh man. Made this recipe recently and it is the BOMB! It’s so creamy and good! I loved this recipe and more importantly, my hubby did too! I may even add some ground sausage on top if I make it in the future. I used the coconut milk, not sour cream, and you can’t really taste the coconut flavor. Perfect fall meal!
So glad you liked it McKenzie, and LOVE the idea of sausage on top!
I’ve been looking for soup that I could eat for breakfast on chilly mornings that wouldn’t be totally weird (#teamsavorybreakfast) and this perfectly fit the bill! I cooked the cauliflower and the broth in my instant pot for 10 min on the soup function, and then blended everything but the toppings with an immersion blender. This is SO yummy and easy!! The sour cream adds a really nice texture and flavor. I will definitely be repeating this!
So glad you enjoyed it Katie! We will definitely have to try it in the Instant Pot too!
It’s a perfect soup day here so I will be making this tonight! So excited!
Hope you enjoy it Maria!
Any chance there’s a substitute you could recommend for the sour cream? None of my kids can do dairy and I’d love to see if I can get them to eat some!
Yes, you can use full-fat coconut milk!
I am so incredibly excited to try this soup! I’ve been looking for a recipe that could replace my potato soup obsession, even just occasionally. 🙂 I have a feeling this one will be the winner.