This cauliflower soup recipe is rich and creamy...without any cream! Warm, comforting, and SO flavorful, it's the perfect meal for a cold day.
This roasted cauliflower soup recipe is rich and creamy…but it doesn’t call for any cream. Instead, the blended cauliflower creates its luscious texture—no dairy required!
I’ve had this cauliflower soup recipe in my cold weather rotation for years now. Even though all the ingredients are plant-based, it’s just as comforting as any soup made with heavy cream, milk, or cheese. On a chilly winter night, it absolutely hits the spot! It’s also super simple to make, so there’s lots to love here.
Cauliflower Soup Ingredients
You only need 10 basic ingredients to make this creamy cauliflower soup:
- A head of cauliflower, of course! It gives the soup a silky texture without any nuts or dairy.
- Garlic and shallots – You’ll roast them along with the cauliflower. Once they’re tender and caramelized, they add rich, nutty flavor to this cauliflower soup.
- Fresh thyme – For fresh, earthy flavor.
- White miso paste – It adds savory, umami flavor that tastes fantastic with the roasted cauliflower, shallots, and garlic.
- Dijon mustard – For tang.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- Vegetable broth – Make homemade vegetable broth, or use store-bought.
- Fresh lemon juice – It makes the soup nice and bright.
- And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Cauliflower Soup
I like to think of this cauliflower soup recipe in three easy steps: roast, simmer, and blend.
First, roast the veggies. Break the cauliflower into florets and chop up the cores. Peel and quarter the shallots. Wrap them in a piece of foil with the unpeeled garlic cloves, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Recipe Tip
Don’t have shallots? Replace them with half a yellow onion, chopped. Use the onions just like you would the shallot—add them to the foil along with the garlic!
Spread the chopped cauliflower florets and core in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and toss them with oil, salt, and pepper. Add the foil packet to the sheet, and roast until all the vegetables are tender and the cauliflower is browned.
Next, simmer. Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium heat. Peel the garlic cloves, and stir them into the pot along with the cauliflower, shallots, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Finally, blend the soup. Allow it to cool slightly. Then, transfer it from the soup pot to a blender. Add the miso paste, mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Feel free to use an immersion blender for this step if you prefer!
Blend until smooth. Before you eat, season to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, as desired.
What to Serve with Cauliflower Soup
When you’re ready to eat, garnish your bowl with micro greens, fresh parsley, and/or freshly cracked black pepper. This cauliflower soup would also be fantastic with homemade croutons on top for crunch!
Enjoy the creamy soup with focaccia, crusty bread, or a grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dipping.
It also pairs nicely with a side salad. Make a simple green salad by tossing mixed greens with Italian dressing, honey mustard dressing, or lemon vinaigrette, or try one of these 25 Winter Salad Recipes!
Enjoy!
Got leftover soup? Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’ll thicken in the fridge, so you might need to stir in a little water when you reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
This cauliflower soup freezes well too. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to airtight jars or containers, leaving an inch for the soup to expand at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months!
Allow frozen soup to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this delicious soup, try one of these recipes next:
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Best Lentil Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, about 2 pounds
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- Leaves from 5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ tablespoon white miso paste
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- Microgreens, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop the cauliflower including the core pieces. Transfer to the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Wrap the shallot and garlic cloves, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, in a piece of aluminum foil and place it on the baking sheet with the cauliflower. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cauliflower is browned around the edges.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the roasted cauliflower, shallots, peeled garlic, and thyme and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Add the olive oil, miso paste, mustard, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with ¼ to ½ teaspoon more salt and more lemon juice. Garnish with microgreens, if desired, and serve.
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I made this soup for supper tonight. It is super smooth and creamy. Excellent flavor. It was a hit!
Delicious, creamy, and filling- my husband couldn’t believe it was vegan, and my 10 month old loved it. Taste it before adding the 1/4 tsp of salt at the end- depending on your vegetable broth you may not need it. We used Saikyo miso (similar but less salty than white miso), and skipped the salt at the end- it tasted great!
Made this for the February Cooking Club and it was so delicious! I couldn’t find white miso paste so I subbed Tamari (from last month’s Club) and it tasted amazing! Was perfect for the snowiest NYC winter we have had in a long time!
Loved this recipe! Very easy and doesn’t need many ingredients. Used an immersion blender to save time, and micro greens on top were a great addition for some texture and freshness.
This was SO good!! I added a can of rinsed chickpeas for added protein! It’s so customizable. Thanks for another great recipe!!
Delicious soup, and very easy to make. I am going to add artichoke hearts to my leftovers. Extra lemon made it even better.. and topped with capers!
I just made this an it is delish!! Perfect for the winter 🙂
This was so delicious! I loved the combination of cauliflower and miso.
I adore this recipe! I made it today for lunch and it was well received by the family. Super creamy. Perfect for a cold, winter day.
We really enjoyed it! Super creamy and delicious and so easy to make! Great for during the week!
Delish! My Valentines night dinner, and it did not disappoint!
Aw, yay, I’m glad you loved it!
First, I am a huge fan and have been following your blog for years. Your recipes are delicious, and I have made many. They have become part of my regular arsenal.
Well, I made the Cauliflower Soup as part of the February Cooking Club. However, my range throws off so much heat that much of the liquid evaporated…it is still delicious, just a bit thick and hearty. The roasted veggies really take it to the next level in both flavor and texture.
Hi Carol, it sounds like your simmer was too high, I would just turn it down very low or add more broth next time. I’m so glad you enjoyed though!
I made this last night for the February cooking club and it was absolutely delicious — so creamy, dreamy and comforting. My only regret was that I didn’t save some roasted cauli florets for a garnish!
Such a tasty soup! Roasting the cauliflower and garlic gave it the most unique flavor. Delicious!
This was delicious! I love cauliflower. I don’t usually care for pureed soups, so I used an immersion blender to keep some texture. I will be making this again for sure.
This soup was delicious! I loved smelling the roasting veggies in the oven while we waited. The shallots and lemon juice are the perfect compliments to the cauliflower. My whole family enjoyed it. I will definitely be making this again!
The combination of mustard and miso added to this soup was magic!
Yummy soup! So creamy and delectable, really like that this soup is made with miso!
So good! We didn’t have any leftovers left after dinner! Pot scraped clean!
So good! We didn’t have any leftovers left after dinner! Pot scrapped clean!