Name: Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 24 min
Ingredients: 6 cups Cauliflower florets; 1 medium Yellow Onion (chopped); 1 clove Garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon Olive oil; 1 ¾ cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (low sodium); ½ cup Heavy cream; 1 cup shredded White Cheddar Cheese; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Cauliflower Cheese Soup is creamy and delicious. Fresh cauliflower, onions, and garlic are cooked to perfect in the Instant Pot with delicious broth. Then pureed into a satisfying comfort food recipe you’ll love. Slow Cooker instructions included too.

This soup is fast and so easy to make in the Instant Pot!

The soup is thick and creamy. Like our Broccoli Cheese Soup it has just the right balance of vegetables and cheese for a delicious flavor!

Easy Cauliflower Cheese Soup

If you haven’t enjoyed cauliflower soup it’s light in flavor. The texture and flavor remind me of a potato soup.

The taste of cauliflower is light and there is just enough cheese to make the soup perfect without overtaking the flavor.

It is ready in less than 30 minutes (only 12 minutes cooking time).

The soup is satisfying enough to be served as a main dish recipe. If you want it for a starter we have ideas what to serve with it below!

It stores well in the refrigerator and reheats quickly in the microwave too.

The soup is naturally gluten-free.

Recipe Ingredients + Notes

Cauliflower Florets. Select fresh cauliflower without blemished on the florets (the little clusters of cauliflower). For a time saving tip buy pre-cut florets in a bag in the produce department of the grocery store.

Garlic clove. For flavor.

Yellow Onion. For flavor.

Olive Oil. The oil is added to the soup ingredients when pressure cooked or cooked in a slow cooker.

Broth. Either chicken broth or stock, or vegetable stock/broth may be used. I recommend low sodium then salt to taste at the end.

Heavy Cream. A bit is added after the cooking to make the soup creamy.

White Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Sharp white cheddar adds just the right amount of cheese flavor and doesn’t change the color of the soup. Grate the cheese yourself for best melting results.

Salt. We prefer kosher salt which is a less salty tasting salt. There is an amount of salt specified in the recipe and more can be added ‘to taste’ at the end.

Black Pepper. If possible use freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.

Variations

Instead of Heavy Cream swap in some Coconut Cream. Or use regular milk with a few tablespoons whisked in to thicken the soup.

Substitute another cheese. Any cheese you like can be used. It’s great with mozzarella cheese too!

Garnish Suggestion

Adding a toasted cauliflower floret as garnish is a nice finishing touch. To make it:

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat.

Sauté the florets with a sprinkle of salt and pepper until soft with some browning.

Crumbled bacon is also delicious!

How to Make it – Step-by-Step (Instant Pot)

STEP 1. Cooking the Soup.

Add the onions, garlic, cauliflower, olive oil and chicken stock into the Instant Pot (photos 1-2).

Seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 12 minutes.

Perform a QUICK RELEASE (photo 3).

STEP 2. Finishing and Pureeing the Soup.

Add the heavy cream, shredded cheese, salt and pepper (photo 4). Stir in the cheese to melt it.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (photo 5).

Alternatively you can use a regular blender. Working in batches, puree the soup in the blender then combine after it’s all smooth.

Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Slow Cooker Cauliflower Soup

Combine the cauliflower, garlic, onion, olive oil and broth in a 6-quart slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 5 hours until the cauliflower is tender.
Add the heavy cream, shredded cheese, salt and pepper; stir together to melt the cheese.
Use in immersion blender to puree the soup.

Recipe FAQ’s + Pro Tips

Can Cauliflower Cheese Soup be Frozen?

Yes with a modification!

Soups with dairy milk or cream do not do well being frozen then thawed. They become grainy as the dairy separates through the freezing process.

If you’d like to make the soup to freeze it follow these instructions for the best end result:

Cook the cauliflower, vegetables, olive oil and broth as specified.
DO NOT add the cream or shredded cheese.
Puree the soup as instructed and let it cool completely.
Put it in airtight freezer safe containers or bags and freeze for up to three months.

When ready to eat it:

Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight.
Warm the soup in a large pot on the stove top.
When fully heated through add the cream and shredded cheese. Stir to melt the cheese.
Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Grate your own cheese. Though store-bought shredded cheese is so convenient it contains an anti-caking agent that also makes it melt differently.

If you grate the cheese yourself it only takes a few minutes but the result is much better.

Use an immersion blender. Immersion blenders or stick blenders are a fantastic kitchen tool for pureeing soup in the cooking vessel.

It allows you to control how chunky you want it or how smooth. Blending the soup IN the Instant Pot is easy and no spooning piping hot soup into a blender.