cheesy cream of cauliflower soup

(4 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Heidi Hoerman
Hingham, MA

Cauliflower gets a wonderfully mild, creamy flavor when turned into a soup. This is an easy, healthy, tasty way to incorporate cauliflower into your family's diet. Garnish the soup with homemade croutons, cilantro or parsley, and bacon or Parmesan to "gild the lily."

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This cauliflower soup is a beautiful creamy white and shows really well in a dish with some bright color. Serve it hot with crumbled bacon and chunky croutons... maybe even a little extra shredded cheese and you have a winner! Be sure to make the croutons. They make the soup extra special with their crispy crunch and flavor.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(4 ratings)
yield 4 -6
prep time 20 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For cheesy cream of cauliflower soup

  • 2 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 lg
    shallot (or 1 medium onion), thinly sliced
  • 1 md
    head of cauliflower, leaves & core removed, broken into florets
  • 4 c
    chicken broth
  • 1 can
    evaporated milk
  • 4-6 oz
    melting cheese, e.g. Laughing Cow wedges, grated white cheddar, etc.
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 c
    chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
  • 2-3
    strips bacon, diced or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 16-24
    croutons (homemade, optional)

How To Make cheesy cream of cauliflower soup

  • Sauteeing shallots in a Dutch oven.
    1
    In a soup pot or Dutch oven, saute the sliced shallots in the olive oil until translucent.
  • Simmering chicken broth and cauliflower in a Dutch oven.
    2
    Add the chicken broth and cauliflower. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft.
  • Blending soup with an immersion blender.
    3
    Using an immersion blender, blend the hot broth and cauliflower until somewhat smooth. (If you do not have an immersion blender, allow the soup to cool and then blend or mash.)
  • Stirring milk and cheese into the soup until melted.
    4
    Add the milk and cheese and heat through, stirring fairly constantly, until the cheese melts. Do not continue to cook to avoid scorching.
  • Seasoning the soup as needed.
    5
    Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. If you have used purchased chicken broth you may need no salt at this point. If you prefer, use white pepper to avoid dark spots in the soup.
  • A spoonful of Cheesy Cream of Cauliflower Soup.
    6
    Serve hot, topped with garnishes such as cilantro, bacon, and homemade croutons (recipe follows).
  • Cubes of bread with oil and seasonings in a bowl.
    7
    To make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 350F. While the broth and cauliflower cook, cut two or more slices of Italian bread into cubes. Put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl. Toss the bread cubes in the olive oil, moving quickly to distribute the oil among the cubes. Optionally, add a seasoning or dried herb mix and toss the cubes again.
  • Baking the cubes of bread.
    8
    Distribute the cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven, turn over the croutons for even cooking, and return to the still warm oven to continue toasting. The croutons will be warm and ready when the soup is ready.
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