Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Name: Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (* minced); 1 shallot (* or small white onion); 5 cups cauliflower rice (*from 1 large head of cauliflower); 2 tablespoons water; 2 cups vegetable stock (* use gluten free if needed); 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (* can use dairy milk, half-and-half or heavy cream); 8 ounces cheddar cheese (* grated); salt and pepper (* to taste)

Published October 3, 2019. Last updated July 10, 2020 by Lauren Vavala

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is an easy-to-make, delicious low-carb recipe! This keto friendly soup has only 6 net carbs per serving and is also gluten free!

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Cauliflower has become super popular as a low carb alternative to potatoes, bread, and even pizza crusts! Seriously, you can find just about anything made with cauliflower these days!

If you’ve jumped around this blog at all yet, you will see that I use it a lot. I love the taste, but I also use it often to create low carb and keto versions of recipes that I miss being able to eat.

I have a few soup recipes that use cauliflower as the base. This particular recipe for Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is designed as an alternative to a cheesy potato soup.

Personally, I think cauliflower should get more credit than as just a stand in for potatoes for those of us looking for low carb solutions. This soup is really delicious!

Why This Recipe Works

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup is low carb and gluten free. It’s perfectly suitable for those following a keto diet as well.
You can make this recipe really quickly. From start to finish, it takes just around 30 minutes to prepare.
This is a great recipe for keto meal prep and can be frozen for later use. Every fall I make a big batch and freeze it in individual containers so I always have a quick lunch on hand when I need it.

How to Make Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Prep!

Rice the cauliflower (you can follow the instructions in this post How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed), mince the garlic, dice the shallot (or onion).

Tip: save time by purchasing already riced cauliflower from the produce section of your local grocery store. Frozen cauliflower rice can be used, but it may cause the soup to be a little thinner.

Shred the cheddar cheese.

Tip: it is strongly recommended to shred the cheddar cheese from a block. Bagged shredded cheeses contain an anti-caking agent. This typically results in a cheese that doesn’t melt as well and will give your soup a grittier texture.

Create!

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, and cook until fragrant and just softened, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the cauliflower rice and water. Cover and steam the cauliflower until tender, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes.

Once the cauliflower is tender, add the vegetable stock to the pot along with the milk. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and gradually mix in the cheddar cheese stirring until smooth.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

You can either serve the soup as is, with a bit of texture to it, or blend it to create a smoother, more velvety texture. It’s delicious either way!

Present!

Serve hot, topped with extra cheese and scallions if desired.

If you’re not vegetarian, some crumbled bacon on top is the way to go!

Tips and Techniques for the Best Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Save time by purchasing already riced cauliflower from the produce section of your local grocery store.
Shred the cheese from a block for the best melting and texture.
Use unsalted vegetable stock to control the amount of salt yourself.
You can puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a stand blender if a smoother texture is desired.
This recipe can be modified, as desired. As written, it is a vegetarian, low-carb, and gluten free soup. For all of you meat lovers out there, go ahead and mix in some bacon, or sprinkle it on top. You can also easily swap out the vegetable stock for chicken stock if that’s what you keep on hand in your pantry.

FAQ’s

How long does cauliflower soup last in the refrigerator? Store cauliflower soup in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 4-5 days for the best results.
Can cauliflower soup be frozen? This Cheesy Cauliflower Soup can be frozen in individual containers for quick meals. It’s best to use within 6 months.

Other Low Carb Soup Recipes to Try

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