This vegan cauliflower soup is creamy, incredibly easy to make and perfect for a cozy winter dinner. It’s light and fresh but still rich and comforting. Plus, it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
Vegan cauliflower soup is probably not one of those recipes you see and say “ohmygosh I need to have that right nooowww,” but let me tell you that ohmygosh you need to make this right now!!!
The main ingredient is just, you guessed it, cauliflower, but it somehow becomes an incredibly creamy, cozy and delicious soup that you’ll start to crave. Same idea with my cream of broccoli soup!
This will be your new favorite way to eat your veggies! All you need is one pot, a few simple ingredients, and about 30 minutes.
Cauliflower soup certainly can lack flavor, but trust me, this recipe does not! With herbs like thyme, lots of garlic and onion, paprika and lemon, this recipe is bursting with flavor.
How to make this recipe
Add the diced onion and to a large pot or dutch oven and saute with the olive oil. Saute until they start to brown, then add a splash of water to deglaze the pan. Saute an additional 2 or so minutes.
Add in the minced garlic and chopped cauliflower. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add in all remaining ingredients (even the cashews!) but leave the lemon juice and flour out for now.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft.
Discard the bay leaves, then transfer to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. My blender holds 64 ounces which was just enough for this soup, but you may need to blend in two batches.
When blending hot liquids, I suggest keeping the center part of the lid slightly ajar to allow heat to escape and start the blender on the lowest possible setting and slowly work your way up.
Blend for a full minute or until completely smooth. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. I usually add a bit more salt and pepper. If you want the soup thicker, blend in 1-2 tbsp of all purpose flour, then it will thicken up a bit when we transfer it back to the pot.
Transfer back to the pot and stir in the lemon juice.
Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. I also like adding my chickpea ‘croutons,’ found in my butternut squash soup post, but regular croutons are also great! Enjoy!
How to thicken it
As written, this recipe will yield a cauliflower soup that is creamy, but not super thick. It’s definitely thick-ish, but if you want to thicken it more, just pulse in 1-2 tablespoons of flour when you’re blending. When you transfer it back to the stove, it will thicken up as it simmers.
To thicken without flour or starch, you can add in an extra handful of cashews, or just start off the recipe with less broth. If you know you like it extra thick, start with just 3 cups of broth, and add more as needed.
Serving Suggestions
I like this soup as an entree, but it also works great as a side dish! You can serve this recipe with a side salad, hearty bread, and my lemon pepper salmon. Soup, as always, is great with a sandwich for a simple lunch!
Does it keep?
Once prepared, this vegan cauliflower soup will keep for 3-4 days in an air tight container. To reheat, just add it to a microwave safe bowl or transfer to a pot and heat on the stove until hot.
You can also freeze this soup! It will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat as usual.
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Vegan Cauliflower Soup
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower chopped into florets
- ⅓ heaping cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 large bay leaves
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp flour as needed, to thicken
Instructions
- Add the diced onion and to a large pot or dutch oven and saute with the olive oil. Saute until they start to brown, then add a splash of water to deglaze the pan. Saute an additional 2 or so minutes.
- Add in the minced garlic and chopped cauliflower.
- Saute for 5 minutes.
- Add in all remaining ingredients (even the cashews!) but leave the lemon juice and flour out for now.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft.
- Discard the bay leaves, then transfer to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. My blender holds 64 ounces which was just enough for this soup, but you may need to blend in two batches. When blending hot liquids, I suggest keeping the center part of the lid slightly ajar to allow heat to escape and start the blender on the lowest possible setting and slowly work your way up.
- Blend for a full minute or until completely smooth. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. I usually add a bit more salt and pepper. If you want the soup thicker, blend in 1-2 tbsp of all purpose flour, then it will thicken up a bit when we transfer it back to the pot.
- Transfer back to the pot and stir in the lemon juice.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. I also like adding my chickpea 'croutons,' found in my butternut squash soup post, but regular croutons are also great! Enjoy!
Nicole says
I made this for lunch yesterday, it was so good! I wasn’t sure how I would enjoy cauliflower soup, but it did not disappoint, I am definitely putting it into rotation. It was a cozy hug in a bowl on this chilly December day, thanks for the recipe!
Claire Cary says
You wouldn’t think a soup made with a vegetable base would be all that exciting, but it’s such a creamy and flavorful recipe. So glad you enjoyed it 🙂