Vegan Cauliflower Soup is creamy, without the cream, made with a handful of simple ingredients and delicious as can be! Not to mention it’s quick, easy and healthy!
Cauliflower is a versatile veggie that can be dressed up in many ways. Roast it, mash it, make cauliflower rice, and more.
Here we’ll be simmering it until tender and pureeing until creamy smooth (or to your desired texture) creating a perfectly luscious soup.
This vegan cream of cauliflower soup requires no roasting and can be made in one pot for a quick and delicious healthy soup recipe!
If you’re a soup lover like myself, a few other delicious vegan soup recipes worth checking out are this Vegan Tomato Basil Soup, Vegan Minestrone Soup, Creamy Broccoli + Red Lentil Soup, or Very Good Split Pea Soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this recipe, onion, garlic, thyme and cauliflower are simmered until tender, then pureed into a creamy soup for a delicious and healthy whole food, plant-based lunch or dinner.
Here is everything you will need:
- Cauliflower – use a large 2 ½ to 3 pound head
- Onion – any color will do
- Garlic
- Thyme – fresh or dried
- Vegan butter – adds a wonderful richness, my favorite is Miyokos (sub with olive oil or water if preferred)
- Vegan cream – use store bought or homemade vegan cream (sub your almond milk, cashew milk or favorite plant milk)
- Lemon
- Salt + pepper
How To Make Vegan Cauliflower Soup
- Prep: Start by prepping the onion and garlic. Cut the cauliflower into florets.
- Saute: In a heavy bottom pan, saute the onion with butter for 5 – 6 minutes, add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add the cauliflower, thyme, salt, pepper and water.
- Simmer: Bring the chunky soup to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add cream: Stir in the vegan cream or plant milk and lemon juice.
- Puree: Let the soup rest for 10 minutes to cool. Using an immersion blender or cup blender, puree the soup until desired consistency. Reheat on the stove if needed to warm back up before serving.
And now you’re ready to enjoy!
Top Tips
- Reserve cauliflower pieces: Reserve a few pieces of cauliflower and toast in a toaster oven with a little oil to help it caramelize along the edges. It makes for a great soup topper with lovely toasted flavor.
- Cutting cauliflower: When chopping the cauliflower, don’t worry about making the pieces small, you can always break it up as it cooks down and softens.
- Recommended equipment: I used my immersion blender (affiliate link) to puree the soup. A standing blender is great too, but may take two batches to puree.
- Toppings: Add a little heat with a pinch of red pepper flakes or crushed mustard seeds.
How To Store
- Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
- Freezer: Vegan cauliflower soup is freezer friendly and freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in multi-use, freezer safe containers (affiliate link), leaving ½ inch head space for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large freezer ziplock bags. Let thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave using 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.
- Meal Prep: It makes a great meal prep for the week with homemade Artisan Bread or Vegan Naan on the side for soaking up the juices.
Serving Suggestions
This cauliflower soup is great alone for a light meal, but can be made even heartier with a little something extra on the side. Here are a few of my favorite serving suggestions:
- Topping: Top with crumbled Coconut Bacon, Baked Kale Chips, croutons, or Crispy Roasted Chickpeas for crunchy texture.
- Sandwich: Serve with Grilled Hummus Sandwich + Sauteed Onions, Tomato & Arugula, Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich, or Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich for a fantastic filling meal!
- Salad: Serve with Curry Potato Salad with Chickpeas, Green Salad + Tahini Dressing, French Lentil & Bitter Greens Salad, or simple leafy green salad with Vegan Ranch or Healthy Flax & Evo Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Bread: Serve with homemade Artisan Bread, soft and chewy Vegan Naan or gluten-free Socca flatbread to soak up the juices.
- Pizza: Serve with a slice of Cannellini Bean + Fennel Flatbread or Zucchini Flatbread-White Pizza.
- Pasta: Pair with Zucchini Ricotta Pasta, Lemon Asparagus Pasta Salad, Vegan Pasta Salad, or Quick & Easy Vegetable Spaghetti.
- Veggies: Serve with warm veggies like this Savory Sauteed Kale, Skillet Asparagus + Tomato Medley, Curry & Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower, or this delicious Vegan Collard Greens.
If you try this cauliflower soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintVEGAN CAULIFLOWER SOUP
This creamy Vegan Cauliflower soup is full of flavor and uses simple ingredients for a healthy soup that’s quick and easy to make! Gluten free recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegan butter – Miyokos is the best (see notes for subs)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 ½ – 3 lbs.), cut into florets
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 2 sprigs
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup vegan cream (or plant milk of choice)
- 1 small lemon, juice of
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prep: Start by prepping the onion and garlic. Cut the cauliflower into florets, they can be on the large side as you can break it down as it cooks.
Saute: In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil or water over medium heat, saute the onion for 6 minutes, add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add remaining ingredients: Add the cauliflower, thyme, salt and pepper, and water/broth.
Simmer: Bring the chunky soup to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is fork tender.
Add cream + lemon: Stir in the vegan cream or plant milk and lemon juice.
Puree: Once soup is done, let rest for 10 minutes to cool. Using an immersion blender or cup blender, puree the soup until desired consistency. Season with more salt & pepper as needed. Heat over low until warmed through as needed.
Serve: Serve with a few reserved toasted cauliflower pieces, drizzle of vegan cream and/or fresh cracked pepper. For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or crushed mustard seeds. Pair with homemade Artisan Bread or soft and chewy Vegan Naan for soaking up the juices.
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 days in a covered container. To store longer, freeze for up to 2 – 3 months.
Notes
To substitute the vegan butter: use 2 tablespoons olive oil or ¼ cup of water for a water saute.
Keywords: vegan cauliflower soup, cauliflower soup recipe
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Erika says
Yum! Good recipe! Reminds me of the cauliflower soup I had in Ecuador—we’d sprinkle popcorn over the top of the soup bowl as a treat.
★★★★★
Carol says
This soup was delicious! I used a homemade veggie broth and that vegan cream is divine. Thanks for the terrific recipe!
★★★★★
Maddy says
This was really good!!
★★★★★
Diane M. says
I used the water option and almond milk. It came out bland and thin. Ended up blending in some stale bread to help the consistency but here’s what I would suggest…since “large” cauliflowers can differ in size, just add enough water to cover the cauliflower rather than all 5 cups. You can always add more later if it’s too thick. Either that or, have some cooked rice on hand for blending in if it’s too thin. If using water instead of broth, consider a measured amount of salt rather than a pinch. In either case consider adding more herbs/spices of your choice, this soup can take it and actually benefits from it.
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Natalie says
I’m wondering if I can add everything to the instant pot and then blend it after the fact…
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Great question, Natalie! Yes, you can absolutely do that. Will be so easy! Enjoy :)
Dee says
I have an overabundance of frozen cauliflower rice – I don’t know how that happened!! I’m going to use that instead of fresh cauliflower and a cup of Nutpods for the vegan cream. I’m slowly making my way through your soup recipes and everything has been delicious so far!
Randi says
I love these simple soups and always appreciate the substitution options from TSV.
I added a bit of rosemary and coriander to the last batch I took out of the freezer and it made it even better. Thank you!
★★★★★
Jenny says
I tried this recipe. It’s amazing. Used it as sauce for pasta alfredo too thank you!
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Michelle Kampmeier says
Oh that’s a great idea – alfredo for pasta!