Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup

By: Jacqui

March 12, 2023

Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup is a great lower carb meal, made with minimal ingredients like fresh cauliflower, leeks, vegetable broth, heavy cream and cheddar cheese, ready in under 40 minutes!

Soup recipes are a staple for colder weather, but comfort food doesn’t always have to be high in calories! Check out this Instant Pot Cabbage Soup, and Kale and White Bean Soup.

A bowl of cauliflower soup on a table, with cream drizzled on top and fresh chives.

Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup is the perfect soup for a cold day, made with lots of vegetables with a creamy cheesy texture and comforting flavors. Plus there’s only a few minutes of prep time, and it makes a good amount of soup! Serve this with gluten free crusty bread and extra grated cheddar cheese.

This recipe works best with an immersion blender for a really smooth texture, but you can also use a regular blender and work in batches.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Individual ingredients for instant pot cauliflower soup on a marble table.

Cauliflower. This recipe needs one full head cauliflower florets. I use a medium to larger size, cut into pieces with the core discarded. You can also use a bag of frozen cauliflower for this recipe, because we’re going to blend everything until smooth later.

Leeks. Leeks add a nice flavor to the soup, and also help add some additional fresh vegetables.

Onion. I use a sweet onion or Vidalia onion for this recipe, because the flavor is less harsh than a regular onion. You can also use a yellow onion, or any type of onion that you have.

Heavy Cream. This adds texture and makes the soup creamy. You can also use half and half, cream cheese, or sour cream. If you’re avoiding dairy, use your favorite milk alternative, just make sure it’s plain and not vanilla flavored.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese. I prefer the flavor of this soup with some shredded cheddar cheese mixed in for a nice cheesy flavor.

If possible, shred the cheddar yourself. Pre-shredded cheese can have a harder time melting, because of additives that keep it from sticking together.

Spices. The spices are pretty simple for this soup. Just a small amount of garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper for flavor. And paprika for both flavor and color.

You can season with salt and pepper to taste at the end as well. Kosher salt and sea salt both work.

You can also add 1-2 cloves of garlic instead of the garlic powder. Dice the garlic cloves and add them with the onions to cook.

Broth. This recipe works with vegetable broth and with chicken broth. Just make sure they’re gluten free.

Butter. I use unsalted butter to sauté the onions and leeks, helping them caramelize a little bit before making the rest of the soup.

How to Make Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup

Set the instant pot to the sauté function. Add butter, leeks, and onions. Cook until leeks and onions start to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Sautéing them first adds a nice depth of flavor that you won’t get by just pressure cooking the onions.
Once the onions are softened, add the spices and stir together. Stir in the broth and cauliflower, mixing everything together. Close the lid of the instant pot and lock into place, with the steam valve in the sealing position.
Set the instant pot on the high setting for 6 minutes. It will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then it will pressure cook for the 6 minutes. After the time is up, let it naturally release for 10 minutes. Then, using an oven mitt, flip the steam valve open to quick release and let the rest of the pressure release.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese until melted. Then stir in the heavy cream. Serve with extra cheese, green onions, or chives, or lightly spoon some additional cream across the top of the soup decoratively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my cauliflower soup bland?

Cauliflower itself is a really bland vegetable, which makes it a great base for dishes like soup. We have to build the flavors up here, so don’t skip the steps of the recipe, like sautéing the onions or adding the spices.

Another step you can do for more flavor is to roast the cauliflower on a sheet pan until golden brown, then add the roasted cauliflower florets to the soup. You can also save a few pieces to put on top of the bowl decoratively when serving.

How can I thicken my cauliflower soup?

This soup should already be thick after you add the cheese. If it did turn out too thin, you can still save it. Make a cornstarch slurry with one tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of cold water. Whisk it together until there’s no lumps, then stir it into the soup until well-combined. Give it a few minutes to thicken, which it will do as the cornstarch warms up.

You can also add more cheese, which will give the soup some thickness as it melts.

How can I make cauliflower soup vegetarian?

This soup is already close to being vegetarian, just make sure you use veggie broth instead of chicken broth.

For a vegan cauliflower soup, replace the butter with extra virgin olive oil, and use your favorite milk-alternative instead of the heavy cream. Try a can of full-fat coconut milk.

Also add a vegan cheese, preferably one that is nut-based and has a good flavor and melting qualities. Or just leave the cheese out altogether.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover soup for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove.

Freeze cauliflower soup for 3-4 months in a freezer-safe container. Leave some room in the top of the container, because the soup will expand slightly as it freezes.

More Soup Recipes

Recipe Variations

Make this spicy with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce.
You can also make this recipe with broccoli, or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower.
Top this bowl of soup with some crispy bacon pieces or sour cream. Cook 3-4 slices bacon while you’re waiting for the instant pot to naturally release the pressure. Or use bacon bits, just make sure the brand is gluten free (not all of them are).
Try topping this soup with roasted pumpkin seeds in the fall, with a green salad on the side for lunch.
Add two gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, for a cauliflower potato soup.
Add some bell pepper, eggplant, or butternut squash for more vegetables.

Cooking Tips

If you like a thicker soup, reduce the liquid by 1/2 cup. You can add more water or additional broth while blending later for a thinner soup.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a ladle to transfer this into a regular blender to puree. Use an oven mitt, because this is hot soup.
If you use an immersion blender, save a few smaller pieces of cauliflower on the side and add them back in for some bigger pieces in the soup.
You can also make this recipe in a dutch oven, just simmer until the cauliflower is soft enough to blend.

A bowl of cauliflower soup on a table in front of an instant pot, with cream drizzled on top and fresh chives.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

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published on March 12, 2023 // 0 Comments

Posted in: 40 Minute Meals, Dinner, Fall 1, Instant Pot, One Dish, Pressure Cooking, Recipes, Soups and Stews, Vegetables