Cauliflower Cheese Soup (with a dairy free option)

This Cauliflower Cheese Soup is a creamy, comforting dish packed with nutrients. The combination of cauliflower, cannellini beans, and parmesan makes it fibre rich and super satisfying, with a dairy-free option for those who need it.

After all “Cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education” Mark Twain

Health benefits

Like its cruciferous cousins, cauliflower is a rich source of many micronutrients (vitamins and minerals, especially folate and Vitamin C) not to mention, bursting with fibre. It also contains glucosinolates (sulphur containing plant chemicals) many of which have been researched for their promising anti-cancer properties. The cannellini beans in this dish add in some plant powered protein and additional fibre. The broth is calcium rich and heals the gut and soul and the onion and garlic further supports immune function.

Ingredients

You’ll need cauliflower florets, cannellini beans, onion, cloves garlic, chicken stock or bone broth, and parmesan cheese for the classic version. For serving, you’ll garnish with peas, chives, and a drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil.

How to make Cauliflower Cheese Soup (with a dairy free option)

Start by sautéing the onion and garlic in butter or ghee, then add the half head cauliflower, beans, and broth. Let everything simmer until the cauliflower is tender. After cooling slightly, blend it all together with parmesan until it has a smooth texture, then season to taste. Divide between four bowls and serve hot with peas, chives, and a drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil.

Serving suggestions and how to store

Serve this gluten-free cauliflower soup recipe as a light lunch or dinner, with a side of crusty bread or a green salad. It stores well in the fridge or freezer, so make a big batch for easy reheating on busy days.

Vary this cauliflower cheese soup to suit

For a dairy-free version, replace parmesan with nutritional yeast and use olive oil instead of butter. Omit the beans and peas for a legume-free option, or swap cauliflower for broccoli to create a delicious broccoli cheese soup.

Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements.

For more delicious, nourishing and easy to make soup recipes, click HERE.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup (with a dairy free option)

Prep 10 minutes minutes

Cook 15 minutes minutes

Total 25 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

One of my families favourite ways to eat cauliflower, my Cauliflower Cheese Soup is tasty, easy to make and very nourishing. 

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Ingredients

• 1 large onion/s peeled and finely diced
• 1 clove/s garlic peeled and chopped
• 25 g butter, ghee or macadamia oil
• 400 g cauliflower (approx. ½ head), broken into florets
• 400 g can cannellini beans -drained and rinsed
• 3-400 ml chicken broth or stock (I used chicken), recipe here
• 50 g parmesan cheese -finely grated
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste
• 75 g peas (½ cup) blanched in boiling water
• 2 tbsp fresh chives -chopped (to serve)
• 2 tbsp lemon infused olive oil - I like Cobram Estate brand (to serve)

Method

• In a large pot sauté the onion and garlic in the butter or ghee for a minute or two until just starting to soften, but not brown.
• Add the cauliflower, cannellini beans, and stock and bring to the boil.  Simmer until the cauliflower is just cooked (and you can slice through it easily with a knife).
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
• Puree in a food processor or powerful blender with the parmesan cheese.
• Taste and season if necessary.
• Serve hot with the peas, chives and a drizzle of lemon infused olive oil.

Thermomix Method

• Grate the parmesan, 5 seconds, speed 6 and set aside.
• Chop the onion and garlic, 10 seconds, speed 5.
• Add the butter and saute, temp. 100, 2 mins, speed 1.
• Add the cauliflower and chop 10 seconds, speed 6.
• Scrape down the sides, add the beans and broth and cook temp. 100, 15 mins, speed 2.
• Add the parmesan and blend for 20 seconds, speed 6.
• Season and serve as above.

Tip

• Adjust the consistency of this by adding more or less broth.
  

Make-ahead

• Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.

Store

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Variations

Vegetarian

Use vegetable stock.

Dairy-free and vegan

Just don’t add the cheese or replace with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (which gives a very similar flavour). Taste it as you add the yeast gradually to achieve the level of 'cheesiness' you like. Use olive oil instead of butter or ghee.

Legume-free

Simply omit the beans/ peas to if you like and increase the cauliflower buy about a cup.

Onion and garlic-free

Replace them with a small bulb of fennel, diced and a pinch of chilli flakes or powder.

Broccoli cheese soup

Sub the cauliflower for broccoli for another delicious soup.

 

I love this soup - how about you. Did you try the dairy-free version? I'd love to hear how you like it. 

Course: Soup

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