This Healthy Cauliflower Soup Is So Creamy and Delicious

By Ariane Resnick, CNC

February 16, 2022

Image credit: Ariane Resnick for Clean Plates

A blended soup is the healthiest way to achieve creaminess… without the cream. Make that blended soup out of a head of cauliflower and toss in a cup of cooked white beans, and it’s even better (and more nutritious). This healthy cauliflower soup is really the best of all worlds.

Cauliflower isn’t just extra creamy, it’s also incredibly good for you. It’s high in fiber and vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6. Cauliflower is also filled with antioxidants that have been demonstrated to fight cancer, and it’s a great source of choline, which has been shown to benefit your liver.

Cauliflower soup is a common substitute for blended potato soup, its higher-glycemic counterpart, so we wanted to make sure this lighter version was just as satisfying. That’s where the beans come in: They add a hit of fiber and protein to better satiate you, and they make the soup creamier than cauliflower alone could be. You can, of course, go “loaded baked potato” style by topping this healthy cauliflower soup with cheese and bacon bits, but we found it thoroughly satisfying with some ground black pepper, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, and a fresh herb garnish.

Because a highly flavored liquid is important in this recipe, we prefer either chicken bone broth or a no-chicken vegan broth for the liquid, rather than a vegetable stock or non-dairy milk. The bone broth will provide protein, amino acids, and suppleness, while the no-chicken broth will add a hit of umami — whichever suits your dietary needs will be a great fit. This healthy cauliflower soup comes together in a scant half hour from start to finish, making it a quick weeknight dinner when paired with a hearty salad.

Healthy Cauliflower Soup

SERVES

PREP TIME

10 min

COOK TIME

20 min

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cups cauliflower florets (1 medium head)

½ cup onion, diced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

4 cups chicken bone broth or no-chicken vegan broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cooked cannellini beans

Directions

Add oil to a large pot over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add cauliflower florets, onion, and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes, until onions are translucent.

Pour the chicken broth and the salt into the pot over the vegetables, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

In a blender, add the cannellini beans and the soup. Blend until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds.

This recipe is delicious as-is, but it can be spruced up to be even more flavorful. Try adding a small handful of fresh cilantro or parsley when you blend it; swap out one cup of cauliflower for a cup of diced fennel; add two teaspoons curry powder when sautéeing the cauliflower, onion, and garlic; or finish with a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of balsamic vinegar when serving.