Don’t judge a soup by its color – at least not this one! My kids who are used to seeing me whip up visually colorful meals sat quietly poring over their bowls, the first time I served this for dinner. But one mouthful of this creamy goodness and soon the words came tumbling out. “This is the best soup you’ve ever made!” said my oldest. Which is a huge compliment, because he’s one who eats to fill his tummy rather than for taste. Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies, but this soup is definitely one of my favorite recipes because it’s so simple and easy to make.
If you ever want to throw together a quick and filling meal on a weeknight where you’re starved for time, this is the one!Throw all the ingredients in the Instant Pot, and voila – 15 minutes later, dinner is served. This soup gets its creaminess from the cannellini beans. The beans are what make this soup a complete meal. The nutritional yeast, which is optional, gives it a slight cheesiness. Pair this soup with some crusty sourdough bread, and your family won’t even know how little time it took you to throw together this meal.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes5
minutesA 1-pot creamy, dairy-free cauliflower soup – perfect for busy weeknights. Recipe can be adapted for the Instant Pot or the stovetop.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets (approx. 2 pounds)
1 (15 oz.) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, quartered
1 serrano pepper or jalapeno
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 cups vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
2 teaspoons olive oil OR 1/4 cup water
1½ teaspoons sea salt + more as needed
Juice of 1 lime + more as needed
- Toppings
Roasted pistachios
Crushed red pepper flakes
Crusty bread or croutons
Directions
- Instant Pot Method
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. When it becomes warm, add the oil, onions and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. You can also skip the oil to saute the onions and garlic. Make sure you add water as needed to deglaze the pan so the onions and garlic don’t stick or burn.
- Cancel Sauté mode. Add all the ingredients, except the lime juice, to the Instant Pot. Make sure the bay leaves go in last so they can be easily removed once cooked.
- Set vent to seal and cook in Manual at High Pressure for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid, toss out the bay leaves and blend the soup using an immersion blender. Add the lime juice and mix. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Serve in individual soup bowls with the toppings and a side of bread.
- Stovetop Method
- Heat a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, onions and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. You can also skip the oil to saute the onions and garlic. Make sure you add water as needed to deglaze the pan so the onions and garlic don’t stick or burn.
- Add all the ingredients, except the lime juice, to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or so until the cauliflower is tender.
- Toss out the bay leaves and blend the soup using an immersion blender. Add the lime juice and mix. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Serve in individual soup bowls with the toppings and a side of bread.
