Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Name: Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 large head (about 2 lb / 900 g) (900 g) cauliflower, leaves and core trimmed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets (about 6 cups); 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf; 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste; ⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg (optional); 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice, or to taste; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, cozy soup made from gently browned cauliflower, sweet onion and garlic, simmered in vegetable broth and blended with milk. Naturally creamy without any flour, and ready in about an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: About 6 cups (1.4 L), 4 generous servings

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large head (about 2 lb / 900 g) (900 g) cauliflower, leaves and core trimmed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets (about 6 cups)
3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste
⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (5)

4- to 5-quart (4–5 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Immersion blender or countertop blender
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Cut the cauliflower into small, even florets (about 1-inch / 2.5 cm) so they cook at the same rate.
Have the milk at room temperature or slightly warm so it doesn't cool the soup too much or curdle when added.
If using a countertop blender, plan to blend in two batches and vent the lid; hot soup expands and can splatter.

1
Soften the onion
- Set the pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter.
- When the butter has melted and stops foaming, add the diced onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and sweet-smelling with no more than a few pale golden edges.
Tip: Don't let the onion brown deeply or the soup will taste more bitter and look beige.
2
Add the garlic
- Stir in the sliced garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring constantly.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant and looks barely golden at the edges.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns acrid; if it browns quickly, lower the heat.
3
Brown the cauliflower
- Add the cauliflower florets and stir to coat in the oil.
- Cook, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, for 5 minutes so some florets pick up light golden spots, which adds a nutty depth.
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Ready when: Several florets have light golden-brown spots and the pot smells nutty.
Tip: If the bottom of the pot darkens too much, add a splash of broth and scrape it up.
4
Add broth and simmer
- Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf, the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and the black pepper.
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high until the liquid boils, then reduce to medium-low so it simmers gently.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 15 to 18 minutes.
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Ready when: A floret pressed against the pot side with a spoon crushes with no resistance.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle; a hard boil can make cauliflower taste sulfurous.
5
Remove the bay leaf
- Turn off the heat.
- Fish out the bay leaf with a spoon and discard it.
- Let the soup sit off the heat for 5 minutes so it cools slightly and is safer to blend.
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Ready when: Soup has stopped bubbling and steam is gentle.
6
Blend until smooth
- With an immersion blender, purée the soup right in the pot for 2 to 3 minutes, moving the blender around.
- For a countertop blender, fill it no more than half full, remove the center cap from the lid, cover with a folded towel and blend in 2 batches for 1 minute each, then return the soup to the pot.
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Ready when: Soup is completely smooth and velvety with no visible bits of cauliflower.
Tip: Never fill a blender more than half full with hot liquid; steam can force the lid off.
7
Stir in the milk
- Set the pot over low heat.
- Slowly stir in the milk and the nutmeg, if using.
- Warm for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is steaming hot.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming and hot to the touch, with tiny bubbles only at the edges, not boiling.
Tip: Don't boil after adding the milk; high heat can make it separate.
8
Season and serve
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice a pinch at a time until the flavor is bright and balanced.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, thin it with 2 to 4 tablespoons of warm broth or milk.
- Ladle into warm bowls and top with chives and a few grinds of pepper.
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Ready when: Soup coats the back of a spoon and tastes savory, not flat.
Tip: Season after blending; the flavor concentrates and changes once milk is added.

Good to know

Tips

Lightly browning the cauliflower in step 3 adds a roasted, nutty flavor without extra work.
For an ultra-silky texture, use a countertop blender and blend for a full 2 minutes, or pass the soup through a fine-mesh strainer.
Top with toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy chickpeas or a drizzle of olive oil for crunch and contrast.
Add milk gradually; stop when the soup reaches your preferred thickness.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 6 (blended, before adding milk) up to 3 days ahead. Cool, refrigerate in a covered container, then reheat and add the milk just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months (freeze before adding milk for best texture). Reheat in a pot over low heat, stirring often, until steaming; thin with a splash of broth or milk if thickened. Do not boil."

Substitutions

whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or half-and-half. Oat milk keeps it dairy-free; half-and-half makes it richer.
unsalted butter → extra-virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon / 15 ml). Makes the soup fully vegan if paired with a plant milk.
fresh lemon juice → apple cider vinegar. Use ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) to brighten the soup.
low-sodium vegetable broth → chicken broth. Use equal amount for a deeper savory flavor; no longer vegetarian.