This roasted cauliflower soup is creamy and flavorful without heavy cream or flour. It has hearty veggies and bold flavors from garlic, fresh thyme, and cumin. I love this recipe because it’s healthy, easy to make, and perfect for both warm and cold nights.
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Vegan and naturally gluten-free. No need for dairy or flour to make this soup rich and creamy!
- Packed with nutrients. This soup has all the essential vitamins and nutrients. It’s low in calories and fat and high in fiber.
- Easy to make. It’s made with simple ingredients and ready in less than an hour!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this roasted cauliflower soup recipe, you’ll need cauliflower, garlic cloves, an onion, celery, vegetable broth, coconut milk, olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, a bay leaf, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Variations & Substitutions
- Cauliflower. I used a fresh cauliflower head and cut it into florets. But you can use frozen cauliflower florets, too.
- Garlic. I recommend using fresh garlic cloves rather than garlic powder to really get that garlicky flavor in the soup.
- Celery. Celery adds a fresh and subtle herby flavor to the soup. Substitute it with fennel or leeks.
- Vegetable broth. Use homemade vegetable stock or any broth available in the grocery store.
- Coconut milk. If you don’t have coconut milk, you can also use soy milk or dairy-free heavy cream.
- Thyme. Fresh thyme is best for this soup.
- Seasonings. I used a blend of cumin, salt, and pepper.
📖 How to make roasted cauliflower soup
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 2:
Place cauliflower florets and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with about 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and lightly sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and cracked pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly using your hands. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and lightly browned, tossing occasionally.
Step 3:
In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and sauté until tender and lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in thyme and cumin, and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4:
Add the roasted cauliflower, garlic cloves, broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
Step 5:
Stir in the coconut milk. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend until the soup is very creamy and smooth. If the consistency is too thick, you can add a little vegetable broth to thin it out. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Step 6:
Serve in bowls topped with some baked cauliflower florets and more fresh thyme leaves.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best roasted cauliflower soup
⭐ Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup and make it smooth, rich, and creamy. You can also leave it chunky if you want more texture.
- Reserve a few roasted pieces of cauliflower florets for soup toppings.
- Make sure the cauliflower florets are cut into even sizes for uniform cooking. This ensures that each piece roasts at the same rate, preventing some from being too soft while others are undercooked.
- After roasting, deglaze the baking sheet with a bit of broth or water and scrape up the browned bits. These bits are packed with flavor and will enrich your soup.
- Before adding extra broth to thin the soup, consider how it will cool. Soups often thicken as they stand, so what seems just right when hot might be too thick once it cools slightly.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to combine.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, you can freeze cauliflower soup. Make sure to let it cool before transferring it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Make sure to roast and saute the vegetables before mixing them together. Don’t forget to add the seasonings and season the soup well.
Yes, you can use frozen cauliflower for this recipe. Just make sure to thaw and remove any excess moisture.
🍴 How to serve vegan creamy cauliflower soup
This dairy free cauliflower soup is so good even on its own. You can pair it with a simple salad like vegan Caesar salad, Italian chopped salad, or garlic kale salad. Or serve it with crusty bread for dipping!
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
To store, cover the soup bowl or transfer it to an airtight container. You can keep it fresh in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, gently warm it up in a saucepan for a few minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave it for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of coconut milk or broth if needed.
To freeze, transfer the soup to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw it overnight before reheating.
🍴 More delicious cauliflower recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other vegetarian cauliflower recipes:
Baked Cauliflower with Cheese
Air Fryer Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
Aloo Gobi Masala (Indian Potato and Cauliflower)
Vegan Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Equipment
- 1 Blender optional
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, large cut into bite-size florets
- 2 cloves garlic, large, peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 onion, medium, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh, plus extra for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 3 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Place cauliflower florets and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with about 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and lightly sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and cracked pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly using your hands. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and lightly browned, tossing occasionally. Optional: reserve a few roasted pieces for soup topping)
- In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and sauté until tender and lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in thyme and cumin, and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the roasted cauliflower, garlic cloves, broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Stir in the coconut milk. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend until the soup is very creamy and smooth. If the consistency is too thick, you can add a little vegetable broth to thin it out. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Serve in bowls topped with some baked cauliflower florets and more fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
- Cut cauliflower into uniform sizes for even roasting and to avoid uneven cooking.
- Deglaze the baking sheet with broth or water after roasting to capture flavorful browned bits.
- Soups thicken as they cool, so adjust broth accordingly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
