Ina Garten's Cauliflower Soup

Ina Garten's cauliflower soup is a creamy blend of cauliflower, chicken stock, cream, carrots, celery, onion, and more. It is the perfect dish if you would like to get more vegetables into your family's diet.

Learn how to make perfect cauliflower soup.

Cauliflower Soup Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, divided
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 cauliflower head, cored and roughly chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
• 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper
• 1 heaping cup sour cream
• Warm rolls or crusty bread

How to Make Cauliflower Soup

1. In a heavy pot set over medium heat, melt ½ of the stick of butter.

2. Sauté the onions until they become translucent, about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the carrots and celery, and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the cauliflower.

5. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes. 

6. Afterward, add the chicken broth and chopped parsley, and simmer for 10 minutes.

For the White Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining ½ stick of butter. 

2. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.

3. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour, and cook until thickened.

4. Remove the white sauce from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half. 

5. Pour the cream mixture into the cauliflower soup mixture.

6. Season the soup with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, or to taste, and allow the soup to simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes. 

7. The soup will thicken slightly but not too much.  

8. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

For Serving:

1. The soup is best served with a thick dollop of sour cream in the bottom of a soup tureen (a very large bowl). 

2. Pour the cauliflower soup into sour cream in the soup tureen and gently stir.

3. Top with parsley and a little black pepper.

4. Serve with toasted rolls or bread and enjoy.

How Do You Thicken Up Cauliflower Soup?

If you would like a thicker cauliflower soup, you should only add 6 cups of stock rather than 8 cups as Ina Garten's cauliflower soup recipe suggests. However, if your cauliflower soup still seems too thin for your liking, you can use a cornstarch slurry (one part cornstarch to two parts liquid) to thicken it more.

Best Flavors for Cauliflower Soup

Some of the best flavors you can add to cauliflower soup are garlic powder, onion, fresh thyme, black pepper, and dried or fresh rosemary. However, you can also enhance the taste by adding other vegetables you enjoy like bell pepper or tomato.

How to Store Cauliflower Soup

• In the Fridge: When stored properly, cauliflower soup can last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. When the soup is done cooking, let it cool until it reaches room temperature. Then pour the soup into airtight glass containers and store them in the refrigerator.
• In the Freezer: You can freeze cauliflower soup and it will last for more than 3 months. Divide the cauliflower soup between freezer bags, leaving about a ½-inch of space free to accommodate for expansion.

How to Defrost Frozen Cauliflower Soup

• In the Fridge: Your frozen cauliflower soup will thaw in 24 hours when you put it in the fridge. It seems like a long time, but it is best to allow your soup to defrost slowly.
• In Warm Water: Place the frozen cauliflower soup bags in a large container full of warm water (not boiling water). The warm water will defrost the frozen cauliflower soup in less than 3 hours.
• In the Microwave: Cover the bowl of frozen cauliflower soup with either plastic wrap, a paper towel, or a microwave cover with a vent to thaw it. Adjust the microwave's power to 30% power and place the bowl in the microwave on low heat. For best results, let the soup sit for 2 minutes until completely thawed.

How to Reheat Cauliflower Soup

Try to avoid reheating the soup from frozen. I recommend that you thaw your cauliflower soup first before reheating it.

• In the Microwave: To reheat your cauliflower soup, microwave it on high for 2-minute increments, stirring it every 30 seconds until the soup reaches 74 C or 165 F.
• In the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Pour the cauliflower soup into an oven-safe bowl and heat it for 10 to 15 minutes until it reaches 165 F, stirring at least once halfway through. You can also cover the soup with foil if you like.
• In the Air Fryer: Set the air fryer to 350 F. Pour the cauliflower into a bowl and cover it with aluminum foil and place it in the air fryer basket. Heat it for 7 minutes; then, remove the foil and heat it for another 3 minutes until it reaches 165 F.

What to Serve With Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower soup can be served with toasted bread, roasted veggies, chicken wings, pasta, or a fresh salad for a healthy meal. My favorite way to eat cauliflower soup is to serve it with crisp crackers on top, some fries, and a dipping sauce such as mayo, ketchup, or spicy sauce.

The following are some of the best sides to serve with Ina Garten's cauliflower soup:

• Pioneer Woman Cheeseburger Pie
• Pioneer Woman Banana Pudding
• Tai Pei Egg Rolls
• Chicken Legs
• Breadsticks
• Onion Rings
• Julienne Salad
• Butternut Squash Salad

Continue to Content

Ina Garten's Cauliflower Soup

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ina Garten's cauliflower soup is a creamy blend of cauliflower, chicken stock, cream, carrots, celery, onion, and more. It is the perfect dish if you would like to get more vegetables into your family's diet. Here is some information about the cauliflower soup in addition to how to make it.

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Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, divided
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 cauliflower head, cored and roughly chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
• 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper
• 1 heaping cup sour cream
• Warm rolls or crusty bread

Instructions

1. In a heavy pot set over medium heat, melt ½ of the stick of butter.
2. Sauté the onions until they become translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the carrots and celery, and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the cauliflower.
5. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes. 
6. Afterward, add the chicken broth and chopped parsley, and simmer for 10 minutes.

For the White Sauce:

7. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining ½ stick of butter. 
8. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
9. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour, and cook until thickened.
10. Remove the white sauce from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half. 
11. Pour the cream mixture into the cauliflower soup mixture.
12. Season the soup with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, or to taste, and allow the soup to simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes. 
13. The soup will thicken slightly but not too much.  
14. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

For Serving:

15. The soup is best served with a thick dollop of sour cream in the bottom of a soup tureen (a very large bowl). 
16. Pour the cauliflower soup into sour cream in the soup tureen and gently stir.
17. Top with parsley and a little black pepper.
18. Serve with toasted rolls or bread and enjoy.

Notes

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup for a smooth, thick texture. Continue simmering for a further 10 minutes after you puree it.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 668Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 688mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 22g