Creamy roasted cauliflower soup is a healthy comfort food that will warm you up on a chilly day! Made with a hefty dose of fennel for bone density, anti-inflammatory properties, and gut health, this vegan cauliflower soup is also gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and low carb.
Thought you should know that this roasted cauliflower soup post is sponsored by my friends at Bob’s Red Mill. They’re awesome to me, so thanks for being awesome to them in return!
We did it! We made it to Fall and all of a sudden the temps dropped. It’s a crisp 70F with a low of 45F. Ohhhhh it on, and soup weather is so here! Plus all the seasonal veggies. LOVE LOVE LOVE me some squash, persimmon, cauliflower, fennel, carrots, sweet potato… I could go on!
But that’s not what we’re here to talk about today. Well, maybe just a little. The whole focus of this post? Is SOUP! How to make “cheesy” vegan soup (that’s also paleo friendly).
- How to sneak in extra veggies to soup
- How to make a CREAMY bisque-like soup (without the dairy)
- How to thicken soups with grain free starches, like arrowroot and tapioca starch/flour
Yep, Soups on! You ready?
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY FENNEL ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP
How to Make CREAMY Vegan Soups
First up, let’s talk VEGAN soup recipes.
Have you ever tried to make a “cheesy” or creamy plant based soup, but were disappointed that it didn’t have that thick, creamy consistency you expected? I feel ya. Creamy soups are usually made with heavy cream and cheese. If you’re eating dairy free and/or vegan, obviously, those ingredients aren’t options.
Never fear… help is here!
Making Creamy Fennel Roasted Cauliflower Soup
There are some important but simple, plant-based ingredients that will create a thick, creamy vegan friendly soup.
INGREDIENT ONE:
To make creamy vegan soups, you need to start with a creamy nut milk base. Obvious choices would be:
- almond milk
- cashew milk
- coconut milk
INGREDIENT TWO:
Another vegan product I use in this roasted cauliflower soup is nutritional yeast. Obviously Bob’s Red Mill is our favorite! I use nutritional yeast to add a “cheesy” taste, and for the health benefits. It’s a great cheese replacement for pesto, sauces, and pizza toppings too!
What are the health benefits of this “cheesy” flake? Oh, lemme tell ya!
Nutritional yeast delivers protein and B vitamins, both of which are important for a vegan and vegetarian diet.
INGREDIENT THREE:
Arrowroot starch or tapioca starch will help thicken the soup naturally. No need for corn starch or a grain here. Both of these starches are naturally gluten free, grain free, and legume free!
Timing is key with these ingredients, though. If you add the plant based thickener too late in the making of the roasted cauliflower soup, it won’t have that chowder-like texture you want. And if you add it too early, you’ll end up with a consistency that I can only call vegan roasted cauliflower soup wet concrete. Haha!
Alright, let’s put it all together now.
- Spice your cauliflower and fennel
- Roast
- Blend and mix
- Cook and watch it thicken… ahhhh!
Creamy Fennel Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This creamy roasted cauliflower soup is made with a hefty dose of fennel for bone density, anti-inflammatory properties, and gut health. This vegan cauliflower soup is also gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and low carb.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 pound cauliflower florets (~1 small head)
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons light olive oil + extra to garnish
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- Dash kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Soup Base
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 8 to 10 ounces almond or coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon vegan butter or clarified butter
- Thyme sprigs + extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch, tapioca starch or potato starch
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast (see notes for substitutes)
- Optional Topping – non-dairy cream or coconut cream
- Garnish – sea salt, peppercorns, oregano, thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut cauliflower into pieces or florets. Slice off the stem of the fennel and cut lengthwise into sections.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, fennel, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cumin, smoked paprika, and a dash of salt and pepper. Then spread the mixture out evenly on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning veggies halfway. Remove from the oven and carefully place all ingredients into a blender. (See notes for blender-free option.)
- Add the vegetable broth to the blender and blend until combined. Next add in 8 ounces of almond milk and blend again until creamy. Set aside.
- In a large stock pot place butter, thyme sprigs and garlic sautéing for 3 minutes on medium heat.
- Next add the soup to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and slowly whisk in arrowroot starch.
- Lastly, mix in nutritional yeast and simmer for 15 minutes.
- When serving, if desired, drizzle bowls of soup with olive oil and non dairy cream. Garnishing with salt, peppercorns, oregano, and thyme.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.Â
Notes
Substitute Tips – Parmesan cheese can be used in place of nutritional yeast, but it will not have the same health benefits.Â
Cooking Tip – An immersion blender can be used in place of a blender. Add the ingredients into the large pot, after the cauliflower/fennel is roasted, little by little and blend with the immersion blender. The starch will be added last before boiling again. The more milk added, the thinner the soup base will be.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: stove
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 169
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 586.7 mg
- Fat: 12.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.4 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 7.6 mg
Okay, have I convinced you?
Creamy soups, creamy cheesy vegan soups, extra thick and extra healthy —> they do exist and can easily be made right in you kitchen. Mwah!
Bring on the soup season!
Keep up with the compassionate, fun-loving Bob’s Red Mill on social media. They are full of gluten free inspiration! Facebook, Twitter Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest
Cheers,
LC
MORE SOUP RECIPES HERE!
This recipe is part of Our Best Healthy Soup Recipes for Fall collection. Check it out!
Lily
This recipe looks decent enough, but I have to say…looking through the comments is really off putting. It looks like some of the comments are totally fake. “Phoenix” and “Alice Beef” have the same photo. “Pinoy Tambayan” and “Phoenix” made the exact same comment months apart. It really lowers your credibility to have all these fake comments from fake people. I don’t know if you are “buying” fake comments or what, but it just makes me want to go to a different site for recipes. I don’t think I’m alone in that so I just thought I’d share in case you want to reconsider the fake comments thing.
Lindsay Cotter
Hi Lily! Some of these could be spam, which we will review ASAP. I never buy fake comments. I hope you do give this soup a try! I am happy to help answer any questions.
Lily
The soup was definitely good. I didn’t have the arrowroot, but it still thickened up nicely with just the nutritional yeast.
Lindsay Cotter
Thank you for reporting back Lily! I appreciate it. P.S we had a slew of spammers after you commented. They must of heard you. 🙂
Janet
So easy & yummy
tidehok
Woah, this looks incredible! Roasted cauliflower has the best flavor, I will make it at home .
Lindsay Cotter
I’m so glad! Thanks for feedback xxoo
Pinoy Tambayan
Great recipe! I made it according to your recipe and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy.
Lindsay Cotter
I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for your comment.
Lori
Has anyone actually made this soup??
Lindsay Cotter
Yes, a lot on social media. Happy to help answer questions though!
Phoenix
Great recipe! I made it according to your recipe and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy. Thank you
Lindsay Cotter
So glad to hear this! You’re welcome!
The Gentlemen
Great recipe, my kids usually don’t like most recipes but this one they fell in love with! Thank you!
Lindsay Cotter
Glad to hear that! You’re welcome!
filmstreaming.vin
I tried this recipe with my mother as there is not much to do anything other than cooking in quarantina, it went delicious!
Lindsay Cotter
So glad y’all loved it! Thank you for letting me know!
happy wheels
Great with these beautiful dishes, I don’t know how to cook but you inspired me
eurostreaming
this recipe looks delicious!
Lindsay Cotter
Thank you!
Alice Beef
My mom is the vegan, and that is the reason I meet your site. Your creations give me a lot healthy recipes to prepare meals for my mom. Thank you so much for your sharing.
Ilgeniodellostreaming
look delicious! will definately try that.
vin lookup
A healthy, easy but simple dish to make. I will learn to make this dish.
Lindsay Cotter
Great! Hope you enjoy!
Lisa
Why do people rate a recipe if they have not made it? Makes no sense when someone wants to know how it turned out to decide if they want to make the recipe …… Those ratings should not even be published.
Lindsay Cotter
I’ve had a lot of email subscribers email me trying this recipe. Would you like their feedback? I give that option when i send my newsletters
temple run
Fascinating and nourishing dishes. Thanks for sharing this great dish.
eurostreaming
I’m trying in this weekend thank you for this recipe sweety.
Lindsay Cotter
Great! Let me know how it turns out:)
Toni | Boulder Locavore
This looks really comforting! Perfect for fall nights!
Lindsay Cotter
thank you friend!
Heather B.
I just printed out this recipe and I’m looking forward to trying it! It sounds delicious and looks gorgeous too. Just a note, however, for something you might want to correct in your recipe: A pint is actually equivalent to 2 cups, so I would simply delete your references to the pint and simply list the vegetable broth amount as 3 cups.
Lindsay Cotter
Oh gosh! thanks for catching that. Probably a typo!
Heather B.
No problem, happy to help! 🙂
super mario bros
hey girl- this looks so yummy!
Dorcas Walters
The recipe says – if you don’t have a blender see notes – but there don’t seem to be any…?
I haven’t found any nutritional yeast yet but am planning to try this & hoping my son will eat it – he won’t eat soup with lumps in!
Lindsay Cotter
oh sorry about the Dorcas! I will update. Do you have a hand blender or immersion blender?
Gaby Dalkin
This soup has me SO excited for soup season!!
Cassie Autumn Tran
GAHHH nutritional yeast makes EVERYTHING more flavorful! I live for adding it to all my savory dishes. Heck, I’ve seen cinnamon roll recipes with nutritional yeast for the cream cheese frosting. Anyways, this looks like a fantastic and comforting soup recipe that I would love to dig into! Roasted cauliflower adds the perfect smokiness and depth that would taste a million times more delectable than just boiled cauliflower too!
Lindsay Cotter
Right?? SO GOOD. Good luck with the recipe, let me know how it goes! 😀
Madison Smith
Hi…Lindsay…Your soup is really awesome & looks sooo yummy and creamy, i will can’t make this soup….Thanks for sharing…and keep shard your new amazing ideas…..!
Lindsay Cotter
Thanks Madison!
Jennifer Blake
Oh my goodness the roasted cauliflower in this soup is so fantastic. For some reason I have been craving cauliflower a lot lately so this is a must!
Lindsay Cotter
Absolutely! Let me know how it turns out;)
Katie
Super simple! (Always a plus when it comes to soup making) Lots of flavor & filling!
Lindsay Cotter
Oh yeah! 😀
Katie
I love the flavors, and the healthy aspects!
Lindsay Cotter
Thanks, Katie-enjoy!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table
I cannot WAIT until it is chilly enough to want soup. Pinned this for when that day finally comes. It is coming, right?
Lindsay Cotter
I think you just need to come visit, Fall is here!
Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish
This soup is all the comfort! Thank you for sharing
Lindsay Cotter
I so agree! Thanks Suzy.
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
Cauliflower is my JAM! I totally need to try it in soup – sounds SO good!
Lindsay Cotter
Isn’t cauliflower so good? It definitely makes this soup. Keep me updated on how it goes!
Lex K.
Woah, this looks incredible! Roasted cauliflower has the best flavor, so I bet this soup is DELICIOUS!
Lindsay Cotter
Awww shucks. Thanks, Lex! It sure is a good one
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen
This sounds so good. I LOVE fennel 🙂
Lindsay Cotter
Thanks, Tara! Fennel just has the best flavor. You’re so gonna love this one!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I totally love cauliflower Lindsay! I’ll definitely be giving your recipe a try!
Lindsay Cotter
wonderful! Keep me posted Mary Ann!
Liz S.
You’ve DEFINITELY convinced me!
Lindsay Cotter
Thanks Liz. 😛