This Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup recipe is so easy to make and so good. It has crunchy Parmesan croutons, sun-dried tomato oil, spices, and creamy cauliflower, and it’s delicious. You can have this prepared in no time, providing your family with a delicious and wholesome meal that's easy to make.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Easy and Quick: This Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup can be prepared in under 30 minutes in your pressure cooker.
- Comforting and Delicious: Cauliflower parmesan soup is a creamy, hearty soup perfect for a cozy night in.
If you love cauliflower soup then be sure to check out our Cheesy Broccoli Soup recipe and Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn Soup.
📋 Ingredients
- Cauliflower Florets: The main ingredient, it lends a mild, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor to the soup.
- Minced Fresh Garlic: Provides a warm, savory depth of flavor.
- Chopped Onion: Adds a sweet, slightly sharp flavor that forms part of the soup's base.
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth: Provides a savory richness and forms the liquid base of the soup.
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy creaminess to the soup, enhancing its texture and flavor.
- Coarse Ground Garlic Salt & Seasoned Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance the overall flavor of the soup.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: Add a sweet, tart flavor to the soup.
- Crumbled Bacon: Adds a smoky, savory crunch for topping.
- Green Onions: Provide a fresh, mildly spicy flavor and add color to the soup.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Melts into the soup adding a rich, salty, and slightly tangy flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: Infuses the soup with a mix of traditional Italian herbs, adding depth and complexity to its flavor.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Spinach: You can use fresh spinach instead of sun-dried tomatoes, but it will alter the flavor profile and color of your dish.
- Cheese: You can use other types of cheese in cauliflower soup. While cheddar is commonly used, other cheeses like gouda, gruyere, or cream cheese can also add unique flavors and creaminess to the soup.
- Coconut Milk: If you're looking for a dairy free cauliflower soup switch the sour cream and cheese for coconut milk.
- Purple Cauliflower: Switch regular cauliflower for purple cauliflower. Check out this Purple Cauliflower Puree recipe here.
- Bacon-Loaded Cauliflower Soup: Incorporate chopped bacon for a savory, smoky twist.
- Cauliflower Leek Soup: Add leeks to the recipe for a subtle, sweet onion-like flavor.
- Creamy Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup: Enhance the soup's creaminess by adding heavy cream and cheddar cheese.
🔪How To Make Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Step 1: Chop the florets into small pieces. Then dice the sweet onion.
- Step 2: Place the Cauliflower florets, onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, minced garlic, salt, and seasoned pepper in the Instant Pot. Stir well, and secure the Instant Pot lid.
- Step 3: Pressure Cook Your Soup for 10 minutes. Naturally release for 10 minutes, then blend the soup into a smooth creamy mixture. Add the sour cream, 2 sun-dried tomatoes and about 8 ounces of Parmesan cheese, and stir well.
- Step 4: When ready to serve, ladle the perfect soup into bowls, place two of the Parmesan croutons in each bowl, and drizzle a little oil from the Sun-dried Tomatoes onto the top of the soup.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Use Fresh Cauliflower: The fresher the cauliflower, the better the taste and texture of your soup.
- Don't Add Water: We use broth as the liquid. Extra water would make the cauliflower soggy and tasteless.
- Blend For A Creamy Texture: I like to use an immersion blender directly in the pot for a smooth, creamy soup. This saves on time and dishes.
- Season To Taste: Feel free to adjust the seasoning in this healthy cauliflower soup according to your taste preferences.
💭 FAQs
To thicken cauliflower soup, you can puree a portion or all of the cooked cauliflower and broth in a blender until smooth. Another option is to stir in a slurry made of cornstarch and water or cream towards the end of cooking.
To make cauliflower soup creamy, blend the cooked cauliflower and broth until smooth, then stir in heavy cream for a rich, velvety texture.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular countertop blender or a food processor, just be sure to cool the ingredients slightly and blend in batches if needed.
To fix bland cauliflower soup, try adding more seasoning like salt, pepper, or herbs. You can also enhance flavor with ingredients like lemon juice, cream cheese, or a high-quality broth.
Yes, you can make roasted cauliflower soup. Roasting the cauliflower before blending it into soup enhances its flavor and the soup tastes amazing.
Yes, you can use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh. Simply add 2 minutes to the cooking time in the Instant Pot.
Once the soup has cooled down, transfer it into an airtight container. If you plan on eating the soup within the next couple of days, you can just put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you want to store your creamy cauliflower soup for a longer period, you can freeze it for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cauliflower Soup:
- Garlic Parmesan Croutons: Top the soup with homemade garlic Parmesan croutons for a flavorful crunch.
- Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread: Indulge in gooey, cheesy pull-apart bread that pairs perfectly with the creamy soup.
- Rosemary Parmesan Focaccia: Enjoy a slice of aromatic rosemary Parmesan focaccia for a rich and harmonious combination.
- Cheddar and Chive Biscuits: Delight in flaky cheddar and chive biscuits, perfect for dipping into the soup.
- Crispy Baguette Slices: Opt for crispy baguette slices to soak up the creamy goodness of the soup.
- Gruyère and Thyme Scones: Elevate your meal with nutty Gruyère and thyme scones for a sophisticated touch.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 3 pounds of Cauliflower florets
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 sweet onion – chopped
- 6 cups of chicken broth
- 1 carton of sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon of coarse ground garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon of seasoned pepper
- 1 jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Crumbled bacon – for topping
- 1 bunch of green onions – washed and finely chopped
- 2 tubs of Shredded Parmesan cheese – 16 ounces each
- Italian seasoning
Instructions
- First, line a cookie sheet with Parchment paper (or use silpat) and drop Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese onto the Parchment paper, about 2 inches apart, in little bunches, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until the Parmesan starts to turn golden brown.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and let cool. These are the Parmesan croutons for the soup, so make as many as you like, depending on how many you’re serving. (I made 2 croutons per bowl of soup served).
- Next, rinse the Cauliflower, and break it into florets. Chop the florets into small pieces. Chop the sweet onion, and place the Cauliflower florets, onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, garlic salt, and seasoned pepper in the Instant Pot.
- Stir well, and place the lid on the Instant Pot, until it beeps and locks. Make sure the pressure valve is set to SEALING, and press the Manual button, and set the time for 10 minutes.
- Let the Instant Pot build the pressure, cook the soup, and then naturally release the pressure. When the IP beeps, and goes to the OFF setting, make sure the FLOAT VALVE is down, and all the pressure has been released, and then remove the lid.
- Stir the soup, and using an immersion blender, blend the soup into a smooth creamy mixture. Add the sour cream, 2 sun-dried tomatoes and about 8 ounces of Parmesan cheese, and stir well.
- When ready to serve ladle the soup into bowls, place two of the Parmesan croutons in each bowl, and drizzle a little oil from the Sun dried Tomatoes, on to the top of the soup. Top with crumbled bacon, and green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
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this looks so yummy ,just like the other instant pot recipes
Would really like to try this recipe, love Cauliflower and Cheese
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cauliflower recipe before with soup. Can’t wait to try it!
Yes... It's super tasty especially with the cheese and a great low carb option!
Hi, I'm looking forward to trying your recipe, however, I've got a question about the sun dried tomatoes. Your recipe calls for 1 jar but only uses the oil when finishing the dish? Just want to confirm. Thanks
the sun-dried tomatoes go in with the sour cream earlier in the recipe. The oil is simply drizzled for extra flavor at the end. 🙂