Roasted Cauliflower Soup

This creamy roasted cauliflower soup with crispy bacon screams comfort food and will be the star of your fall menus. A bit of thyme, spicy chili oil, and crunchy green onions in every bite takes it over the top and makes it heavenly!

Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Soup Recipe

This buttery cauliflower soup with bacon is a comforting dinner once the leaves start falling.

• Packed with veggies. You load up on tender cauliflower, onions, and veggie broth with every spoonful.
• Fancy-but-easy. A bit of garlic, butter, tangy lemon juice, and fresh thyme take this simple recipe to the next level.
• One-pot. Everything comes together in the same pot for easy clean-up afterwards.
• Perfect for fall. Something about homemade roasted cauliflower and soup just scream “fall”.

What You’ll Need

Sweet onions, fragrant garlic, and herby thyme add a lovely aromatic base to this rich cauliflower soup. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

• Cauliflower – It can be fresh or frozen (thawed florets).
• Olive oil – Vegetable, corn, and canola oil are great substitutes.
• Salt and pepper – Go for kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
• Bacon – It can be regular or thick-cut bacon.
• Yellow onion – You can also use white onion.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic and garlic paste are best for this.
• Vegetable broth – I prefer low-sodium versions. Chicken broth is a good swap.
• Thyme – Feel free to use fresh or dried thyme.
• Unsalted butter – Salted butter works too.
• Lemon juice – Reduce the amount by half if you use lime juice.

How To Roast Cauliflower

Roasting cauliflower is easy as long as it’s cut into evenly-sized pieces!

• Prep it. Preheat the oven to 425F. Spread out the cauliflower in the baking sheet. Season it with olive oil and salt.
• Roast it. Pop it into the oven for 20 minutes, or until tender and slightly browned. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.

How To Make Cauliflower Soup

Using bacon grease for sautéing the veggies packs the soup with natural smokey goodness. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Cook the bacon. Set a Dutch oven to medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook it for 5-7 minutes, or until crispy. Remove it from the heat and let it drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

• Sautée the veggies. Add the onions and garlic to the bacon grease in the Dutch oven. Sautée everything for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the roasted cauliflower, thyme, and broth.
• Simmer it. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Remove it from the heat for 10 minutes.
• Process it. Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to process the soup until smooth. Add the butter, lemon juice, and more salt to taste. Blend again until well combined.
• Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with bacon, green onions, chili oil, and fresh thyme. Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

You can easily spice up this garlicky cauliflower soup with crunchy toppings, spicy jalapeños, and cream cheese.

• Add toppings. Sprinkling more bacon, green onions, or drizzling chili oil over the soup will add more flavor and texture.
• Use leftovers. Mix my 3 Ingredient Mashed Cauliflower or Whole Roasted Cauliflower into the recipe to reduce food waste.
• Make a cauliflower-potato soup. Stir leftover Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes into the pot. Process as usual until smooth. Adjust the soup’s consistency with more broth.
• Prep ahead. Roast the cauliflower up to 3 days in advance so you can reduce cooking time during the week.
• Make it spicy. Chop up 1/4-1/2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chilis, and sautée them with the onions for a kick of heat.
• Add cheese. Blend 1/4 cup cream cheese into the soup for extra richness. Stirring 1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar until completely melted will also give you cheesy spoonfuls of soup.
• Go creamy. Swap 1 cup of broth for heavy cream or half-and-half. Don’t add it in until the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

Serving Suggestions

This hearty cauliflower soup is an easy dinner with a side of toasty bread or breadsticks. In smaller portions, I love serving it as a starter. Pair it with my Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic Butter or Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs. If you prefer steak, try my New York Strip Steak with Balsamic Reduction or Grilled Ribeye Steak. For veggie side ideas, try my Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Air Fryer Asparagus.

Proper Storage

Make sure it’s fully cooled before storing to prevent spoilage.

• Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Discard it immediately if the soup tastes sour.
• Freezer: Pour it into freezer bags or containers in serving-size portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen.
• To reheat it: Microwave it for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again until warm. You can also heat it in a pot over medium-high heat for 8-9 minutes.

More Easy Soup Recipes To Try

• Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
• French Onion Soup
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

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