Creamy Cauliflower Broccoli Cheese Soup
This Cauliflower Broccoli Cheese Soup is creamy, cozy, and packed with cheesy flavor, but without any flour or cream. By blending cauliflower into the base, this broccoli cheese soup turns velvety smooth while staying gluten free and low carb. It tastes just like the classic you love, but with extra veggies and a lighter feel, making it perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or an easy keto-friendly meal.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
The Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup used to be one of my favorite things, especially scooped up with a big hunk of sourdough bread. But since I had to go gluten free, I haven’t been able to just go there anymore and order a You-Pick-Two. Now I make my own broccoli cheese soup, which is just as creamy and cheesy, naturally gluten free, and packs in something that makes this maybe an even better Panera copycat recipe.
Yes, if the sneakiest vegetable of all can become cauliflower tots, then it can certainly make a delicious soup. Unlike cauliflower posing as pizza crust, it truly blends into a silky-smooth and rich base for this cozy soup!
Why You Need to Make Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup With Cauliflower
You won’t believe how velvety and comforting it is. There are so many reasons to love it, like these…
- No flour or cream. Instead of a flour-based roux or cornstarch slurry, it’s thickened with cauliflower. So it’s naturally low carb and gluten free, but also a little lighter, while still being smooth and creamy.
- More veggies. Yes, pureeing cauliflower ups the vegetable content, which is always a good thing, especially if you have picky eaters.
- Looks and tastes inviting. Some keto broccoli cheese soup recipes use pureed broccoli. But by using cauliflower, you still keep the carb count low without giving it a strange greenish color. And a combination of sharp cheddar with dry mustard and nutmeg just gives you a nice, cheesy flavor, not a veggie-forward taste.
Recipe Ingredients
This comforting broccoli cheese soup recipe feels so comforting and indulgent, but it’s made with a simple list of wholesome ingredients that are all naturally gluten free. Here’s some information you might need, but you can get the full amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil
- Onion – feel free to use less, skip it altogether, or try a bit of onion powder to reduce the carb count further.
- Cauliflower – one large head, approximately 2 lbs total, yielding 3 to 4 cups or about 1.5 lbs of florets.
- Nutmeg – just a pinch is known to enhance the flavor of any creamy sauce.
- Dry mustard – adds sharpness to help it taste extra cheesy. I always add Colman’s Mustard Powder to my cheese or egg dishes.
- Cayenne pepper – optional, but just a pinch wakes up the flavors.
- Chicken or vegetable broth – from a carton or homemade. I typically use the Kirkland brand from Costco.
- Broccoli – about 3 cups of florets that can be fresh or frozen. If you use frozen, just keep an eye on it and don’t overcook it or the broccoli can get mushy.
- Carrots – julienned or finely diced. It can be omitted for a keto soup, but they add a nice color and texture.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – definitely opt for a nice, sharp cheddar for the best flavor.
- Salt and pepper – season to taste.
- Garnishes – add some cooked bacon, a sprinkle of more shredded cheese, or even some minced chives.
How to Make Cauliflower Broccoli Cheese Soup
You won’t believe how simple it is! Let’s look at what to do…
- Saute the veggies. In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil. Add the cauliflower, nutmeg, dry mustard, cayenne, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute for a minute or two. Then add the chicken broth to the pot.
- Simmer and puree. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the cauliflower is tender enough to be mashed easily with a fork. Use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until it is smooth and creamy.
- Cook the veggies. Return the soup to the pot over medium heat. Add the broccoli and carrots, and cook until the broccoli is tender.
- Add the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese a little at a time. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with additional shredded cheese and crumbled bacon, if desired.
Tips for Success
- Use the right pot. I like to use a heavy-bottomed pot, such as enameled cast iron. With a nice, large soup pot, you can saute the vegetables in the pot, then return the pureed soup to the same pot to let it simmer. And a heavy pot distributes the heat better, so the vegetables can saute and caramelize without scorching. And while this soup doesn’t have to simmer for a long time, if you want to keep it warm, it can stay over low heat for a longer time without burning.
- Choose how to blend it. Also called a hand blender or stick blender, an immersion blender allows you to puree the soup right in the pot without transferring it to a blender. This makes it easier, with less mess to clean up. But you can also use a regular blender, transferring it in portions if needed. For the smoothest, most silky soup, I love to use my Blendtec Designer 725. The Wildside+ Jar is nice and big, so you don’t have to blend it in batches, as you would with a smaller blender, and it gets perfectly smooth in seconds. You can even use the “Soup” setting to keep it hot while you blend it. I am a Blendtec ambassador, and should you make any purchases through that link, I will receive a small commission, but that also means you can use the code CUPCAKESANDKALECHIPS to receive 20% off.
- Cook enough, but not too much. When simmering the cauliflower, you want to make sure it gets very soft so that it purees very smoothly, so you have a velvety soup. But once you’ve added the broccoli, cook until it is just tender so that it doesn’t get mushy and fall apart.
- Add the cheese gradually. Keep the heat low and add a little at a time, letting it melt completely before adding more, so that you don’t curdle the cauliflower broccoli cheese soup.
- Make it vegetarian. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and skip the bacon garnish.
Recipe FAQ’s
Why is my broccoli cheddar soup grainy?
The first reason the soup can be grainy or clumpy is that you added the cheese too fast. If you add it all at once, it will clump and not fully melt and distribute to give you the velvety texture.
Second is that your heat is too high, either while you add the cheese or after it has been added. The proteins in the cheese tighten up and cause the fat to separate, giving you a curdled consistency and a greasy soup. Once you have started adding the cheese to the soup, you want to be sure you do not let it boil.
How do you add cheese to soup?
To prevent these problems, you’ll add the cheese at the very end, after the soup is pureed, and the broccoli is cooked to the desired doneness. Then, reduce the heat to low and add the cheese a little at a time. Stir and allow each addition to melt completely and become fully distributed and smooth before adding any more. Then slowly allow it to come back to the desired temperature without letting it boil.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. If it begins to smell off, then throw it away.
- Reheat – Transfer the leftover soup to a pot on the stove over very low heat and reheat slowly and gently to avoid boiling, as this will cause it to curdle. You can also reheat it in the microwave, but again, you’ll want to do this carefully to avoid curdling. Use 50% power and stir frequently.
Can broccoli cheese soup be frozen?
I would not recommend freezing this broccoli cauliflower cheese soup. Creamy soups typically do not freeze well, as the fats tend to separate when frozen and reheated, leading to an undesirable texture. Also, the broccoli florets will become mushy. So while not unsafe, it would not be as delicious.
Make it a Meal
This soup is truly satisfying on its own, but there are plenty of delicious options to serve with it.
- Keep it keto. Garnish with bacon or a few keto cheddar crackers.
- Add some bread. If you aren’t low carb, it’s delicious to sop it up with a hunk of Gluten Free French Bread or some Gluten Free Soft Breadsticks.
- Serve with a salad. Drizzle it with Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing or Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Have it as a side. Serve it with with easy cube steaks or Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets.
More low carb soup recipes
- Low Carb Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Greek Avgolemono Soup with Zoodles
- Easy Butternut Squash Soup with Sage and Thyme
- Easy Vegetable Soup for a Cold (swap the potatoes for more cauliflower to keep it keto-friendly)
- Low Carb Chile Relleno Chicken Soup from All Day I Dream About Food
Cauliflower Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- 1 head cauliflower , core removed and chopped into small florets (about 3-4 cups of florets)
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
- 1/3 cup julienned carrots (1-2 carrots)
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese , plus more for sprinkling on top, if desired
- crumbled bacon , optional for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 small yellow onion, chopped, and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, and a pinch salt and pepper, and saute for a minute or two.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth, cover, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer for at least 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender, such that it can be mashed easily with a fork. You can break it up a little while it's cooking to help speed the process along.
- Use an immersion blender, or transfer the mixture to a blender, and puree until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot over medium heat and add 3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets and 1/3 cup julienned carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender (if you are using frozen broccoli, you only need to cook until the broccoli is thawed and heated through).
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese a little at a time. If you want a thinner soup, add additional broth, cream, milk, or water to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve in bowls and sprinkle with additional shredded cheese and crumbled bacon , if desired.
Notes
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This soup is awesome! I used to make a version with canned soup (ugh!) and was looking for something healthier. This is way better, and has no crap in it. Love it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It is one of my favorites too!
Hi!
I was looking for a recipe to use the heads of cauliflower and broccoli that we had in the fridge, figuring that I’d probably steam them and make a reduced-fat cheese sauce to simulate the Birdseye frozen version that’s relatively healthy. But I was delighted to stumble upon your recipe, and we gave it a try for dinner tonight.
It turned out well and both my wife and I liked it. I’ll be honest and say that I’d prefer the version with butter, flower and cream, but too many of those kinds of delicious foods took their toll on me to the detriment of my health, and we no longer eat that way; So we compromise…
I happen to love cauliflower — even raw — so this wasn’t a hard sell to get me to try it. It does yield a creamy texture, despite the absence of high-fat dairy and flour, and doesn’t leave behind much of a cauliflower taste. That’s probably a benefit for many who try this recipe, and are accustomed to rich foods on an everyday basis. They are more likely to not care for it than those of us who have weaned ourselves from that type of diet.
So we give it a ‘very good’ rating and thank you for the time you’ve put into the site.
This looks and sounds delicious. I read all the comments and seems no one else questioned the approx cup amount of cauliflower. I was hoping to see some info on that. I bought an organic head and just got the prettiest one they had. ? I would say it’s medium in size.
Any suggestions or ideas on this?
Thanks.
Hi Barb,
You’ll need about 3 cups of florets. That medium head of cauliflower should be perfect. 🙂
Didn’t like next time I’ll go for a “cream ” soup
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the soup, Pat. I hope you’re able to find something you enjoy more the next time. 🙂
Made this soup today. While a bit time intense, it is awesome. Also added diced cooked potatoes, fantastic!!! Looking for one that is like CoreLife, this is better! Thanks !!!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the soup recipe, Sandy. You’re right that it does take some time to make, but I think the end results are worth it. 🙂
The serving size says 1 gram? That’s….less than a teaspoon? Is this a typo?
Haha, yes, that’s a typo. My apologies! The serving size is 1/6th of the entire recipe, or approximately 1 cup of soup
I’ve made this a few times now – love it! It’s my new go to broccoli cheese soup recipe. Feels healthier by throwing in a head of cauliflower. My family prefers this over my previously used recipe with butter, flour, and tons of cream.
I’m so glad that you found a favorite soup recipe for your family, Courtney! Thanks for rating the recipe!
Could you please include the nutrition value of your recipes. I printed the Creamy cauliflower broccoli cheese soup recipe and I need to know the calories, carbs and fiber
Hi Barbara,
We recently switched over to a new recipe format and we’re working hard to update the recipes on this site with the nutritional information. There are over 1,000 of them, so our apologies for the delay!
I love this recipe. It is so creamy and delicious without the guilt.
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Andi!
Would love to make this in may instant pot – any suggestions as to how to do so? Thanks!
Sara, to make the soup in an Instant Pot, I would start by using the saute button to cook the onion. Then toss in the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, chicken broth and seasonings and pressure cook on high power for about 5 minutes (you may need to cook it a minute or so longer if your florets are really big). You can use a quick pressure release. Then puree the soup and set the Instant Pot on saute again to stir in the cheese until it melts.
Great! Thanks for that. I made it on the stove top last night and it was delicious. Can’t wait to try it on the instant pot.