Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup is your go-to staple for classic comfort food in a bowl.
Even though it’s a mystery, Aunt Dimity and The King’s Ransom really hits the spot when it comes to foodie fiction. The inn’s shifty chef, Steve, is a culinary genius, and his meals at The King’s Ransom are paid a lot of attention throughout the book, much to this food blogger’s delight.
Two dishes in particular are repeatedly mentioned: Steve’s apple crisp, served with cream and custard (Holy Decadence, Batman!), and a roasted cauliflower and white cheddar soup.
It really was a toss-up on which book-inspired recipe to choose. Since I cranked out an Apple Crisp Galette only a few months ago, I decided to venture down the savory route this time and make Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup.
My husband and I always bring lunch from home to work during the week, and we run through a lot of soup recipes in the winter. However, Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup is one of our favorites.
It’s thick and hearty, and brimming with fresh flavor, which is exactly what you’re craving from a dish in the dead of winter. This is the perfect soup to dip a piece of crusty bread into or serve alongside a crisp, green salad for dinner.
Cauliflower is admittedly pretty bland on its own, so you have to snazz it up a bit. Okay, a lot. Chef Steve roasts his cauliflower to make it deliciously brown and slightly nutty tasting, but… that’s too much work. And gives me another pan to wash.
I like one-pot recipes, so my Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup uses a shortcut: I brown the cauliflower, along with some diced onions, right in the Dutch oven. You get all the flavor without the extra work!
As the onions start to slightly caramelize in the pot, I add the chopped cauliflower in bunches; this way, each floret has a chance to get a little color and lots of flavor.
I also throw some carrots into the soup for natural sweetness, along with some thyme for earthy freshness, and a few potatoes to thicken the soup without having to add cream or flour.
Once the soup’s done bubbling away, I blitz it with the immersion blender until it’s smooth and velvety. Then, I add… THE CHEESE.
Use good cheddar, people. We’ve already had this discussion. Also, grate it yourself. Don’t buy pre-grated cheese because it just won’t melt right in the soup.
I tipped three cups of extra-sharp cheddar into this Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup, but, y’know… you do you. I won’t judge if you want to put an extra cup (or five) in there.
Garnish it with a sprinkling of chives and a dash of paprika. Adding more cheese on top never hurt nobody, neither.
By the way: in case you couldn’t tell, you’re going to need a big pot for this one. Like, really big.
Like, you know when you bought that humongous, knock-off Le Creuset Dutch oven at Home Goods that was still absurdly expensive, and your partner was like, “What’re you ever going to use this thing for???” And, you got annoyed at said partner’s frugal practicality, kinda agreed, but bought it anyway?
Well, you now have your answer: THIS RECIPE. Consider yourself vindicated. (You’re welcome.)
So, break out your best Dutch oven (whatever the brand) and get ready to fill it with cozy and comforting Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup.
This recipe is admittedly a little time-consuming, but it makes a massive amount of soup. You’ll spend a little more time in the kitchen, but you’ll end up with a lunch or dinner that could feed you for at least a week.
Plus, it’s relatively healthy since it’s full of fresh veggies! There are practically zero calories in cauliflower, right?? Just ignore how many fistfuls of cheese you dump in there. You’re just getting your daily serving of dairy in.
This soup is a great make-ahead weekend wonder. But, my favorite time to make it is on a snowy, winter afternon when I don’t have anywhere else to be.
Except at my kitchen table in front of a big, steaming bowl of delicious Cauliflower and White Cheddar Cheese Soup.
Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra vrigin olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1/4 (.25) oz fresh thyme
- 2 large heads of cauliflower, chopped into small florets (about 2 lbs EACH)
- 2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cups extra sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated (plus for more garnish)
- chopped fresh chives, for taste (for garnish)
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Chop the onion, carrots, and fresh thyme, and set aside in a large bowl.
- Chop the cauliflower and set aside in another large bowl (or two).*
- Peel and chop potatoes, then set aside in a medium bowl.
- Grate cheddar cheese and set aside in medium bowl. Keep cheese at room temperature (this makes it melt easier into the hot soup).
- Finely chop chives and set aside in a small bowl.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and fresh thyme. Stir to coat, then let cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are a little brown and starting to caramelize. You're trying to get good flavor here, so don't stir too often; let them brown.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the Dutch oven in batches of 1-2 cups at a time.** Stir to coat then let brown a little bit, stirring only occasionally, before adding the next batch of florets. The onions will continue to brown, and that's okay. Adjust heat as needed so veggies brown, not burn.
- After all the cauliflower has been added and has browned, add a splash of the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon or spatula. You want all that flavor from the bottom of the pot going into the soup.
- Add the chopped potatoes to the pot, then add the remaining chicken broth.
- Add the salt and pepper to the pot, stirring carefully to ensure that all veggies are mostly covered by the broth.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 25-30 minutes, or until cauliflower and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the soup from the heat and turn off the stove. Let cool 10-15 miuntes.
- Use a stick blender/immersion blender to blend the soup until thick and completely smooth.
- Sprinkle the 3 cups grated cheese into the hot soup and stir until completely melted. Taste, then add additional salt and/or pepper, if needed.
- Ladle a generous portion of soup into a bowl, then serve hot. Garnish with chopped chives, extra grated cheddar cheese, or a sprinkling of paprika.
I, too, have recently jumped on the cauliflower bandwagon! This looks delicious! I will try to make this sans cheese since I am lactose intolerant. (Yes, sad.) I like that you added potatoes to this soup. I can hardly wait to try to cook this and I will definitely let you know how it turns out. This is @cozybaylife on IG by the way. Your blog is fun! 🙂 I also have a blog — http://www.autumnbaygal.blog
Hello, cozybaylife!! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by my blog. Yes, I can’t wait to hear how the soup turns out for you — maybe you could add goat cheese instead for a tangy twist? I think goat cheese doesn’t contain lactose, but I’m not sure. You would know better than I would, lol. I’ve made this soup without any cheese at all, though, and it’s still turned out delicious because of the browned veggie flavor.
I love your blog, btw! I just checked it out. You take gorgeous photos; everything is so clear and focused! And I read your “about me”–we have a scary amount of things in common…but in a good way!! 🙂 Looking forward to keeping up with you! xoxo
I just made your soup and has been sitting in my fridge for two days. We have tons of food. My guy went a little cray and went grocery shopping, more like panic buying but nothing we cannot eat in a couple of weeks. 🙂 I will be eating the soup this weekend and will let you know. I will post photos and recipe on my blog with my modification (I added sweet potatoes and parsley) and give you credit for your recipe and inspiration. 🙂 I love your blog as well. So fun! I had the similar idea in the past where I would pair up food with books but I have no time to blog often. I use 50 mm lens for my food pictures but mostly I use my Samsung camera then edit on Snapseed. Happy blogging and be safe and healthy. Hang in there and I know that we will get through this. I love your positivity as well! 🙂 Thanks for checking out my blog!
By the way, your photos are really pretty as well. I also enjoy your writing which is why I find your blog really enjoyable to read! 🙂
HI CJ, Thank you for your recipe. It inspired me to make cauliflower soup with a slight variation. Here is my post with kudos and credit to you: https://autumnbaygal.blog/2020/03/22/in-my-kitchen-cauliflower-sweet-potato-soup/ It was delicious! Take care! — L
Hey, L!! Ooooh, I am so excited to check out your variation of this soup! My husband loves sweet potatoes, so I’m sure it will be something he’ll want to try. 🙂 Thanks for your compliments on my blog! It’s nice to meet another kindred spirit on here. I’ve been meaning to get a good camera, but I had to get a new phone in December, and the camera on this phone is so freakin’ good, I just keep using that, too, lol. I know a “real” camera will give me more professional shots, but this hobby blogger is fine with the camera phone for now. Samsung is so great!
Hi CJ, I love sweet potatoes. The BF does not like it but I love sweet potato everything! Nice to meet you as well. Your blog is fabulous and your photos are lovely. Nowadays camera phones are so good that it is hard to tell apart which photos were taken by a camera phone vs real camera. I am a Samsung gal. too. I have an iPhone for my work phone and I cannot get the hang of it. Samsung phone cameras t are the best! You will love the new Samsung. The BF gave me a new one as my old one was lost last January. If you look at my photos taken by Samsung S10: https://autumnbaygal.blog/2020/03/05/san-francisco-birthday-drinks-at-executive-order-bar-lounge/ They are almost as good as photos taken by my mirrorless Sony A6000. I mostly use my Sony now for food photography at home because I like the lens blurring but new camera phones can do that now. Samsung 20 I am sure is much more fun and better but he already got the S10. I cannot complain since he paid for it! LOL! Anyway, I do not really know anything about photography but to point and shoot! Ha!Ha! Thank God for blogging! This is my little outlet and sanity in this world! Hope you like the soup. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Really enjoyed the soup! Delicious!!
Thanks for letting me know, Becky! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂