My velvety smooth cauliflower soup recipe with cream cheese and Gouda is accented with the subtle flavor of lemon and thyme.
Whether you are craving effortless comfort food or simply a thick and hearty soup to warm you during the cold winter months, this cream of cauliflower soup without heavy cream is sure to please. Using cream cheese instead of heavy cream creates a thick and silky soup that feels luxurious, yet is surprisingly simple to craft.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Fresh cauliflower florets
- Butter - Olive oil can be substituted.
- Garlic cloves
- Chicken broth - Chicken stock is great to use, too.
- Cream cheese
- Gouda cheese - Sharp cheddar cheese is a good substitution.
- Fresh thyme sprig - Fresh dill would be a wonderful alternative.
- Black pepper
- Table salt
- Lemon juice - Fresh squeezed or bottled is fine.
How to make it
Make this cheesy cauliflower soup with cream cheese by heating a large soup pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat, then adding the butter and cauliflower florets. Sauté the cauliflower until it turns golden brown.
Pour in the chicken broth and then puree the cauliflower with a stick blender until smooth. Heat the mixture over medium heat until almost simmering, then melt in chunks of cream cheese, stirring to fully incorporate. Once the cream cheese has melted into the broth, stir in the shredded cheese.
Add a thyme sprig, black pepper, salt, and lemon juice to the soup. Bring everything to a simmer and cook for ten minutes, then serve with crusty bread.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover cauliflower soup with cream cheese should be kept in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Alternatively, this soup also freezes well. You can reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Cauliflower Soup with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets, ~6 cups
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat and add cauliflower florets. Saute cauliflower until it begins to turn golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot and blend the sauteed cauliflower with the broth until smooth, using an immersion blender, or pour the mixture into a countertop blender, and puree until smooth.
- Heat the cauliflower mixture and whisk in chunks of cream cheese. Stir to combine until the cream cheese has melted into the broth. Then add shredded Gouda cheese and repeat.
- Add fresh thyme, black pepper, salt, and lemon juice. Simmer the soup for ten minutes, then serve.
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