Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup [Vegan+GF+Oil Free]

Instant Pot cauliflower soup is nutritious, tasty, and ready in less than 20 minutes.  It’s smooth and creamy, light and satisfying, all with only 5 ingredients!

This recipe was originally published in May 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.

I absolutely LOVE creamy soups. There’s something particularly comforting and flavourful about them. Like my Instant Pot potato leek soup and butternut squash soup, this soup is perfectly smooth, simple and delicious.

Why you’ll love this soup

• Nutritious, made using only wholesome ingredients, no fillers, no oil, and no unhealthy fat. This healthy spin on cauliflower soup skips all the “bad” ingredients and you’re left with creamy, wholesome, deliciousness.
• Kids love it! My little ones love how creamy this dish is and will gobble up a bowl in no time at all.
• Free from all the top 8 allergens, making it suitable for almost everyone. It’s vegetarian and vegan friendly, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, soy free and nut free!
• This Instant Pot cauliflower soup also has stove top directions, so if you don’t have an Instant Pot, no problem!
• It’s very low in calories, at under 50 calories a bowl!! So go ahead and eat the whole pot, or add in some fillers to make it a complete meal.
• Quick and simple! Only 5 ingredients needed, little prep or hands on time and perfect for busy weeknights.

How to make Instant Pot cauliflower soup

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

To prepare, gather your ingredients and roughly chop your onion and break the cauliflower into large florets.

Don’t worry about uniform size pieces since everything will be pureed later anyhow. This alone saves you time on prep work!

Add all 5 ingredients to your Instant Pot and give it a stir. (photo 1)

Close the lid, seal the valve and set to high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the timer is complete, quick release the steam valve and open the lid once safe to do so. (photo 2)

NOTE: For stove top directions, see the recipe card below.

Using an immersion blender, puree your soup until it is smooth and creamy. (photos 3-5)

NOTE: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you may carefully transfer (in batches) to a stand blender and puree. Use extreme caution and don’t overfill your blender.

NOTE: If you enjoy creamy soups like this one, I highly recommend a stick/immersion blender! Not only is it faster because you can process the entire batch in one shot, but it also saves the mess and hassle of dirtying and washing your blender.

Serve garnished with chili flakes, black pepper, basil, or a drizzle of hot sauce, (I like Sriracha).

You may also add toppings such as roasted chickpeas, vegan parmesan cheese, or croutons.

For a more classic style cauliflower soup, while still keeping it vegan, top your bowl with some vegan bacon bits, or shredded cheddar style cheese.

How long does it keep?

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5  days, just reheat and serve.

You may also freeze in an airtight container (once cooled) for up to 3 months.

Remember to leave a little room for expansion.

Expert tips, tricks & variations

• Add more seasoning if desired. This soup is designed to be simple, using minimal ingredients, while still delivering great flavour. If preferred, add some cumin, coriander, celery seed, or smoked paprika to amp up the flavours.
• For cheesiness, add 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast to the pot, before cooking.
• For added protein, add a can of white beans to your pot before cooking. Or add a block of silken or soft tofu once cooked and puree with your soup.
• If you want a richer, thicker soup, add 2 roughly chopped potatoes to the pot before cooking and puree together with the cauliflower once cooked. Or, if you’re not avoiding nuts, add 1/2 cup of cashews to the mix.
• Bulk it up and make this simple soup suitable for a main dish by adding a scoop of cooked brown rice, barley or quinoa to each bowl before serving.
• Use an immersion blender to puree. An immersion or stick blender makes pureeing soups a lot easier. No need to transfer hot liquids, making it simpler and less messy. Plus, no added risk of burns or mishaps.

More delicious, creamy soup recipes

• Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
• Vegan Cold Pear Soup
• Creamy Autumn Soup w/ Squash & Pumpkin
• Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
• Carrot Cauliflower Soup with Dill & Sage

If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

Buon appetito,
Rosa

Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup [Vegan+GF+Oil Free]

Instant Pot cauliflower soup is nutritious, tasty, and ready in less than 20 minutes. It's smooth and creamy, light and satisfying, all with only 5 ingredients!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 9 minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 49kcal

Author: Rosa

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
• 1 large head of cauliflower broken into large florets
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Optional Garnishes

• Roasted Chickpeas
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese
• Chili flakes, black pepper or hot sauce for heat
• Fresh chives, parsley, or basil for freshness

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

• Add all 5 ingredients to your Instant Pot, close the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position. Set to 4 minutes on high pressure (it will take about 10 minutes to reach pressure) and once the timer completes, quick release the steam valve.
• Open the lid once safe to do so, and using an immersion blender, puree your soup.
• Serve garnished with chili flakes, basil, black pepper, hot sauce, or chives if desired. Enjoy!

Stove Top Directions

• Add all 5 ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 8 minutes, until cauliflower is fork tender.
• Turn off heat, and using an immersion blender, puree your soup until smooth.
• Serve garnished with chili flakes, basil, black pepper, hot sauce, or chives if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer to a blender and puree in batches as needed.

Add more seasoning if desired. This soup is designed to be simple, using minimal ingredients, while still delivering great flavour. If preferred, add some cumin, coriander, celery seed, or smoked paprika to amp up the flavours.

For cheesiness, add 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast to the pot, before cooking your soup.

For added protein, add a can of white beans to your pot before cooking. Or add a block of silken or soft tofu once cooked and puree with your soup.

If you want a richer, thicker soup, add 2 roughly chopped potatoes to the pot before cooking and puree together with the cauliflower once cooked. Or, if you're not avoiding nuts, add 1/2 cup of cashews to the mix.

Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bulk it up and make this simple soup suitable for a main dish by adding a scoop of cooked brown rice, barley or quinoa to each bowl before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

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*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.