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 air fried 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 ¼ 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 ½ 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
- Broccoli Almond 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
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 1 large head of cauliflower broken into large florets
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon 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!
Sarah
What are the calories for this soup again? I’d like an updated one if that’s alright. Also how many cups if I use frozen cauliflower?
Rosa
The calories are already listed in the nutritional information. Not sure what you mean about an updated one. It is current. Approx. 6-7 cups of cauliflower. Enjoy!
Susan
I added shredded cabbage to mine. It was absolutely delicious. I didn’t use instant pot, I just used a big pot and it was easy peasy.
Rosa
Thrilled you enjoyed it Susan. 🙂
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours
I do like a recipe that is quick and easy to make, and gives you something tasty. This is a lovely idea for using cauliflower, so much flavour yet so simple.
rosa
Thanks so much Helen! 🙂
Noelle
Cauliflower soup is the best to start but I love how simple this was to make and low calorie, even better!
rosa
Thanks so much for your feedback Noelle!
Kelly Anthony
Only 63 calories per serving is amazing. I love that I can still have a warm bowl of creamy soup and not ruin my calories for the day. Thanks for sharing.
rosa
You’re so welcome Kelly. Can’t beat a low calorie dish that satisfies like comfort food!
Linda
A delicious sounding soup that’s so quick and easy is a win-win in my book. I like the idea of using some chili flakes or hot sauce to spice it up too. Great for a cold winter’s night dinner.
rosa
Thanks Linda, quick and easy for the win!
Cathy
This soup looks absolutely delicious and I love it’s so simple to make and is made under just 20 minutes! Cannot wait to make this soup!
rosa
Thanks so much Cathy, hope you enjoy.
Hillary
My kids love this soup – they say it’s the best soup in the world lol 😂 Thank you so much for this great recipe!
rosa
Wow that’s fantastic! The best soup in the world with only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes? You just can’t beat that! 🙂