Crockpot cauliflower soup is a creamy, cheesy soup that mostly makes itself: a head of cauliflower, leeks, celery and garlic cook in chicken broth on low until tender, then the soup is blended smooth and finished with sharp cheddar and heavy cream. It serves 6, with about 10 minutes of hands-on work.
How to make it: Put the cauliflower, leeks, celery, garlic, broth and pepper in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Blend it smooth, stir in the cheddar and cream until melted, season, and top each bowl with bacon, chives, extra cheddar or sour cream.
Why You’ll Love It
- Hands-off: 10 minutes of chopping, then the slow cooker does the rest.
- Creamy without potatoes: blended cauliflower makes the soup thick and smooth.
- Cheesy: two cups of sharp cheddar melt in at the end.
- Toppings bar: bacon, chives, cheddar and sour cream let everyone finish their own bowl.
How to Make Cauliflower Soup in a Slow Cooker
The order matters more than anything else in this soup:
- Vegetables and broth first. Everything except the cheese and cream goes in the slow cooker. Push the cauliflower down under the broth as much as you can.
- Cook until tender. 6 to 8 hours on low, or 3 to 4 hours on high, until the cauliflower is soft.
- Blend. Use an immersion blender right in the pot, or move it to a countertop blender in batches. The soup is very hot, so go carefully.
- Cheese and cream last. Stir them in after blending. If the cheese needs help melting, put the lid back on for 15 to 20 minutes.
What Makes Cauliflower Soup Taste Better?
- Leeks and garlic. They give the broth a gentle onion flavor as it cooks.
- Sharp cheddar. A sharp cheese gives a stronger cheese flavor than a mild one.
- Toppings. Crisp bacon, chives and a spoonful of sour cream make each bowl richer.
- Seasoning at the end. Taste after the cheese goes in, since broth and cheese both bring salt.
Common Mistakes
- Adding the cheese too early: blend first, then stir in the cheddar and cream.
- Soup too thin: mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water, stir it in, cover and cook 30 more minutes.
- Splashing hot soup: blend in batches if you use a countertop blender.
- Salting before tasting: season only at the end.
Can I Make It Ahead?
Yes. Cook and blend the soup, cool it quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate it. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it on the stove until it’s steaming hot, then stir in the cheddar and cream until melted. Keeping the cheese and cream for the last step gives you the same finish as the day you made it.
Ingredient Notes
Cauliflower: 1 head, roughly chopped. It all gets blended, so the pieces don’t need to be neat.
Leeks: 1 cup, white parts only, washed well and sliced.
Celery and garlic: 2 stalks of celery, diced, and 3 cloves of garlic, minced.
Chicken broth: 4 cups. Vegetable broth works too.
Cheese and cream: 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 2/3 cup heavy cream.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 cup leeks, washed and sliced, white parts only
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooked crumbled bacon, chives, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, for serving, optional
How to Make Crockpot Cauliflower Soup
1. Fill the slow cooker. Add the cauliflower, leeks, celery, garlic, chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the slow cooker.
2. Cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the cauliflower is tender.
3. Blend. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or transfer it to a blender and pulse until smooth.
4. Add cheese and cream. Add the cheddar and heavy cream and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve. Serve with the toppings you like.
Variations
- Monterey Jack: use it in place of the cheddar.
- More vegetables: add onion and carrot with the celery; extra carrots make it chunkier.
- Milk instead of cream: whole milk or whipping cream with a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.
- Dairy-free: skip the cheese and cream, add potatoes, carrots and onion, use vegetable broth and blend.
- Toppings: crisp bacon and sliced green onions, or crispy spiced chickpeas.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Divide the soup into smaller shallow containers so it cools quickly, refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Cream soups don’t freeze well, so it’s best kept in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F or a rolling boil. Don’t reheat it in the slow cooker; once it’s hot, you can move it to a preheated slow cooker to keep it warm for serving.
What to Serve With It
Crusty bread or a crisp salad, such as marinated cauliflower salad.
More creamy soups: 5-ingredient slow cooker loaded potato soup, creamy baked potato soup, baked potato soup, Paula Deen’s crockpot potato soup and million dollar soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make cauliflower soup in a slow cooker?
Cook the cauliflower, leeks, celery and garlic in broth on low for 6 to 8 hours, blend smooth, then stir in cheddar and cream.
What are common mistakes when making cauliflower soup?
Adding the cheese before blending, salting too early and blending very hot soup all at once in a countertop blender.
What makes cauliflower soup taste better?
Leeks and garlic in the broth, sharp cheddar at the end and toppings like bacon and chives.
What kind of broth is best for cauliflower soup?
This recipe uses chicken broth; vegetable broth works too.
Can I cook it on high?
Yes, 3 to 4 hours on high, until the cauliflower is tender.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Cook the vegetables until soft, blend first and add the cheese and cream last. If you try it with Monterey Jack, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Crockpot Cauliflower Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower roughly chopped
- 1 cup leeks washed and sliced, white parts only
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- cooked crumbled bacon, chives, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Add the cauliflower, leeks, celery, garlic, chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or transfer it to a blender and pulse until smooth.
- Add the cheddar and heavy cream and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with the toppings you like.
Notes
Nutrition
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