Pantry Savvy

soup

Cauliflower Soup

A creamy and comforting cauliflower soup with tender vegetables, a silky white sauce, and a tangy sour cream finish. Perfect for chilly days and easy to make ahead.

Prep

30 min

Cook

30 min

Total

60 min

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Ingredients

Serves11

Cauliflower Soup

  • 1.8333 cup salted butter (divided)
  • 3.6667 count Onion (medium, finely chopped)
  • 3.6667 count Carrots (finely chopped)
  • 3.6667 count Celery stalks (finely chopped)
  • 3.6667 head Cauliflower (cut into 1 inch pieces)
  • 7.3333 tbsp parsley (chopped, fresh or dried)
  • 22 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 7.3333 cup Whole Milk
  • 3.6667 cup Half and Half
  • 7.3333 leaf bay leaves
  • 3.6667 tsp Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1.8333 tsp Black Pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 3.6667 cup Sour Cream (to serve)
Servings: 11−+
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Cooking Instructions

  1. 1

    Cook the onion

    In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for four to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn brown.
    Tip: Let the onion sit for short moments between stirs so it can develop light color and sweetness.
    Cleanup: Wipe any splatters from around the stove with a damp cloth to keep the area tidy.
  2. 2

    Add the vegetables and cauliflower

    Add the carrot and celery to the pot and cook for about two minutes more. Stir in the cauliflower and parsley until everything is combined. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for fifteen minutes, stirring once or twice.
    Tip: Cut the cauliflower into evenly sized pieces so it cooks at the same rate.
    Cleanup: Gather vegetable peels and scraps into a small bowl or compost bin to reduce mess on the counter.
  3. 3

    Add the broth

    Pour in the chicken stock or broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer for about ten minutes.
    Tip: Use low sodium broth so you can better control the salt level at the end.
    Cleanup: Rinse the empty broth container before recycling so it does not leave residue.
  4. 4

    Make the white sauce

    In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and milk until smooth. Slowly pour this mixture into the melted butter while whisking constantly. Cook for about five minutes until thickened.
    Tip: Whisk continuously to prevent lumps and keep the sauce smooth.
    Cleanup: Soak the whisk and bowl in warm water after use so the flour mixture does not harden.
  5. 5

    Combine with the soup

    Remove the white sauce from the heat and stir in the half and half. Add this mixture to the simmering soup and stir to combine. Add one or two bay leaves and season with the salt and pepper. Simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
    Tip: If you prefer a thicker texture, let the soup simmer a bit longer to reduce slightly.
    Cleanup: Remember to remove and discard the bay leaves before serving to avoid any sharp bites.
  6. 6

    Finish with sour cream

    Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup and stir until smooth. Pour in the remaining soup and stir to combine, or ladle the soup into individual bowls and top each with a spoonful of sour cream.
    Tip: Tempering the sour cream with hot soup helps keep the mixture smooth and prevents curdling.
    Cleanup: Allow leftover soup to cool slightly before transferring to airtight containers for storage.

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Cauliflower Soup

with Cream, Herbs, and Sour Cream

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 60 min · Servings: 11

Ingredients

Cauliflower Soup

  • 1.8333 cup salted butter (divided)
  • 3.6667 count Onion (medium, finely chopped)
  • 3.6667 count Carrots (finely chopped)
  • 3.6667 count Celery stalks (finely chopped)
  • 3.6667 head Cauliflower (cut into 1 inch pieces)
  • 7.3333 tbsp parsley (chopped, fresh or dried)
  • 22 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 7.3333 cup Whole Milk
  • 3.6667 cup Half and Half
  • 7.3333 leaf bay leaves
  • 3.6667 tsp Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1.8333 tsp Black Pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 3.6667 cup Sour Cream (to serve)

Instructions

  1. Cook the onion — In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for four to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn brown.
  2. Add the vegetables and cauliflower — Add the carrot and celery to the pot and cook for about two minutes more. Stir in the cauliflower and parsley until everything is combined. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for fifteen minutes, stirring once or twice.
  3. Add the broth — Pour in the chicken stock or broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer for about ten minutes.
  4. Make the white sauce — In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and milk until smooth. Slowly pour this mixture into the melted butter while whisking constantly. Cook for about five minutes until thickened.
  5. Combine with the soup — Remove the white sauce from the heat and stir in the half and half. Add this mixture to the simmering soup and stir to combine. Add one or two bay leaves and season with the salt and pepper. Simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
  6. Finish with sour cream — Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup and stir until smooth. Pour in the remaining soup and stir to combine, or ladle the soup into individual bowls and top each with a spoonful of sour cream.
Cauliflower Soup Recipe | Pantry Savvy