Get Cozy with a Bowl of Creamy Keto Cauliflower Soup

Name: Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled; 2 tablespoons bacon fat (reserved from cooking process); 2 tablespoons butter; 1 large head cauliflower, broken into small florets (no larger than 1 inch); 1/2 cup yellow or orange bell pepper, diced; 1 cup leeks, white & light green parts, finely chopped and divided (can substitute green onions); 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced; 1/2 cup celery, diced; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon thyme, finely minced; 1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth; 1/2 cup (4 oz.) block cream cheese, softened at room temp; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, divided; 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional for thickening)

By Marley | Recipe Creator

Sep 18, 2023 @ 11:15 AM MDT

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

yield: 6 SERVINGS

prep time: 15 MINUTES

cook time: 25 MINUTES

total time: 40 MINUTES

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
2 tablespoons bacon fat (reserved from cooking process)
2 tablespoons butter
1 large head cauliflower, broken into small florets (no larger than 1 inch)
1/2 cup yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1 cup leeks, white & light green parts, finely chopped and divided (can substitute green onions)
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth
1/2 cup (4 oz.) block cream cheese, softened at room temp
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional for thickening)

Directions

Prep your veggies so they're all set to go when the cooking begins. Be sure that your cauliflower pieces are about 1 inch or smaller.

Add bacon fat and butter to a medium/large pot over medium heat. As the butter begins to bubble, add bell pepper, 1/2 cup leeks (save the rest for topping), onion, celery, garlic, and thyme. DO NOT add the cauliflower until step 3. Increase to medium/high heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are beginning to brown and caramelize.

Add in the cauliflower pieces, chicken broth, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low allowing to simmer for 10 minutes. The cauliflower should become nice and soft.

Remove lid and add softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (save the rest for topping), and heavy whipping cream. Stirring or whisking frequently, cook for another 3-5 minutes, allowing cheeses to melt and fully incorporate into the broth.

Your mixture will now look like a creamy soup. If you prefer a thick chowder texture (as I do), add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum by lightly sprinkling the powder over the broth. Using a whisk, mix the powder into the broth stirring constantly for another couple of minutes as the xanthan gum works its magic.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Top each individual bowl with remaining cheese, leeks, and crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

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Creamy cauliflower soup on a cool weather day? This keto cauliflower soup recipe is the best!

Creamy cauliflower chowder (keto comfort food) in a cup with added bacon and cheese

**Curl up with a bowl of creamy comfort food goodness, with bacon topping to boot!**

There’s nothing better than a warm bowl of keto soup when you’re craving comfort food. This keto creamy cauliflower soup is one of my family’s favorite meals — in fact, they’d be happy eating this chowder three times a week! This recipe for cauliflower soup is also pretty darned easy to make and reheats like a champ if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers.

vegetables for creamy cauliflower soup cooking in a pot

Butter and bacon fat is the beginning of a beautiful friendship in this creamy cauliflower soup.

Fresh veggies start off with a bang as they sizzle in the luscious combination of my two favorite fats – butter and bacon fat. The caramelizing of onion and leek fills the air with a rich, wonderful scent. I swear to you, as soon as I begin sautéing the veggies, at least one family member immediately appears, asking, “What’s that good thing I smell?” The next thing I know, they’ve sauntered over to help themselves to my already-claimed crumbled bacon!

This creamy cauliflower chowder in a cup is the ultimate keto comfort food

Not a cauliflower lover? No problem!

What’s particularly fabulous about this soup is that even if you’re not a cauliflower fanatic, you’re going to love how reminiscent they are of potatoes in this particular recipe. And because you get the marvelous mockery of a potato with a low carbohydrate count, this – combined with the rest of the ingredients – makes for a creamy cauliflower soup that doesn’t even feel like it’s a knockoff. In fact, I serve this cauliflower chowder to anyone (keto or not), and they love it.

Hip tips for making Creamy Cauliflower Soup:

If you have a non-meat-eater on your hands, you’re in luck, because you can easily convert this cauliflower chowder to a vegetarian dish by substituting butter for avocado oil, using veggie broth, and skipping the bacon topping. Easy-peasy!

If you don’t have access to xanthan gum, no worries! It’s added as a thickening agent at the end, however, this recipe for cauliflower soup tastes fantastic without it. Sans xanthan gum, it just resembles a creamy soup rather than a thick chowder. Additionally, if using xanthan gum, note that it thickens a bit as it cools which is why it’s best to let it sit for a few minutes off the heat before serving.

For whisking, I bought these fabulous silicone whisks from Amazon that don’t scratch my non-stick pans! I love them!

Supplies for a recipe for cauliflower soup

ingredients for a keto cauliflower soup recipe

cauliflower ingredients cooking

Adding cauliflower to a soup recipe

Adding spices to a pot of vegetables

Adding cream cheese to chowder

Adding Cream to creamy cauliflower soup

Sprinkling cheese onto low carb cauliflower soup