Super creamy, velvety, and comforting Instant Pot cauliflower soup to warm you up this winter! This healthy soup is made with just a few simple ingredients, but the result is so comforting and satisfying.
I know that cauliflower soup might not sound so appealing if you’re not familiar with it, but trust me, if you give it a try you will love it! You can quickly make it in the Instant Pot, and then blend it up using an immersion blender (or a high power blender, like a Vitamix).
What’s so special about this soup is its texture, luscious silky smooth cream of cauliflower is what I would call it! So buy yourself a head of cauliflower, and make this ASAP!
This vegetarian soup is gluten-free, and can be easily made dairy-free and/or vegan!
And since it’s currently the soup season, I’m sharing lots of soup recipes with you. If you still haven’t made my Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, then check it out and make it! It’s the best! And if you LOVE cauliflower as much as I do, try my cauliflower leek soup as well.
Recommended Tools and Ingredients
- You will need an Instant Pot, this is the one that I currently use and love.
- An immersion blender.
- A spatula and a ladle.
- Cauliflower, onion, garlic, olive oil, ground nutmeg salt, pepper. A little bit of creamy, and sharp cheddar.
- Vegetable stock – I ALWAYS make my vegetable stock in the Instant Pot and never buy it, honestly, it’s so much healthier, tastes better, and cheaper!
How to Make Cauliflower Soup in the Instant Pot
Prep – Wash the cauliflower head, and separate it into florets. Dice the onion, and mince the garlic.
Cook
- On the Instant Pot, press on SAUTE – normal and heat the olive oil.
- Saute the onion until it’s soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a minute or until it’s fragrant.
- Switch off the SAUTE setting. Add the cauliflower florets, vegetable stock, ground nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 7 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 5 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, leave it for a couple of minutes then quickly release the steam.
- Carefully remove the lid, and with an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream, and cheddar, and keep stirring until the cheese has completely melted. Adjust seasonings to your preference, serve warm.
Serve this cozy soup with a salad and a sandwich, or simply with crusty bread.
Optional Toppings
This soup is delicious on its own, and I honestly love the simplicity of this soup. But here are a few topping ideas:
- Grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- A grind of black pepper
- Crispy bacon
- Sour cream
- Roasted cauliflower florets
- Croutons
- Chopped chives or fresh parsley
- Red chili flakes
Storing Tips
Fridge: Store the soup in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container without the toppings.
Freezer: This soup freezes very well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop.
What If the Instant Pot Starts Splattering Liquid All Over When Doing a Quick Release?
I didn’t have this problem with this soup. However, if this happens, then just push back the vent with the back of a spoon. Wait for a minute, and try again.
Using a clean kitchen towel also helps, cover the vent with it if you feel like you’re getting lots of steam out and you don’t want it to fill your kitchen.
More Tasty Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Creamy tortellini soup
- Hearty lentil soup
- Butternut squash soup
- Chicken noodle soup
- Potato soup
- Pasta Fagioli soup
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower separated into florets
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup heavy cream or half and half – optional
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese grated – optional
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Instructions
- On the Instant Pot, press on SAUTE – normal and heat the olive oil.
- Saute the onion until it’s soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a minute or until it’s fragrant.
- Switch off the SAUTE setting. Add the cauliflower florets, vegetable stock, ground nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 7 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 5 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, leave it for a couple of minutes then quickly release the steam.
- Carefully remove the lid, and with an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream, and cheddar, and keep stirring until the cheese has completely melted. Adjust seasonings to your preference, serve warm.
Notes:
- Store the soup in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container without the toppings.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months, reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop.
- The cream and the cheddar are optional, but add a lot of flavor and creaminess. If you want to make this soup vegan, then skip these 2 ingredients and it will still taste delicious.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Annie says
This is my favorite soup recipe! I’ve made it so many times. I usually just have half and half, so I use that instead of heavy cream. I love putting red chili pepper flakes and “everything” spice on mine. Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!
Sharalyn says
I am going to try this, but thinking about scooping out some of the pieces of cauliflower before using the immersion blender. After blending, I’ll add some of the pieces back in to give it a bit of a “chunky”, but smooth texture.
Char says
The cauliflower soup doesn’t say to add the liquid in the beginning. You may want to edit it for newbies like me! 🤣 thank you it looks fabulous
Diana says
Thank you for your comment and for noticing! I just edited the recipe card and added that! 😊