Cauliflower Chowder
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A creamy, low carb, hearty and cozy soup, loaded with so many good-for-you veggies. Perfect for those chilly nights!
Featured Comment
I’ve been making this recipe since it was first published – I can’t believe it’s been 10 years! I also can’t believe that I haven’t reviewed it until now. Follow the recipe and it’s perfect. No one is ever disappointed, there are never leftovers, and I can feel moderately good about getting more vegetables
why i love cauliflower chowder
- Perfect for soup season, ski season, post-holiday season, and blustery winter season
- Oh-so-velvety with all the sneaked in vegetables that even the pickiest of toddlers will love
- Packed with cauliflower, a great source of antioxidants that’s high in fiber and low in calories
tips and tricks for success
- Grab pre-cut cauliflower. To cut down on prep time even more, use pre-cut cauliflower florets.
- Blend, baby, blend. With the help of an immersion blender or a countertop blender, the soup will yield an even creamier, smoother consistency.
- Add garnishes. Garnishes are always optional but a fresh sprinkle of thyme leaves, some crispy bacon or roasted cauliflower will certainly take your soup to the next level, adding more flavor, texture and contrast.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Mix it up. Add carrots, corn, russet potatoes (this will help thicken up the chowder even more!) or even your favorite blend of seafood.
what to serve with cauliflower chowder
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Cauliflower Chowder: Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have an immersion blender?
A countertop blender (such as a Vitamix or Blendtec) or food processor should do the trick! When using a countertop blender, cool the soup slightly and blend in batches.
How can I make this vegetarian?
You can omit the bacon and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
How can I store leftovers?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Is this freezer-friendly?
We do not recommend freezing this as milk-based soups tend to separate when frozen.
Cauliflower Chowder
A creamy, low carb, hearty and cozy soup, loaded with so many good-for-you veggies. Perfect for those chilly nights!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup 2% milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon excess fat in the stockpot.
- Melt butter in the stockpot. Add garlic, onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until barely crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken broth and milk, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower are tender, about 12-15 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Puree with an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.
Video
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Great soup! I replaced the flour and butter with 1 can of white kidney beans which I pureed in my Blendtech and added a pinch of herbes de Provence. At the end, I added frozen Peaches and Cream corn, chopped kale (this gave it beautiful Green color) and pieces of cooked chicken and just reheated and served. I sprinkled smoked paprika on each serving once in the bowl, which gave the soup some zip and also looked great! More protein, less fat and gluten-free!
Can I make it with broccoli instead of cauliflower?
There are two broccolies in my fridge for several weeks. No cauliflower. 🙁
I haven’t tried this with broccoli but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
i’ve made this twice. Very good!! No bacon, bay leaf or parsley. I used fresh dill instead of parsley.
Just made this recipe! The only thing I did differently was add the bacon to the chowder. It is absolutely AMAZING!
Added cup of corn, couple of red potatoes, snow peas and roasted poblano pepper. Replaced the flour with a cup of milk, 2 Tbl cornstarch and an egg yolk. Seasoned with thyme and red pepper flakes. A very substantial vegetarian gluten free chowder.
Wow, this looks delicious! I’ll definitely be making this next week 🙂
Everyone in my family loved this! I added fat-free shredded cheddar at the end for little extra flavor! So delicious!!
Hey what do you mean by whisk in flour? How do I do that if the pot is full of the onions, carrots, celery etc?
Exactly that! You can still whisk the flour in without any problems.
I made this exactly as stated. It is delicious! Putting this recipe in my “MAKE OFTEN” file.
Made this last night exactly as written and it came out perfectly delicious! Great way to eat lots of good veggies. Awesome recipe and will definitely make it again and again.
Thanks so much.
This looks fantastic and is very close to how I make my clam chowder. I have subbed caulflower for over 4 years now, and my family (7 kids) say to NEVER use potatos again.
I tried it and this was delicious!! I omitted the bacon and sprinkled smoked paprika on top and finishing salt. Outstanding. Thanks for sharing.
Chungah, I just made this soup for dinner and I just had to share that my granddaughter said it’s her favorite soup I’ve ever made! Thanks for another great recipe.
New favorite soup! My husband will not eat cauliflower but loved this soup! Surprise ingredient was bay leaf but PERFECT…
This was so yummy! I did a mixture of cauliflower and diced russet potatoes. I used ground thyme instead of bay leaf and added a pinch of cayenne pepper. So delish! Thanks for the great recipe. 🙂
I made this soup last night. I had a cauliflower sitting in my frig so this recipe was perfect. We also just bought a pig and there is lots of bacon in the freezer. : ) I really enjoyed the soup and did not take much time to put together. I’m looking forward to leftovers for lunch. Thanks!
I made last night but I add a can corn/with peppers 1 lb fresh cooked shrimp also I had a piece of ham so I cut it in small pieces fried in pan with olive oil this is the crazy part I did ? I took all items put them in a separate bowl also a cup of cheddar cheese! Same way with the bacon the reason some one would say i don’t want shrimp or cheese but I love ham chowder! Plus omit celery? We all hate celery! Extra salt and paper and garlic and a hint of hot sauce!
Made this soup yesterday for dinner and it was a it! My sister-in-law, when taking the first spoonfull, just opened her eyes widely and said after “what is this? Is one of the most delicious soups I’ve ever tasted” 🙂 Thanks! Is on my top five favorite soups now*
Can arRow Flour be used instead of all purpose flour?
You can certainly try substituting arrow flour but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Using a substitution may also result in a mediocre outcome.
How can this soup be altered to decrease fat? Love the chowder but need something 10g or less of fat. Thank you!
Jen, you can try reducing or omitting the bacon as needed.
I just made this tonight for dinner. I’m doing Paleo so, I substituted the milk with coconut milk and the flour with almond flour and it was absolutely delicious!! Thank you so much! Even my husband and 13 year old son tore it up!