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After making this soup more times than I can count, the biggest lesson from testing is to keep the chickpeas separate until the moment you serve. Adding them too early lets them soften in the steam rising off the soup, and you lose the crunch that makes the topping worth the extra step.
Pairs well with Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts (with hot honey, yum!) and Sweet Potato Gnocchi.
save this recipe!Is there anything cauliflower can’t become? This velvety smooth cauliflower soup tastes like a creamy potato soup (but with fewer carbs). Unlike in my roasted cauliflower soup where caramelized edges bring big flavor, we’re cooking this one low and slow in the slow cooker.
The long cooking time means the veggies become tender, and flavors blend perfectly, making for the most delicious (and hands-off) dinner!
Reader rating
“Honestly I was skeptical. I really thought as simple as this recipe was, that it would be bland. But it was delicious, I wouldn’t change anything. ” —Sara
The Secret to Making This Cauliflower Soup Recipe Creamy
Now, you can make a pretty good cauliflower soup with cauliflower alone, but cashews make it really good. Cashews make this slow cooker cauliflower soup feel full and creamy (while keeping the recipe totally plant-based!)
Cauliflower Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower: One medium head, cut into florets, is the base of the soup.
- Yellow onion: Adds savory depth as the soup cooks low and slow.
- Cashews: The key to the creamy texture. They blend completely smooth, so the soup ends up rich and velvety without any dairy.
- Vegetable broth: Submerging the cauliflower and cashews in broth as much as possible before cooking helps everything cook evenly.
- Salt: Just half a teaspoon in the soup base, since the crispy chickpea topping brings its own seasoning.
- Chickpeas: Roasted separately with olive oil, smoked paprika, and cumin for a crispy, protein-packed topping.
How to Make The Best Cauliflower Soup Recipe
- Load the slow cooker. Roughly chop the cauliflower and onion, then add them to the slow cooker with the cashews and broth, submerging as much as possible.
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.
- Blend until smooth. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender, or carefully transfer it to a countertop blender in batches.
- Roast the chickpeas. While the soup cooks, toss chickpeas with oil, spread on a baking sheet, and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes until crispy. Toss with the spices while still hot.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy spiced chickpeas.
How to Serve This Easy Cauliflower Soup
This soup pairs naturally with something to dip and something fresh on the side. Naan bread is great for scooping up the thick, creamy base, while a crisp vegetarian Caesar salad balances out the richness. For a lighter pairing, an avocado sandwich made in about 15 minutes gives you a cool contrast to the warm soup. However you serve it, add the crispy chickpeas right before eating so they stay crunchy on top.
How to Store and Meal Prep This Recipe for Cauliflower Soup
This soup is amazing as a freezer meal prep dinner! Add all of the soup ingredients to a freezer-safe bag and store frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, add it all to a slow cooker with vegetable broth and cook (starting at Step 1 of the recipe).
P.S. If you loved this recipe, try my Vegan Corn Chowder or Broccoli Soup With Cashews next! Or for another creamy option, try this Cauliflower Leek Soup!
Easy Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Cauliflower Soup
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup cashews, 125 g
- 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 L
- ½ tsp salt
Crispy Chickpeas
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and patted dry, 425 g
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Cauliflower Soup
- Cook: Roughly chop cauliflower and onion. Add to slow cooker along with cashews and broth. Submerge the cauliflower and cashews under the broth as much as possible, then cover and cook until cauliflower is tender (high for 3 to 4 hours, low for 6 to 8).
- Blend: When cauliflower is tender, puree the mixture until smooth using either a handheld immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a countertop blender.
Chickpea Topping
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Toss chickpeas with oil. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until crispy. While still hot, toss chickpeas with spices and salt. Serve warm over the soup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist, and should be taken as an estimate. For the most accurate nutritional information, calculate it using the actual ingredients in your recipe.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!Soup, Salad, and sandwich!
No matter what you’re feeling, we’ve got recipe pairing options to make this cozy soup a full meal.
- The Best Avocado Sandwich: This gem is ready in just 15 minutes, and its cool filling is a nice contrast to the warm cauliflower soup.
- Naan Bread: With cauliflower soup being so thick, naan bread is perfect for dipping in it.
- Vegetarian Caesar Salad: I just love a good Caesar salad and soup moment, and this one delivers!
I would love to try the creamy cauliflower soup with chickpeas. What could I use instead of cashews? Would Greek your work?
While I haven’t tested this one with walnuts, I think walnuts would be the best substitute because they blend up pretty creamy like cashews! If you want to avoid nuts altogether, then I would do cream cheese.
In a salt free diet so omitted the salt and added garlic, lemon, & Parmesan for some extra flavor- very good and versatile for additions!
Should the cashews be raw and unsalted? Or it doesn’t matter? Thanks! Looking forward to making this! 🙂
It really doesn’t matter, but I usually use raw unsalted!