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    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    The Best Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup (Healthy, Vegan & Whole30)

    Modified: Dec 2, 2024 • Published: Oct 4, 2021 by Dr. Erin Carter • This post may contain affiliate links • 4 Comments

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    Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup Pinterest Image

    This is the best Instant Pot cauliflower soup recipe. This creamy soup is quick and easy to make and only takes 10 minutes to cook! This healthy soup is packed with flavour and is made with coconut milk, broth, and cashews to give it a delicious smooth and creamy texture.

    Bowls of cauliflower soup garnished with fresh parsley, roasted cauliflower and black pepper.

    Creamy soups like my dairy free potato soup recipe and easy vegan cream of mushroom soup are some of the best comfort foods, which is why I can't wait for you to try the soup recipe I am sharing with you today!

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • This healthy Instant Pot cauliflower soup is so quick and easy to make and takes just 10 minutes to cook!
    • This homemade soup tastes amazing! It is so rich and creamy!
    • This cream of cauliflower soup is made with simple pantry staple ingredients including coconut milk and cashews.
    • It stores well and freezes well so it is perfect for meal prep.
    • This vegetable soup has less sodium and is healthier than canned soup. It's also vegan, sugar free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, paleo, and Whole30 compliant!
    • It's made without cream and without cream cheese.
    • If you don't have an Instant Pot I've included stovetop directions for you too!

    If you love soups you will also love my simple cherry tomato soup and dairy free clam chowder recipe.

    Ingredients and substitutions:

    The ingredients needed to make a cauliflower soup separated into bowls including cauliflower, broth, coconut milk, cashews and spices.
    • Fresh cauliflower - I recommend using a fresh head of cauliflower rather than frozen cauliflower for this recipe if possible. 
    • Onion and garlic -  these are used to add the most delicious flavour to this easy cauliflower soup. You can use white onion, yellow onion or sweet onion.
    • Coconut milk - coconut milk is used to give this gluten-free soup the most rich and creamy texture. I recommend using full-fat coconut milk rather than low fat coconut milk to make this soup. Low fat coconut milk is more watery and doesn't give the soup that thick, creamy texture which you are aiming for. Instead of coconut milk you could use another milk such as cashew milk, almond milk, oat milk or dairy milk. 
    • Cashews - When cashews and coconut milk are blended together they give soup the most rich and creamy texture while keeping it dairy free and vegan. Be sure to use raw cashews rather than roasted cashews.
    • Broth of choice - I recommend using chicken broth or vegetable broth/ vegetable stock for this soup recipe but any broth that you like will do.
    • Spices - sea salt, ground black pepper and ground cumin are all you need to season this delicious pressure cooker cauliflower soup. 

    Recipe variations and add ins:

    • To make this soup Instant Pot cauliflower soup vegan: use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
    • Instead of garlic cloves you can sub with 1 teaspoon garlic infused olive oil. 
    • If you prefer a thinner soup: add some extra coconut milk or broth.
    • If you eat dairy: top this soup with some shredded cheese to make it into Instant Pot cauliflower cheese soup.
    • You could easily double this recipe if you are serving a crowd or want to freeze some for later.

    How to make Instant Pot cauliflower soup:

    Cauliflower florets in an Instant pot.
    1. Step 1: First, chop the cauliflower into florets and add the cauliflower florets to the bowl of your Instant Pot. 
    An instant pot filled with cauliflower florets, broth, cashews and coconut milk.
    1. Step 2: Then add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of your Instant Pot. 
    An Instant Pot with cashews, broth and cauliflower in it with an immersion blender in the pot.
    1. Step 3: Now seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Then release the pressure (you can use either the quick release or slow pressure release) and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until nice and smooth
    A bowl of creamy cauliflower soup topped with fresh parsley and roasted cauliflower.
    1. Step 4: Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!

    To make on the stovetop:

    If you don't have an Instant Pot you can make this soup on the stovetop instead. To do so, add all the ingredients to a large pot on medium-high heat on the stovetop and bring the ingredients to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let the soup simmer for ~25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Now turn off the heat and use your immersion blender to blend the soup until it's smooth. Then enjoy!

    Top tip:

    If you don't have an immersion blender you could blend this soup in a regular blender instead. 

    How to serve:

    This soup is delicious served as is but you can also top it with crushed crackers, fresh parsley, crispy bacon, sour cream, or fresh chives.

    I love pairing this soup with my healthy gluten-free cornbread or almond flour biscuits but it also pairs well with a side salad or sandwich.

    How to store: 

    Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This soup also freezes really well for up to 3 months.

    Bowls of creamy cauliflower soup topped with roasted cauliflower, black pepper and fresh parsley.

    Instant Pot cauliflower soup FAQs:

    Why do you add the cashews to this soup recipe?

    The cashews help make this soup extra creamy! I tried the recipe without the cashews and it just isn't the same.

    Why does my cauliflower soup taste bitter?

    Cauliflower soup can taste bitter if you don't add enough ingredients that contrast the bitter flavour of cauliflower. Adding ingredients such as broth and coconut milk will add sweetness to cauliflower soup that will balance out the bitter taste of the cauliflower.

    How can I thicken my cauliflower soup?

    Adding cashews and blending them into cauliflower soup is an easy way to thicken it. Cashews also add a natural sweetness to cauliflower soup giving it a rich and creamy flavour and texture.

    Why is my cauliflower soup grainy?

    Cauliflower soup will be grainy if you do not blend it enough. Be sure to fully blend it with an immersion blender or in your high speed blender until it's smooth and no chunks remain.

    Can you make this soup in a regular blender?

    If you don’t have an immersion blender you can definitely use whatever blender you have.

    Can I substitute the coconut milk?

    Although I recommend using coconut milk, you could use a different type of milk in this cauliflower soup recipe. Try almond, soy, oat, or cashew milk if you are dairy free but if you eat dairy you could use dairy milk.

    Is this a keto instant pot cauliflower soup recipe?

    No it is not. This soup has 15 carbs per serving with 3 grams of fiber giving it a net carb count of 12 carbs per serving. This means that this cauliflower soup is not keto or low carb.

    Other cauliflower recipes you will love:

    • A bowl of vegan cheese sauce with a chip being dipped into it.
      Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce with Cauliflower
    • A bowl of pasta with cauliflower Alfredo sauce on it.
      Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce with Cashews (dairy-free & vegan)
    • A bowl filled with cauliflower fried rice filled with chopped vegetables including bell peppers, carrots and broccoli.
      The Best Gluten Free Cauliflower Fried Rice (paleo & Whole30)
    • A pan of cauliflower rice with shrimp with a serving spoon in it.
      Spanish Cauliflower Rice with Shrimp

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    Recipe

    A bowl of creamy cauliflower soup topped with roasted cauliflower and fresh parsley.

    Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup

    This Instant Pot cauliflower soup is the perfect comfort food. So creamy and rich you will love how easy it is to make.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup, Vegetables
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 279kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot
    • Immersion blender

    Ingredients

    • 1 head cauliflower (~2.5 lbs)
    • 1/2 white onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 can full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (more or less to taste)
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (more or less to taste)

    Instructions

    • Chop the cauliflower into florets and add it to the bowl of your Instant Pot.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Seal the Instant Pot and cook the soup on high pressure for 10 minutes.
    • You can either do quick pressure release or allow the pressure to release naturally. Once the pressure is released, use your immersion blender and blend the soup until smooth.
    • Then serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    1. I recommend using raw, not roasted cashews to make this soup.
    2. Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 715mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MJ

      January 01, 2025 at 4:44 pm

      I would love to try this. Can it be made without an Instant Pot?

      Reply
      • Dr. Erin Carter

        January 12, 2025 at 8:47 am

        Yes! I include stovetop directions in the post 🙂

        Reply
    2. TC

      November 20, 2022 at 11:57 am

      So delicious and easy. Delicious enough that I'd make it even if not eat! I added 1/8 t cayenne pepper not because it needed flavor but because a local restaurant uses that so I wanted to try. It was a great add (but delicious without). Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Erin Carter

        December 05, 2022 at 7:54 am

        Oh that sounds like a delicious addition! I will need to try that next time

        Reply

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    My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialties in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

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