Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Basil Olive Oil

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Basil Olive Oil is a silky smooth, hearty, and decadent soup recipe. With its simple vegan ingredients, it’s also very easy to make and incredibly good for you. It’s sure to be a family favorite this Fall and Winter! 

Soup Season

Fall is on the way which means it’s almost soup season. It also means it’s time to start saving those soup recipes. Pin away! Soup is a wonderful and healthy way to warm up in the colder months ahead. It’s also a great make-ahead dish that is perfect for busy families. Most soup recipes also freeze beautifully making them a quick and convenient meal option. With all of these wonderful attributes, this creamy cauliflower soup with basil olive oil is the perfect soup addition to your recipe collection!

If you’re looking for more delicious soup recipes, you will want to check out these too. They are some of our favorites here on the farm.

Italian Wedding Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup

Decadent Lobster Bisque

Flavors of Fall: Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup

What’s in Creamy Cauliflower Soup?

Creamy cauliflower soup (which actually has no cream in it) is vegan and has less than ten ingredients. Some of the best and healthiest recipes are ones with a shortlist of ingredients. Combined, the ingredients make this delicious soup one that you will want to make over and over again. 

• Cauliflower – High in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The fiber in cauliflower can promote weight loss and colon health. Cauliflower is a great replacement for high carbohydrate foods like rice and potatoes. It’s gluten-free and is also very high in vitamin C.
• Olive oil – Natural oil extracted from olives. It’s rich in healthy monosaturated fats and antioxidants. Olive oil also has strong anti-inflammatory properties and aids in heart health.  
• Basil – A flavorful leafy green herb that originated in Asia and Africa. Basil is a member of the mint family. A delicious and aromatic herb used to season food.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Vegetable stock
• Salt
• Black pepper

How to make Creamy Cauliflower Soup

If you have a large pot or a Dutch oven, a skillet, and a blender, you have everything you need to make this mouthwatering soup. The creaminess of this soup doesn’t actually come from cream. It comes from blending the ingredients after simmering them together to marry the flavors. The texture is so decadent, it’s hard to believe there is no cream in the recipe! 

Basil Olive Oil

To begin, make the basil olive oil. In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and basil leaves. Cook over low heat. Be sure to avoid frying the basil by cooking it at a very gentle simmer. You don’t want to scorch it. Take the oil off the heat and allow the basil to cool completely in the oil while you make the soup. Once the soup is finished, you will carefully pour the oil and basil through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and transfer the basil oil into a jar for serving and storing. If you are making croutons, leave a slick of oil in the pan to toast them in later. You are going to love the flavor the oil infuses into the croutons!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Next, in a heavy pot or a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Be careful not to let the garlic brown or burn! Then add the vegetable stock, cauliflower, salt, and pepper to the onion and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat. Cover and simmer the soup until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork.

Finally, working in batches, carefully transfer the vegetables and stock to a blender and blend on high until creamy. Remember to leave room for the hot air to escape the blender. Return the soup to the pot and bring it to a simmer.

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup seems too thin, let it simmer to reduce slightly. The soup will continue to thicken as it cools. To thin the soup out, if necessary, add more vegetable broth a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Croutons

To make the croutons, heat the reserved basil oil in the skillet. Add the bread cubes and cook them, tossing them often, until they are toasted all over.

Serving Suggestions

Serve creamy cauliflower soup hot. Ladle it into bowls and garnish each serving with a swirl of basil oil. Next, add a few croutons, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and chives. At last, it’s time to eat! This soup is perfect for a light lunch or dinner with a side salad and some rustic country bread and butter.  It’s also a great starter or side dish for supper. No matter how you serve creamy cauliflower soup, you’re sure to love it!

Lovely Leftovers

It’s unlikely you’ll have leftover creamy cauliflower soup because everyone will love it so much. However, if you do, this soup freezes beautifully. Store it in an air-tight container and freeze it for up to a month. Have some leftover basil olive oil? This infused oil is delicious with some balsamic vinegar on a salad. It’s also wonderful brushed on grilled chicken, drizzled over roasted vegetables, or just sop it up with a nice piece of bread.  Store the oil in an air-tight jar for up to one week in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

I hope you and yours enjoy this recipe as much as we do here on the farm. Let me know what you think in the comments. Hearing from you always makes my day! And, if it’s still too hot outside to think about soup, I get it. The beautiful part of Pinterest is that you can Pin this recipe to make later (once the weather is cooler). Also, don’t forget, I’m always sharing recipes on Instagram in my stories. I hope you’ll join me there. If you do, be sure to say, “Hi!”

Yield: 6 servings

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Basil Olive Oil

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Basil Olive Oil is a silky smooth, hearty, and decadent soup recipe. With its few simple vegan ingredients, it's very easy to make and incredibly good for you. The basil-infused olive oil is not only delicious in this soup, but it is wonderful to brush on grilled chicken, drizzle on roasted vegetables, or dip fresh-baked bread in. This recipe is sure to be a family favorite this Fall and Winter! 

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Ingredients

FOR THE BASIL OIL:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves

FOR THE SOUP:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock, plus more for reheating, as needed
• 1 head of cauliflower (about 3 pounds), cored and cut into 1-2-inch florets 
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional), for serving
• 1/8 cup fresh chives (optional), chopped, for serving

FOR THE CROUTONS (OPTIONAL)

• 3 cups diced rustic country bread (3/4-inch pieces)

Instructions

FOR THE BASIL OIL:

In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and basil leaves. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, lowering the heat if the oil begins to simmer. (Be sure to avoid frying the basil by cooking it at a very gentle simmer.) Take the oil off the heat and allow the basil to cool completely in the oil while you make the soup. Once the soup is finished, carefully pour the oil and basil through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and transfer the basil oil into a jar for serving and storing. If you are making croutons, leave a slick of oil in the pan to toast them in later.

FOR THE SOUP:

1. In a heavy pot or a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally until tender and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic brown or burn.)
2. Add the vegetable stock, cauliflower, salt, and pepper to the onion and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat. Cover and simmer the soup until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
3. Working in batches, if necessary, carefully transfer the vegetables and stock to a blender and blend on high until creamy. Return the soup to the pot and bring it to a simmer. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. If the soup seems too thin, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. The soup will continue to thicken as it cools. To thin the soup out, add more vegetable broth a little at a time until it's the desired consistency.

FOR THE CROUTONS (OPTIONAL, but highly recommended!):

Heat the reserved basil oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and cook, tossing often, until toasted all over, about 4 to 5 minutes.

TO SERVE:

Serve the soup hot. Garnish each serving with a swirl of basil oil, a few croutons, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and chives.

Notes

• Leftover basil oil will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week. It will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
• Cauliflower soup freezes beautifully for up to 1 month.