If you’re looking for a healthy comfort food, this seven-ingredient Slow Cooker Cauliflower Cheese Soup has the best flavor and is absolutely delicious. It’s smooth, creamy, and a cheese soup everyone is sure to enjoy.
Make a batch of these Slow Cooker Honey Butter Rolls for dipping and this Slow Cooker Fireball Caramel Apples for snacking afterward.
Why this cauliflower cheese soup recipe works
Making a creamy lower carb soup is super easy with this soup recipe. You’ll combine some of the most commonly used ingredients, dump them into the crock pot, and sit back as the aroma fills your kitchen.
This cheesy cauliflower soup features chopped cauliflower, shredded cheddar cheese, chicken broth, chopped chives (or green onions), crumbled bacon, leeks, heavy cream, and seasonings – and that’s it!
You’ll find this soup super yummy and very versatile when serving. Enjoy it on a busy weeknight or whip up a batch to serve at a weekend potluck.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower: You’ll remove the green leaves, wash, and chop the cauliflower before adding it to the slow cooker. It will soften during cooking time, making it easy to turn into creamy cauliflower soup.
- Cheddar Cheese: I highly recommend using block milk or sharp cheddar cheese instead of bagged cheese. It will not melt as well as using a fresh block.
- Chicken Broth: Not only will this add to the creamy texture but also has a nice flavor.
- Heavy Cream: This will be added toward the end right before blending everything together.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and garlic provide the perfect amount of seasoning.
- Serving: Chives, bacon, and additional cheddar cheese can be used to garnish just before serving a bowl of this delicious soup.
- Leeks: Chopped and added for an amazing but not over-powering onion taste.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Cut up a head of cauliflower into big chunks, and slice a leek. Add those to the slow cooker along with garlic, pepper, and chicken broth.
Step Two – Place the lid on the slow cooker and let this cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Step Three – When the cooking time is done, add everything from the slow cooker to a blender. Pulse until smooth. Add this blended mixture back to the slow cooker and then stir in heavy cream and cheddar cheese. You can also use an immersion blender.
Step Four – Top the blended soup with chives, crumbled bacon, and cheese if desired.
How to serve:
- In addition to the crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and chopped green onions, you can also add additional toppings such as sour cream and a dash of hot sauce and cajun seasoning to add a little kick.
- Serve a bowl of this cauliflower cheese soup with a few pieces of crusty bread, especially drizzled with garlic or butter.
- This wonderful soup can also be paired with a salad for a soup and salad combo. Anything from a small side salad to a Caesar salad with the works would taste great.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Vegetable broth or vegetable stock would taste great as a substitution.
Simply, pour any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let it cool before storing. Reheat on the stovetop over medium low heat.
Added carrots taste great; however, my favorite way is to add freshly shredded carrots, just before serving.
Yes, frozen cauliflower will work great in this recipe.
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Slow Cooker Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 32 oz. box chicken broth
- 1 head cauliflower cut into chunks green part discarded
- 1 cup diced leeks (about 1 leek)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Add at the end:
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheese freshly shredded (not bagged)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For Serving:
- salt to taste
- 6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- chopped chives
- additional shredded cheese
Instructions:
- In a 6-quart slow cooker at the chicken broth, cauliflower, leeks, garlic and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Add everything from the slow cooker in to a blender, cover and pulse until smooth. Add this back to the slow cooker. Add the shredded cheese and cream, stir. Now add salt to taste. I add about a ¼ tsp.
- Serve topped with bacon, cheese and chives.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Pour any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let it cool before storing. Reheat on the stovetop over medium low heat.
- Vegetable broth can be used if you want a vegetarian soup (skip the bacon topping as well).
- This soup does not freeze well; instead, eat it within a few days.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I’m making this recipe this weekend. Can’t wait! Just wondering if blending the soup is necessary? I like it chunky
You do not need to blend it! It’s kind of an ugly soup though, you may want to blend half of it.
Can you leave out the leeks?
Yes!
I also roasted the cauliflower and garlic for extra flavor. I also substituted one cup of fontina cheese as one of the three cups of cheddar. Extra yummy on day two.
Can this recipes cook time be cut down and put in an instapot?
I roasted the cauliflower & garlic cloves in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 min 1st to give added flavor. The extra step adds great depth to this already yummy soup.
Great idea!
So easy, so delicious! Thank you
Hi there! I am wanting to make this, but I have a question! Is the cauliflower hard? I don’t have teeth due to a medical problem, and it’s hard for me to eat vegetables because they are hard to chew! Would this make the veggies softer? Thank you so much!
No, it’s ultra soft. This recipe makes it even softer with the blender. When I’ve had to eat soft foods I make baked potato soup, split pea or ham and beans and I blend them in the blender (even the ham).
no you put in blender….read cooking steps
This soup is absolutely amazing! It’s so easy and flavorful. It makes me want to try all of your recipes! Thank you for sharing.
Can you freeze this soup?
Hi Shelley, I have not tried on this recipe, I apologize.
then don’t comment
Hi! This is my website and I assume she was asking me the question.
I’m loving your recipes! Can you use broccoli in place of the cauliflower?
I have not tried that, it would be worth a try!
I’ve got this recipe going in crockpot right now! I’m always on the hunt for new low carb recipes & this one looks like a winner!
Will definitely make this.
I absolutely love cauliflower and this soup sounds so good. I wonder how it would be if you made it with some of the purple cauliflower? Purple soup?
Will have to make this soup soon!! Looks scrumptious!!
As my husband and I don’t like GARLIC I find I lose interest in any recipes that has it included. Why is it used so much ?
I’ll wager that most people love garlic. I know my husband and I do. Just leave it out of your recipe if you don’t.
Just omit garlic if you don’t like it and add onion or something you do like
It adds a lot to the flavor to a dish If you don’t like garlic cut the quantity in the recipe in half or fourth (depending on the original quantity of the recipe) and you still get the flavor without a strong taste.
I don’t love a strong taste of garlic but it does add flavor. Cut it in fourth,taste it and add more or less. Onions or grated carrots would be good too.