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    Home » Soups, Chilis & Stews » Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup

    Published: Oct 25, 2022 by Carolyn

    Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    16.0K shares
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    This creamy Keto Cauliflower Soup is velvety smooth and delicious, and it takes only a few short minutes to make in the Instant Pot. It’s healthy, low carb comfort food at its finest. Stovetop instructions included too.

    Top down image of keto cauliflower soup in a white bowl.

    This Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup might just be the Best. Dang. Soup. I. Have. Ever. Made.

    Is that an exaggeration? Possibly but at the moment, it’s how I really feel. It’s so velvety, so rich, and chockfull of creamy goodness. It’s a classic “loaded recipe”, with bacon, sour cream, cheese, and green onion. But so much healthier than the potato version!

    This keto-friendly is the perfect comfort food on a chilly, blustery day, when all you want to do is curl up with a good book or movie. And I plan on doing just that all winter long!

    Two bowls of Loaded Cauliflower Soup in front of an Instant Pot.

    Easy Keto Cauliflower Soup

    This recipe gets rave reviews from everyone who tries it, even the cauliflower haters. It really has the right consistency to mimic potato soup. And with the bacon, cheese and toppings, it’s hearty and satisfying.

    If you follow the Instant Pot instructions, the soup cooks very quickly and easily. But the stovetop version comes together quickly as well. And because everything is cooked in one pot, clean up is easy too!

    It has only 5.7g net carbs per serving, so it’s a healthy and delicious option when you need something warm and comforting. It’s the edible equivalent of a cozy blanket on a chilly day.

    Reader Testimonials

    Here’s what readers say about this Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup:

    “This soup is absolutely delicious! Even my teen sons devour it. Full of fat, so it’s filling and it really fulfills any baked potato cravings you may have. Super easy to make.” — Stephanie

    “This was one of the best soups I’ve had since starting keto 2 years ago. Thanks for your hard work on your recipes.” — Pat

    “This soup is incredible! That flavor is amazing. It snowed here today so this soup was perfect for dinner! Thank you for sharing it with us all!” — Sharon

    Ingredients

    Top down image of ingredients needed for Loaded Cauliflower Soup.
    • Bacon: Cooking bacon in the pot first has two functions. The bacon bits become the crisp topping for the soup, and the grease in the pot is used to sauté the veggies. This provides velvety texture and amazing flavor.
    • Cauliflower: You will need about 1 pound of cauliflower florets for this recipe. And you can use fresh or frozen cauliflower, as they both cook easily and quickly.
    • Sour cream: Loaded potatoes always have sour cream, and so should your soup! It provides a wonderful, creamy consistency.
    • Shredded cheese: You can use cheddar or Monterey Jack. Or something more interesting, if you prefer. I love the color that a little orange cheddar gives the soup.
    • Green onion: This garnish adds additional color and flavor to make the soup resemble loaded baked potatoes. You could also use chopped chives.
    • Bone broth: Use good quality broth for all your keto soups. It can be homemade or store-bought.
    • Aromatics: Onion, celery, garlic
    • Salt and pepper

    Step by step directions

    I love using my Instant Pot for this recipe, but I have also included stovetop directions in the recipe notes.

    1. Cook the bacon: Place the chopped bacon in the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate, leaving as much of the bacon fat in the pot as possible. 

    2. Sauté the veggies: Add the onion, celery, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Turn off the sauté function.

    3. Cook the soup: Add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, then add the cauliflower. Lock the lid onto the pot and make sure the vent is sealed. Set the manual function on high for 5 minutes (it will take 5 to 10 minutes to come up to pressure).

    4. Add the sour cream: When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the vent. Remove the lid and stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

    5. Blend: Blend with an immersion blender until smooth or transfer to a full size blender or food processor (you may need to work in batches).

    6. Garnish: Serve the soup topped with the remaining cheese, the bacon, and the green onion.

    A spoon lifting a bite of Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup out of a bowl.

    Expert tips

    Cooking the vegetables in the leftover bacon grease gives this soup its velvety rich consistency and also adds flavor. But if you want a vegetarian cauliflower soup, simply sauté the veggies in butter or oil. You will need about 3 tablespoons.

    If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in a regular blender or a food processor. You may need to work in batches, depending on the capacity of your appliance.

    Stovetop Option: Not everyone has an Instant Pot, nor any interest in getting one. So you can also make this keto cauliflower soup on the stovetop. Follow the instructions for cooking the bacon and vegetables in a large pot over medium heat. Add the broth and cauliflower and bring to a simmer, then cook for 30 minutes. Follow the remaining steps as directed.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many carbs are in a bowl of cauliflower soup?

    This creamy cauliflower soup is low carb and keto friendly. It has 8g of carbs per serving and 2.3g of dietary fiber. So it has 5.7g net carbs per serving.

    How do you thicken up cauliflower soup?

    You shouldn’t need any extra thickeners such as flours or starches for this keto soup recipe. The cauliflower provides a thick consistency already, and the sour cream and cheddar cheese contribute to the rich, creamy consistency. Don’t add too much broth, as it does water it down.

    How long does cauliflower soup last in the fridge?

    Freshly made, this Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup can last for up to 6 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

    Keto Cauliflower Soup in a white bowl with bacon, cheese, and green onion on top.

    More delicious cauliflower recipes

    • Cauliflower Risotto
    • Slow Cooker Pepper Jack Cauliflower
    • Keto Shepherd’s Pie
    • Mexican Cauliflower Rice
    • Creamy Cauliflower Salad
    • Cauliflower Fritters
    Banner showing Keto Soups and Stews Cookbook.
    Keto Cauliflower Soup in a white bowl with bacon, cheese, and green onion on top.

    Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Soup Recipe

    This creamy Keto Cauliflower Soup is velvety smooth and delicious, and it takes only a few short minutes to make in the Instant Pot. It's healthy, low carb comfort food at its finest. Stovetop instructions included too.
    4.95 from 72 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cauliflower soup, instant pot cauliflower soup
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 325kcal

    Ingredients

    • 6 slices bacon chopped
    • ¼ cup chopped onion
    • 1 stalk celery chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • Salt and pepper
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 1 head medium cauliflower (about 1 ¼ pound) cut into florets
    • ¾ cup sour cream
    • 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar divided
    • 1 green onion
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Place the chopped bacon in the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate, leaving as much of the bacon fat in the pot as possible. 
    • Add the onion, celery, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Turn off the sauté function.
    • Add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, then add the cauliflower. Lock the lid onto the pot and make sure the vent is sealed. Set the manual function on high for 5 minutes (it will take 5 to 10 minutes to come up to pressure). 
    • When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the vent. Remove the lid and stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth or transfer to a full size blender or food processor. 
    • Serve the soup topped with the remaining cheese, the bacon, and the green onion. 

    Notes

    If you would prefer to make this on your stove top, follow the instructions for sautéing the vegetables in a large pot over medium heat. Add the broth and cauliflower as instructed and cook for 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Proceed with the remaining steps, as directed. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Soup Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
    Calories 325 Calories from Fat 215
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 23.9g37%
    Carbohydrates 8g3%
    Fiber 2.3g9%
    Protein 14g28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    16.0K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nina says

      January 30, 2023 at 8:55 pm

      Just curious! When you double the recipe do you still use the same time in the pressure cooker? I am assuming yes but wanted to ask

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 30, 2023 at 9:39 pm

        I haven’t ever doubled the recipe all at once… it may need a tiny bit longer but not much.

        Reply
    2. Michelle says

      January 28, 2023 at 7:08 am

      5 stars
      I make this often, it is so good.

      Reply
    3. Christi says

      January 22, 2023 at 3:16 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness! This is so good! Tastes just like cream of potato soup!

      Reply
    4. Whitney Lodes says

      January 21, 2023 at 8:56 pm

      4 stars
      Not sure what happened. The flavor is amazing but we cannot get the texture smooth and creamy. More mushy than anything

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 22, 2023 at 9:22 am

        Did you put it in a blender?

        Reply
    5. Dee says

      January 09, 2023 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      you hit it out the park with this one. best low carb soup I have ever ever ever had. day 2 the soup was so creamy and thick. better than baked potato soup which has long been my favorite

      Reply
    6. Teresa says

      January 07, 2023 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      I had a head of cauliflower that I needed to use before we went away for the month of December. I cooked it in the instant pot and pureed it and put it in the deep freeze. Today i made it into this soup! We love it- so reminiscent of our loaded baked potato soup we used to make.
      I tell all my friends, those who eat Keto and those who don’t about your website because they often ask me for my recipes. Everyone is always surprised that the recipes are so good and don’t “taste” keto!

      Reply
    7. Linda says

      January 07, 2023 at 4:21 pm

      Question….can yogurt be subbed for the sour cream to lower calories?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 08, 2023 at 11:55 am

        It won’t be as thick or rich, but you’re welcome to experiment.

        Reply
    8. Patricia Yandell says

      December 26, 2022 at 4:08 pm

      Wowie! Excellent! Thanks!

      Reply
    9. Leslie Delacruz says

      December 15, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      I love this soup! Making it for the second time today. The pressure cooking does something magical to the cauliflower making it smoother than when I’ve tried making cauliflower soups other ways. I added a bit of truffle oil and truffle salt to the recipe and it makes it so decadent! I feel like I’m eating something I shouldn’t. 💜

      Reply
    10. Leah says

      December 05, 2022 at 10:05 pm

      4 stars
      The soup is delicious and super easy to make! I didn’t have sour cream on hand, so subbed equal parts 2%fage and half & half. Next time I will double the recipe to have more leftovers!

      Reply
    11. Donna C says

      November 29, 2022 at 5:18 pm

      5 stars
      this was fabulous but we are going to remove the onion pieces because ours were bitter. otherwise this was delicious!!!

      Reply
    12. Anne says

      November 21, 2022 at 8:01 pm

      This soup is delish. Thank you

      Reply
    13. Darcy says

      November 20, 2022 at 5:35 pm

      This is simply delish and super easy to make! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!

      Reply
    14. Kathy Thomas says

      November 11, 2022 at 7:45 pm

      5 stars
      I will cut the broth next time, but otherwise very good. I added about a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for a little zing.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 11, 2022 at 8:08 pm

        I like that idea! The mustard, yum!

        Reply
    15. Joni says

      November 06, 2022 at 10:25 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious!!!!

      Reply
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