Creamy and comforting, Cauliflower Potato Soup with Smoked Gouda is a soup everyone will love! A garnish of roasted cauliflower florets, bacon, chives and paprika puts it over the top.
Enjoy with Crustless Spinach Artichoke Jalapeno Quiche for a lovely lunch or supper.
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Cauliflower Potato Soup with Smoked Gouda is the perfect soup for when you're craving something simple and easy yet creamy and comforting. There are no special chopping skills required because everything just gets tossed into a Dutch oven, simmered, then pureed!
Kids will love it and you'll love they're getting some veggie goodness.
How to make Cauliflower Potato Soup with Smoked Gouda:
Recipe Ingredients:
Ingredient Notes:
- Butter and Oil: This soup starts with a combination of butter and oil. Because most oils lack in the flavor department, butter gets the flavor process started. Using only butter would cause it to burn, however combining butter with oil increases the smoke point.
- Potatoes: I used Russets, but Yukon gold or red potatoes will also work.
- Cauliflower: Save time by purchasing bags of pre-cut cauliflower florets.
- Dry White Wine: Besides adding flavor, the tartaric acid found in wine is going to help the cheese melt smoothly when you add it. That acid helps to break down the proteins in cheese for a smoother melt. Beer is another option. If you need a non-alcoholic substitute, add 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar to a ½-cup of chicken or vegetable broth.
- Smoked Gouda: If you're note a smoky cheese fan, use plain Gouda, Monterey jack, Gruyere or Cheddar.
- Broth: Can also use vegetable broth.
- Optional Garnishes: Roasted cauliflower, bacon, chives or paprika.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat the butter and oil in a Dutch oven or other soup pot and cook the onion until it's softened.
- Add the garlic and cook until it's fragrant then add dry white wine.
- Add the cauliflower, potatoes and chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are extremely tender.
- Turn off the heat and add the cream.
- Then start adding the cheese by the handful, stirring well after each addition. It won't look very pretty but after you puree, it all comes together!
- Season with salt and white pepper and it's done!
- Garnish with some roasted cauliflower florets, bacon, chives and a sprinkle of paprika.
- Enjoy!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Here's more general information on how to get cheese to melt smoothly in soups whether pureed or not:
- Grate the cheese as finely as possible.
- Add starch such as flour or cornstarch. This helps to stabilize the fat and protein in the cheese and prevents clumping. NOTE: Adding flour to this recipe will make it extremely thick. Because this recipe has potatoes, the starch from the potatoes will help.
- Reduce the heat or take the soup off the heat entirely.
- Add the cheese in small amounts, stirring after each addition. Never add all the cheese at one time.
- Besides adding flavor, the tartaric acid found in wine is going to help the cheese melt smoothly when you add it. That acid helps to break down the proteins in cheese for a smoother melt. Beer is also another option. For a non-alcoholic substitute, add 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar to ½-cup of chicken or vegetable broth.
- Use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
To lighten a cream soup, use reduced fat milk. Be careful adding it to hot liquid because it can curdle. You can also leave the milk, half-and-half or cream entirely out and let the cauliflower and potatoes act as the "cream." You can also reduce the amount of cheese.
Yes, this soup can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until heated through.
You'll want a cheese that melts nicely such as Monterey jack, Gruyere or Cheddar.
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Cauliflower Potato Soup with Smoked Gouda
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion - coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - coarsely chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 large Russet potatoes - peeled and cubed
- 1 large head cauliflower - cut into large florets
- 4-5 cups chicken broth - or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream - or half and half
- 2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- Salt and white pepper - to taste
- Cooked crumbled bacon - for garnish (optional)
- Chives - for garnish (optional)
- Paprika - for garnish (optional)
- Roasted cauliflower - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or other soup pot.
- Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5-7 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook briefly, 10-15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, cauliflower and 4 cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and cauliflower are very tender.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.
- Add the cheese by the handful, stirring well after each addition.
- Puree with an immersion blender until smooth or in a food processor or blender, being careful with hot liquids. If the soup is extremely thick, add additional chicken broth as needed to thin it out.
- Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
- Serve garnished with optional bacon, chives, paprika or roasted cauliflower florets.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Charlene says
Wonderful soup. I didn’t have any smoked Gouda cheese, so I used pepper Jack cheese. Gave it a nice kick.
Carol says
Hi, Charlene, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed!! You can certainly change out the cheeses. White cheddar is also another good option. Thanks again!
Sarah says
This was AMAZING! I used riced cauliflower just to make my life easier and it worked perfectly. I made this for my husband, who isn’t the biggest fan of cauliflower, and my grandfather, who is a soup fiend, and they both want me to make it again!
Carol says
Hi, Sarah, Thanks so very much and so happy everyone enjoyed!! The riced cauliflower is a GREAT tip! Thanks again!