Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
If you’re looking to warm your cockles this winter, then you’ll adore this lusciously creamy Cauliflower Soup with Bacon. It’s light but filling and remains one of my go-to meals for when the weather starts to cool down. I’ve always found this cauliflower soup base delectable on its own but adding a sprinkle of crispy bacon creates the ultimate comfort food feast.
Hi Everyone, Nicky here, calling in from Kitchen Sanctuary with a lusciously creamy cauliflower soup to warm your cockles (is that just an English phrase?).
The salty kick of the bacon paired with the natural creaminess of the cauliflower is a true taste sensation. In fact, I think that cauliflower and bacon should consider getting married and spending the rest of their lives together. I mean, it makes sense as they’re a match made in heaven! Ok, so maybe that’s weird. But you’ll understand what I mean as soon as you take your first slurp of this soup.
There’s not much cream in the soup. Instead, the rich and creamy smoothness comes from the milk and chopped potato. Not only does this save you tons of calories and fat, but it means that adding bacon to the mix is 100% justified.
Hey – I don’t make the rules.
The beautiful thing about this soup is that it can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few days. All you need to do to bring it back to life is reheat it and sprinkle your crispy bacon and spoonful of scallions over the top. Simple!
Whether you’re a new cauliflower soup convert or you’re looking for a way to spice up something that’s been a staple in your recipe binder, you’re bound to fall in love with this dish.
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
- The soup uses basic ingredients that are easy to find, but the flavor payoff is intense.
- It works beautifully with sandwiches for a hearty lunch or dinner.
- It’s great for freezing if you want to batch cook.
- It’s decadent and warming – perfect for winter nights!
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Potato
- Cauliflower
- Vegetable or chicken stock (either homemade or use 2 stock cubes with water. Use bouillon for gluten-free)
- Full-fat milk
- Heavy cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Bacon
- Scallions
How to Make Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
- Step One: Heat one tbsp of the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion, and fry gently for 4-5 minutes until it starts to go translucent.
- Step Two: Add in the garlic and heat through for a minute, then add in the potato, cauliflower, stock, and milk.
- Step Three: Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Step Four: After 15 minutes, take off the heat and whizz using a hand blender. Put back on the heat and stir in the cream and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and leave on low heat whilst you cook the bacon.
- Step Five: Pour the remaining oil into a small skillet, heat on high and fry the bacon, turning once, until the bacon is crispy.
- Step Six: Add the scallions to the pan and cook for another 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
- Step Seven: Chop the bacon into pieces using a pair of scissors, then ladle out the soup into four bowls.
- Step Eight: Top with the bacon, scallions, and a little black pepper if you like.
Equipment Needed
You’ll probably have a few of these items in your house already, but if you don’t, make sure you pick them up before trying this recipe out!
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What to Serve with Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
You’ll be ready to down this by the liter on its own. But if you feel it needs something more, try out these accompaniments!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you blend the soup until it’s entirely smooth. Having chunks in your soup can seriously ruin the experience, so you’ll probably need to blend for longer than you think!
- Be careful to remove the stalks from the cauliflower properly. You only want to use the heads for the smoothest result and strongest flavor.
- If you don’t want the pepper to show up in the soup, use white pepper!
Variations and Substitutions
- Cook the veggies with a small amount of butter if you want an even richer result.
- If you don’t have fresh cauliflower to hand, frozen works just as well. Just be aware that you’ll need to cook it for around 5 minutes longer to get the same results.
- If you want an extra-creamy soup, use ½ cup of heavy cream instead of ¼ cup. It’ll drive the calories way up, but you need to treat yourself sometimes!
- A sprinkle of nutmeg can enhance the flavor of this soup, but keep it light if you want to add it in.
- If you don’t have a hand blender, you can puree the soup in the food processor. Just make sure you do it in batches to achieve a creamy texture.
Storage Instructions
This soup is easy to store in an airtight container and will keep fresh for up to 5 days. Just remember to reheat it until piping hot!
Can I Freeze?
You can certainly freeze this Cauliflower Soup with Bacon. Just remember to leave the bacon bits and shallots out – you can add these when you’re ready to defrost and reheat!
Soup Recipes
- Tortellini Soup – if you want something a bit heartier that’s packed with Italian sausage, spices, and tortellini, give this soup a try!
- Leftover Turkey Soup – if you’re looking for soups to make around the holidays, this hearty soup is just the ticket. It’s packed with veggies, turkeys, and noodles for a well-balanced bite.
- Pumpkin Soup – this simple soup is made with canned pumpkin and creates a light and flavorful meal that’s perfect for lunchtime.
- German Potato Soup – if you have a ton of potatoes to use, try your hand at this thick and creamy soup that’s bursting with onions, celery, and savory spices.
You’ll also like Hash Brown Potato Soup, Creamy Cauliflower, Chicken Enchilada Soup, Corn Chowder, Cream of Celery Soup and Cauliflower Bake.
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Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 medium potato peeled and chopped
- 1 head cauliflower outer leaves discarded chopped into small florets
- 2 ½ cups hot vegetable or chicken stock either homemade or use 2 stock cubes with water. Use bouillon for gluten free
- 1 cup full fat milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 slices bacon
- 4 scallions chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan, add in the onion and fry gently for 4-5 minutes until it starts to go translucent. Add in the garlic and heat through for a minute, then add in the potato, cauliflower, stock, and milk. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, take off the heat and blend together using a hand blender. Put back on the heat, stir in the cream and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and leave on a low heat whilst you cook the bacon.
- Pour the remaining oil in a small skillet, heat on high and fry the bacon, turning once, until the bacon is crispy. Add the scallions to the pan and cook for another 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. Chop the bacon into pieces using a pair of scissors, then ladle out the soup into four bowls. Top with the bacon, scallions and a little black pepper if you like.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Instead, the rich and creamy smoothness comes from the milk and chopped potato. <– did you mean the cauliflower? I ask because some cauliflower soups do contain a little potato.