Cauliflower Potato and Leek Soup
Cauliflower Potato and Leek Soup- all you need is 8 ingredients to make this comforting soup. So rich and creamy, no one would ever guess it’s dairy-free!
I’m sure many of you have had potato leek soup before but have you ever tried adding cauliflower to the mix? If not, let this recipe be your guide!
Incorporating cauliflower imparts a luxurious creamy texture that makes for a super comforting way to up your veggie intake. No heavy cream or raw cashews required. Just the simple flavors of fresh seasonal produce shine through.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Leeks- Because I know I will get this question at some point, yes, technically you can sub a regular onion in place of the leeks. That said, leeks are so much more complex and earthy than yellow onions, and they are well worth the time it takes to rinse the dirt from their layers. They are also a great source of prebiotics (cheers to gut health!). If you have access to leeks I highly recommend sticking with them for this recipe.
- Cauliflower- You only need chopped florets for this recipe but I find 5 cups to be equivalent to about one 2lb head of cauliflower. Fresh is always best although frozen may work in a pinch. If you don’t mind the extra step, roasting the florets before adding them to the pot will enhance the flavor of the soup even more.
- Potato- Both yukon and russet potato work well in this recipe. It’s totally up to you if want to peel them or not. Just keep in mind the skin of russet potatoes will likely darken the soup if left intact.
- Garlic- I usually use about 3 to 4 cloves, depending on their size. If you like more or less, feel free to adjust it to your liking.
- Thyme- Fresh thyme is beautiful here but dried thyme is great as well. The flavor of dried thyme tends to be a bit more potent so I use less compared to fresh.
- Vegetable Broth- With such simple ingredients it’s important to use a high quality vegetable broth. Making your own is ideal but if you don’t have time for that, Better Than Bouillon is a good alternative.
- Desired Toppings- Homemade croutons, minced chives, fresh ground pepper, and shredded cheese are just a few of our favorite toppings. Plain yogurt would also be delicious. Feel free to get creative and use whatever you like!
How to Make Cauliflower Potato and Leek Soup
- Warm the butter over medium heat and cook the leeks until golden brown. Browning them helps bring out the flavor so don’t skip that part!
- Add the cauliflower (roasted or raw, your choice!), garlic, potato and thyme. Cook for a few minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cook until vegetables are fork tender.
- Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Serve warm with desired garnishes (such as croutons, shredded cheese and chives) and enjoy!
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Carrot Ginger Soup with Maple Yogurt
- Roasted Acorn Squash and Apple Soup
- Turnip Leek Soup
- Dairy-free Zucchini Corn Chowder
- Detoxifying Kale Soup
Cauliflower Potato and Leek Soup
All you need is 8 ingredients and one-pot to make this comforting soup. It's so rich and creamy, no one would ever guess it's dairy-free!
Servings: 4 bowls
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil or vegan butter
- 2-3 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups chopped cauliflower florets, approx 2lb head of cauliflower
- 4 cups yukon gold or russet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 4 cups vegetable broth, my favorite is Better Than Bouillon
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- salt & pepper to taste
- chopped fresh chives, shredded cheese and/or croutons for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm oil or butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Next add the garlic, cauliflower florets, thyme, and diced potato. Stir and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant. Pour in the broth and bring to a low boil. Cook until cauliflower and potato are soft, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the mixture into a blender, or blend it in the pot using an immersion blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
- Taste test and add salt and pepper, as desired to taste. Pour back into the pot and warm over medium low heat, until heated through. Serve warm garnished with chives, shredded cheese, and/or croutons, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 234kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 804mg, Potassium: 1165mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1289IU, Vitamin C: 87mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 7mg
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
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This sounds SO good! And looks so creamy!! I need to get some cauliflower asap!! This would be perfect right now since Orlando is “cold.” (I’m clearly saying that because if we were still back home in Canada, cold would have a whole different meaning haha!)
I made a version of this and cheated a little. I cut up leeks. Cauliflower, parsnips. Fresh grated ginger sautéed in olive oil and butter then I pored in organic potato leek soup and let it cook. It was wonderful
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the feedback, Amy!
I roasted the cauliflower and added 2 tbls nutritional yeast. That made it even creamier and ‘cheesy’ it was lovely
I’m in The Nation’s Capital (Ottawa) and we’re having a heat wave right now… it’s almost 40C (over 100F)! I made this with 2 small potatoes (have kidney failure and already had a bad fall from too much potassium), 2 small-ish Leeks, and 500g (1/2lbs) Riced Cauliflower… and used Chicken Broth (reduces-sodium brand named broth), but instead of thyme I put a sprinkle of sage, lots of pepper, and only a sprinkle of salt; since renal diet calls for reduced sodium, reduced potassium, and reduced phosphorus. Before eating I sprinkle the tiniest amount of truffle oil…. yummy!
Oooo this looks delicious! I think I’m going to have to pass this recipe along to my mom, because she’s been ALL about the cauliflower soups lately. That and I hope she’ll end up making it so that I can try some, because, while I adore soups, I’m usually too lazy to make them myself :lol: Loved and Pinned <3
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This sounds amazing! I’ve probably made at least half of the recipes that you feature here ;) If you ever decide to write a cookbook, I will definitely purchase it! Gorgeous photos, too.
The relationship between you and your grandmother is so sweet!
I love potato and leek soup but never have thought to add cauliflower before, this is definitely a delicious, hearty and comforting recipe that I need to try!
Thanks for stopping by, Aubrie! :)
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Grandma’s recipes are always the best. Mine is 90 years old and still makes fresh pasta on Sundays. I look forward to going back home and preparing a hearty soup like this one!
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Wow! This soup is so creamy and delicious — perfectly warming for cold winter nights; I made some for my family yesterday, and though they were skeptical at first, they ultimately loved it and ate nearly the whole batch! :]
Thanks so much for an excellent recipe!
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback! :)
I’ve made this twice now – so easy and tasty! Second time I added some ginger as I had a bit of a cold. Both ways are great. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that, Julie! I hope you are feeling better! :)
Very good, I adapted this recipe to my Instant Pot, and it is pressurized right now…
I made this recipe tonight, a cold CT evening. I roasted the cauliflower along with the garlic for the smoky richness and depth of flavor it added. mmm. Also, I decided to use a lot of cauliflower and threw in a nonfat greek yogurt at the last minute. In addition, I served it with some parmesan cheese, which made it delightful. I used chicken broth before blending. I used non-fat half & half, but would try it with milk next time as I’m sure it would be as good, if not better. I am obviously not vegan, but I do like to cook close as possible to vegan, when possible. It was awesome, and my husband loved it as well. I will make it again. Thanks for this recipe. Your blessed to have your grandmother.
p.s. I used no potatoes and it was still amazing!
Delicious! Just made a big pot. Look forward to lots of leftovers.
I just made tnis and it was scrumptious! Instead of croutons I sauteed some shiitake mushrooms in Worcestershire sauce and added some chipotle paste (I like my heat, what to do?) and added some on top of the soup before I served it (not too many, though, cause I didn’t wantbthe mushrooms to cover the taste of the soup). Thanks for this recipe. It’s a keeper!
That sounds amazing! Thanks for the review, Mary!
Great recipe! This was delicious!! The whole family loved it including my 13 year old. Thank you!
I am making as we speak..smells delicious. Very good recipe, thank you.
Excellent soup. All the family loved it. Very creamy without any dairy. I’m cooking it again today, perfect for cool weather warmth.
Thanks Peter! Glad it was a hit!
Cauliflower, leek & potato soup – totally fantastic! Thank you <3
Easy. Delicious. I used chicken stock as I didn’t have vegetable stock. Yum!
Me and my partner loved this soup! So easy and so hearty ❤️
So happy to hear that! Thank you!
I just made this delicious recipe – thank you! I did feel it was a little shy of flavor so I did add thyme sprigs and a bay leaf to the pot, then a handful of minced lovage to the finished puree. Deluxe flavor!
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Great recipe. I added a little freshly grated nutmeg at the end. It sent it over the top. Thanks!
Thank you for the review!
What a delicious soup! My dinner guests (s0me of whom are vegan and others who don’t like cauliflower) really enjoyed it and even requested the recipe. Thank you for sharing! I served it with Honey-Lemon Chicken, Brown/Wild Rice, and a Brussels Sprouts Salad for a great meal.
It sounds like you spoiled your guests! Thank you for the review, Barbara! :)
Just made this and it was delicious! Only things I did differently was add a couple sprigs of thyme and 2 bay leaves while it was simmering. I also use thickened cream as it’s all I had. Love it and will be making again.
I too, added a sprinkling of thyme. I didn’t puree, but lightly mashed it all… was delicious. Thank you :)
Nice recipe. I love potato leek soup. I had some mashed cauliflower that I wanted to use up and looked for a recipe to include it in. I used both vegetable broth and Better Than Bouillon for extra flavoring and added a little milk as it was very thick. I also find making a soup earlier in the day or the day before allows enhancement of the flavors.
Hi Carol, the recipe doesn’t call for milk but you are welcome to add it if you like!
how would this be with sweet potatoes instead?? looks delicious!
Yes I made it…WOOO HOOOO. So good… I topped mine with parmesan and bacon bits
Thank u
Forgot to hit 5 stars
We made this soup on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Outstanding is all I can say. Made the recipe as described used 3 cups of veggie broth and 2 cups of broth made with better than bouillon (veggie) used fresh thyme. Sharing this recipe with friends.
Very good, warming soup, and so simple to make. Served with feta and sundried tomato biscuits, which were a great complement to the flavours of the soup. May add some smoked paprika next time. I am looking forward to leftovers for lunch. Thanks for a great recipe!
Have made this before and it is delicious!
My Family enjoy this soup very much!
I used brown onion instead of leek. Added 250ml of almond milk and a tablespoon of nutritional yeast. We are vegetarian except my husband, but I always try to find an option for a cheese flavour as one of my children is dairy intolerant.
I also chop bacon and pan fry it so my husband can sprinkle it into his portion of soup to satisfy his meat cravings.
Just WOW! I roasted all the veg at 300º for about 90 mins (except for the garlic, which I roasted as unpeeled cloves for 30 mins) to deepen the flavor. My spouse is on a self-free diet, and that added much needed flavor complexity. It took much longer, but it was super amazing. I toasted fresh sage along with the croutons and crumbled it on top. Mind-blowing!
This soup is a harty delicious bowl of nutrition. I did make a couple of minor changes though. I only used half the leek and added some onion for a little more flavour and a couple ribs of celery. To top the soup I add cheese and a little diced fried bacon.
I followed the recipe perfectly. This soup is amazing. Great for any chilly evening or for a tasty lunch.
Very good and pretty easy to make.Lacking a little on flavor but the toppings is what it’s all about. Cheese, green onions, bacon bits, sour cream
This was my first try at making this kind of soup. I had some extra leek, potato and a head of cauliflower that needed to be used, and I am so glad I came across this recipe! I only had 1 spear of leek and I used half the garlic, but it turned out very nice. I used an immersion blender and added a bit more water. I think next time I will roast the cauliflower as some other people have done. I will add some parmesan as well and some parsley to serve. I’m very glad this recipe is dairy-free as I am trying to avoid dairy but I /love/ creamy soups.
Delicioso. Awesome recipe. Thanks for sharing this Cauliflower Potato and Leek Soup, this one is so amazing. We tried the soup for the very first time and everyone loved it in my family.
I bought leeks, potatoes and cauliflower to make a soup. I then came back to look for a recipie.
Your recipe came up and had a good star rating so decided to try it.
It was easy to make and tastes delicious hot or cold.
I have also frozen some into smaller packages for later
Thank you for sharing.
I will keep this one to make again.
So glad to hear that! Thank you for the review.
This was yummm! I used regular butter and a lamb stock cube and the flavour was wonderful. Very easy and quick.