Golden Cauliflower Soup (Dairy-Free)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
A rich, velvety, dairy-free soup made simply with turmeric-spiced cauliflower, broth and coconut milk. It’s based on cauliflower pureed with coconut milk, and topped with swirl of green herb sauce, yogurt and toasted sesame seeds.
Imagine a creamy, nourishing cauliflower soup that not only warms you up, but feels good to eat, inside and out. This soup is spiked with a good dose of turmeric, which we probably all know for its radiant golden color in curry spices.
Turmeric root has amazing attributes, which are probably best left for health experts to explain. But for us everyday cooks, it’s good to know that it’s a great source of beta-carotene and antioxidants.
The beauty of this soup is not just the incredible color, but how totally rich and satisfying it is. The recipe falls comfortably within the spectrum of healthy vegetarian/vegan cooking, with the added bonus that it’s simply delicious!
Recipe ingredients
- Cauliflower: Use fresh or frozen cauliflower florets.
- Spices: Ground turmeric, cumin and cayenne add flavor and color to the soup base.
- Coconut milk: The magic here is you’ll get a creamy bowl of soup, without using dairy.
- Potato: With the addition of a small potato and the creamy coconut milk, the texture of the soup turns out wonderfully silky.
- Apple: I added a chopped green apple to the pot for a subtle layer of tart-sweetness. You can substitute with pear, or just leave it out.
The soup tastes wonderful topped with a few spoonfuls of Simple Green Sauce, which adds a welcome hit of vibrant acidity and fresh, bright herbal flavors to contrast with the creamy texture of the soup.
FOLLOW ALONG: Folow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for all the latest recipes and content.
Golden Coconut Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 head (1350 g) cauliflower, (1 ½ pounds), sliced into florets
- 1 (50 g) small potato (about 4 ounces), peeled and diced
- 1 green apple, peeled and diced (optional)
- 4 cups (1.18 l) vegetable broth
- 1 15-ounce can (426 g) full-fat coconut milk, (not light)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional ideas for garnish
- Chopped cilantro
- Green herb sauce, or prepared pesto sauce
- ½ cup (125 g) whole milk or plant-based yogurt
- Toasted sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the onion in the oil over medium heat until softened. Stir in the turmeric, cumin and cayenne and cook for a few seconds to bloom the spices in the oil.
- Add the cauliflower, potato and apples. Stir together, and cook for a minute or two.
- Add the broth, coconut milk, 2 teaspoons salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and partially cover the pan. Cook 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced.
- Let the mixture cool slightly. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup cauliflower florets, then puree the rest of the soup in a blender in 2 or 3 batches, or directly in the pot with an immersion blender. You can add more liquid if necessary if it seems too thick. Stir in the reserved cauliflower florets.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with your desired garnishes.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- The soup keeps in the refrigerator 3-5 days, and in the freezer for 1 month
Nutrition
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
This is completely delicious and feels so nourishing! Thank you for the recipe!
So happy you enjoyed this Gayle!
This is cooking on the stove right now and smells wonderful!
Looks delicious. Cauliflower soup. That has been a while since i made that, i think i will try this recipe out tonight, looks soft as silk.
Wondering if a slight touch of chili would be good
Just made this for dinner, and it was so perfect 🙂 I added a little extra curry powder and creme fraiche, and topped it with some cilantro – a cabbage salad and piece of whole grain bread and I was set! thanks so much for the lovely recipe!
you take the best pictures, mom.
Yum! This sounds delicious! I’ve been looking for a new fall soup recipe! Surely it’ll cool down in STL one of these days!
Sara, the cool change is finally coming. I’m pulling out my sweater tonight and roasting cauliflower to toss with spaghetti and chickpeas.
This soup is lovely! So easy to make and the flavors were wonderful. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Jenny – thanks so much for your comment! I’m glad to hear you made the soup and enjoyed. Makes my day.
This creamy cauliflower soup looks awesome as did that golden Buddha you scored!
Yup, I too covet some cooler temps 🙂
xo
This sounds wonderful. I’ve been wishing for something new to do with cauliflower and will give this a try soon.
I hope you like! I like playing with cauliflower since it’s such a blank canvas.
Sounds awesome. Apple has long been a “secret” ingredient of mine in soup… as in; mushroom/apple/pancetta soup.
It’s a great trick, isn’t it? I’ve seen chefs throw pears and apples in beef bourguignon, too. It adds an invisible layer of flavor.
Well, fall is here, at least for today. This looks delicious! And I even have some cauliflower in the fridge.
Yum! Can’t wait to try it at home. I’ve been dreaming about it ever since book group!
Wonderful soup-the green apple was a nice addition.
This soup is delicious! K served it for book group last week and we all begged for the recipe.
Sounds delish- I’m definitely going to try this, thanks!