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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup (Gluten-Free)

    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup (Gluten-Free)

    May 5, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 6 Comments

    80 shares
    Jump to Recipe >

    This vegan cauliflower cheese soup is creamy, indulgent, and gluten-free. Easy to make and cheesy in taste, you won't even notice there's no dairy.

    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup

    You can use a hand blender for this, but if you want to make the soup extra-creamy then I'd recommend using a larger blender. It might mean more washing up, but I feel like it's worth it for this recipe.

    Want more cheesy vegan recipes? Check out this baked cauliflower cheese and easy cheesy pasta sauce.

    I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup

    Is this soup healthy?

    There's a lot of good stuff going on in this soup. Cauliflower is absolutely packed full of vitamins and minerals, and I love its diversity in the kitchen.

    In one serving of this recipe you’ll find:

    • Calories: 267 kcal
    • Protein: 12 grams (24% of RDA)
    • Fibre: 8 grams (33% of RDA)
    • Vitamin C: 86 mg (104% of RDA)

    Not bad for beige food, eh?

    Why is there no vegan cheese in this recipe?

    Despite all the great plant-based products out there, vegan cheese still has some way to go in my personal opinion. The best ones tend to be a little on the expensive side, and so it feels like a waste to throw them into a soup.

    I prefer to build the flavours myself, which also helps to avoid the taste of coconut oil that's so common in vegan cheeses. Saying that, feel free to add in vegan cheese if you want – even just as a topping when serving.

    How to make vegan food taste cheesy

    There are several ways to make vegan food taste cheesy, but the most common is to add nutritional yeast or 'nooch'. This magical ingredient comes in the form of a flaky yellowish powder and lends a cheesy umami flavour to dishes.

    Nutritional Yeast

    Nutritional yeast is a good source of vitamin B12, and one of many weird vegan ingredients to play around with in the kitchen.

    Salt is another important flavour for imitating cheese, and I also add Dijon mustard and cider vinegar to this soup for some sharpness. The cashew nuts and plant-based milk help to make it creamy.

    Is cauliflower good in soup?

    Cauliflower is a great ingredient for making soup. Low in calories and full of fibre and vitamins, its subtle taste means you can easily build flavours around it.

    When cooking with cauliflower, I'd always recommend including the core and leaves. These are just as good as the florets and it'll result in less food waste – win-win!

    Which plant-based milk is best for cauliflower soup?

    It's no secret that I'm an oat milk fan, and it's what usually ends up in my cooking. Here's my take on some of the options:

    • Oat milk: My go-to plant-based milk. A good, versatile all-rounder that usually doesn't curdle.
    • Cashew milk: This recipe already uses cashew nuts, and so creamy cashew milk would work well.
    • Soya milk: This is also a decent all-rounder, and would work well (it might curdle when added to the hot soup, but you're going to blend this one anyway).
    • Coconut milk: For the same reason that I don't use vegan cheese in this recipe, I would avoid using coconut milk.
    • Rice milk: I haven't experimented much with rice milk, but reckon it would be slightly too sweet here.
    • Almond milk: I've always found almond milk to be a little overpowering, so unless you like the taste I'd avoid it.

    Note: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a plant-based milk that is certified or labelled as such.

    How to make vegan cauliflower cheese soup

    Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Ingredients

    Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan before adding the chopped onion and leek. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes.

    Once the onion and leek have softened, add the chopped garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

    Next, add the cauliflower and potato and stir well for 2-3 minutes.

    Cauliflower and Veg Frying in Pan

    After 2-3 minutes, add in the veg stock, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, cashews, nutritional yeast, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potato cubes are soft.

    Adding Ingredients to Soup

    Turn off the heat and stir in the plant-based milk. This will help to slightly reduce the temperature before blending. Remove the bay leaves and then transfer the soup to a blender, doing this in batches if necessary (don't overfill).

    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup in Blender

    Blend until smooth and creamy. It's perfectly fine to use a hand blender here, it just won't be as creamy as in a larger blender.

    Soup after Blending

    Once blended, return the soup to the pan and bring to a low simmer. Add the spinach and cook for a couple of minutes until it has wilted.

    At this point you can adjust the seasoning and flavours to suit your preferences – more salt if it tastes bland, more nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness, more mustard and/or vinegar for added sharpness.

    Once the spinach has wilted, turn off the heat and serve.

    Serving suggestions

    • Plant-based crème fraiche
    • Chopped fresh parsley
    • Chopped fresh chives
    • Sliced spring onions
    • Grated vegan cheese (or this 4-ingredient vegan parmesan)
    • Toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup Served in Bowl

    Recipe FAQ

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock and a plant-based milk that are certified or labelled as such. You’ll want to do the same for any vegan cream etc. that you use when serving.

    Which plant-based milk should I use?

    I'd suggest a neutral variety such as oat milk or soya milk, or cashew milk since this recipe contains cashews anyway. See section above for more detail.

    How long will this keep in the fridge?

    Store this soup in the fridge for up to four days. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a pan on low heat.

    Can I freeze it?

    You can freeze this soup in sealed containers or resealable bags for up to six months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or in a pan on low heat.

    Variations and tips

    • Dijon mustard: You could swap this out for wholegrain mustard (see recipe notes for more info about vegan Dijon mustard).
    • Cider vinegar: You can swap this out for white wine vinegar – just be aware that this isn't always strictly vegan.
    • Wild garlic: This is an excellent replacement for spinach, and is usually found around April in the UK. I've used wild garlic in the recipe photos here. 
    • Blending: It's perfectly fine to use a hand blender, but if you want to achieve the creamiest possible soup you'll need a larger blender. It's a bit of extra washing up, but I feel like it's worth it for this recipe.

    Hey you – let me know what you think

    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

    You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

    Keep in touch

    Subscribe below to receive a weekly newsletter with my latest recipes. Nice and simple. No pesky pestering. No spam (which wouldn’t be very vegan anyway).

    More vegan recipe ideas

    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

    • Baked Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
    • Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
    • Vegan Scotch Broth (Scottish Barley Soup)
    • Pinto Bean Soup with Chilli and Lime
    • Celeriac Soup with Apple, Lemon & Thyme
    • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
    • Broccoli, Potato & Tarragon Soup
    • Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

    You can also check out my full list of vegan soup recipes.

    Full recipe

    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup Served in Bowl

    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup (Gluten-Free)

    The Pesky Vegan
    This vegan cauliflower cheese soup is creamy, indulgent, and gluten-free. Easy to make and cheesy in taste, you won't even notice there's no dairy.
    5 from 1 vote
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 267 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon (15 g) plant-based butter
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 1 leek, trimmed, cut lengthways, and sliced
    • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 1 large cauliflower head, including leaves and core, cut into bite-sized pieces (approx. 2 lbs / 900 grams total)
    • 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1 inch cubes
    • 5 cups (1.2 litres) vegan stock
    • 2 tablespoons vegan Dijon mustard (see notes)
    • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or vegan white wine vinegar)
    • ½ cup (75 g) unsalted cashew nuts
    • 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ¾ cup (200 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk
    • 2 large handfuls (100 g) fresh spinach or wild garlic (see recipe notes)
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Plant-based crème fraiche and fresh parsley, to serve (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan before adding the chopped onion and leek. Season with salt and pepper and soften on low heat for 6-8 minutes.
    • Once the onion and leek have softened, add the chopped garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
    • Next, add the cauliflower and potato and stir well for 2-3 minutes.
    • After 2-3 minutes, add in the veg stock, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, cashews, nutritional yeast, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potato cubes are soft.
    • Turn off the heat and stir in the plant-based milk. This will help to slightly reduce the temperature before blending. Remove the bay leaves and then transfer the soup to a blender, doing this in batches if necessary (don't overfill). Blend until smooth and creamy. Note: It's perfectly fine to use a hand blender here, it just won't be as creamy as in a larger blender.
    • Once blended, return the soup to the pan and bring to a low simmer. Add the spinach and cook for a couple of minutes until it has wilted. At this point, you can adjust the seasoning and flavours to suit your preferences – more salt if it tastes bland, more nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness, more mustard and/or vinegar for added sharpness (go easy on the vinegar though as this can quickly hijack the whole thing).
    • Once the spinach has wilted, turn off the heat and serve with plant-based crème fraiche and chopped fresh parsley.
    Rate this recipe 👇

    Notes

    Extra cheese: For additional cheesiness, try sprinkling over some of this 4-ingredient vegan parmesan.
    Dijon mustard: Since Dijon mustard is traditionally made with white wine, it's not always strictly vegan. That being said, I've seen several varieties around that are labelled vegan. You can swap this out for wholegrain mustard.
    Cider vinegar: If swapping this for white wine vinegar, just be aware that it isn't always strictly vegan. Vegan alcohol is a bit of a grey area for people, so don't worry if it doesn't bother you! 
    Wild garlic: If wild garlic grows near you and it's in season (around April in the UK), definitely use this in place of spinach! The delicious green leaves have a similar texture to spinach, but with a subtle garlic flavour. It's what I've used in the pictures above. 
    Blending: It's perfectly fine to use a hand blender, but if you want to achieve the creamiest possible soup you'll need a large blender. It's a bit of extra washing up, but I feel like it's worth it for this recipe. 
    Plant-based milk: I'd recommend using oat, cashew, or soya milk, and I'd avoid rice or almond milk. I definitely wouldn't use coconut milk for this soup. 
    Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock and a plant-based milk that are certified or labelled as such. You’ll want to do the same for any vegan cream etc. that you use when serving.
    Storage: You can store this soup in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to six months.
    If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
    • Baked Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
    • Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
    • Vegan Scotch Broth (Scottish Barley Soup)
    • Vegan Cheesy Pasta Sauce
    • Celeriac Soup with Apple, Lemon & Thyme
    • Vegan Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
    • Broccoli, Potato & Tarragon Soup
    • Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
     
    * The nutrition info below is for one serving of the soup, based on a total of six servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 12gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 158mgPotassium: 1090mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2007IUVitamin C: 86mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 4mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup (Gluten-Free)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 267 Calories from Fat 90
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 10g15%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Sodium 158mg7%
    Potassium 1090mg31%
    Carbohydrates 34g11%
    Fiber 8g33%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 12g24%
    Vitamin A 2007IU40%
    Vitamin C 86mg104%
    Calcium 127mg13%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword cheesy, vegan cauliflower cheese, vegan soup
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lalitha

      December 17, 2022 at 5:48 pm

      Sounds delish! but haven't made it yet because I'm not sure of amounts. Help!

      Reply
      • Lalitha

        December 17, 2022 at 5:49 pm

        Never mind. Just saw it. Eye roll. Need more sleep!!!

        Reply
        • The Pesky Vegan

          December 20, 2022 at 10:26 pm

          No worries, I can definitely relate to a lack of sleep what with a small baby in the house!

          Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        December 20, 2022 at 10:26 pm

        Cheers!

        Reply
    2. Vicky

      June 29, 2020 at 8:58 pm

      5 stars
      This is sooo tasty! love it 🙂

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        June 29, 2020 at 9:02 pm

        Glad you enjoyed!

        Reply

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