Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup
by Katie Webster
October 15, 2018 (updated 5/30/23) Jump To Recipe
Today’s new recipe for Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup with sharp white cheddar cheese is the first of my new pressure cooker recipes here on Healthy Seasonal Recipes. But if you haven’t bought an instant pot yet, there’s a slow cooker option as well.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup
This velvety smooth Cream of Cauliflower Soup is a cinch to whip together in your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker. It’s the perfect recipe to make on those colder in-need-of-healthy-comfort-food days. Plus, since the instant pot cooks things so quickly, you can easily make this on a busy weeknight.
I also had to test it in the slow cooker to make sure everyone can make this Cream of Cauliflower Soup even those of you who are still hold-outs (and haven’t gotten in the shopping mood at Costco and ended up buying an Instant Pot.)
Serve it with Parmesan and Leek Muffins or homemade Whole-Wheat Bread for a delicious comforting winter meal.
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
Cauliflower
Buy a whole head of cauliflower and cut it into florets. You can use pre-cut florets if desired, but stay away from frozen cauliflower.
Brown deli mustard
I used mustard because it really needed a kick of flavor, and the taste of the mustard paired well with the cauliflower and cheese.
Dry sherry
To make this recipe gluten-free I used a dry sherry instead of beer (which I’d normally use). If you don’t have sherry you can definitely use beer instead. If gluten is of concern, you can also use a gluten-free beer.
White potatoes
I like using Russet potatoes when making soup since they’re high in starch and light in texture. This helps provide a real creaminess.
Additional Ingredients
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 parsnip or carrot, peeled and chopped
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
- ½ cup half and half
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make This Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Step 1: Combine ingredients
Whisk broth, beer, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper in the insert of an instant pot or a large slow cooker. Add in potatoes, celery, garlic, onion, parsnip, and cauliflower.
Step 2: Cook soup
For instant pot close lid and set float valve to seal. Set to high for 10 minutes. If using slow cooker set to low for 8 hours.
Step 3: Release steam from instant pot
For Instant Pot, when timer goes off, carefully turn valve to release steam (use tongs and oven mits to prevent steam burn.)
Step 4: Puree soup
Puree soup with an immersion blender (or very carefully in batches in a blender) to desired smoothness. Stir cheese and half and half into hot pureed soup. Serve hot!
Tips and Things to Know When Using the Instant Pot
- A super important detail- before starting the instant pot, turn the valve on the top to “seal” position. That closes up the chamber so that the pressure can build up inside the pot.
- It takes a while for the pot to come up to pressure. Like 12 or 15 minutes. Then the timer will start. This is normal.
- Once the timer goes off (and the Instant Pot beeps like there is a major emergency) you can release the pressure, but MAKE SURE YOU DO SO SAFELY! Here’s how: Put an oven mitt on your hand. Put a set of tongs in the oven mit. Use the tongs to twist the valve to release to “quick release” the steam. It will splutter a bit, so the oven mitt will protect you from any spray or steam. The steam show is crazy people. It’s so exciting! Ha ha! Your house will suddenly smell like delicious soup.
- When the steam stops, you can remove the lid. It will bleep again. And there will be your cooked veggies and broth inside- looking totally different from before you closed the lid.
FAQs and Expert Tips
If you are serving this as a main course, then a serving is 2 cups. If it is a side or starter, then one cup should do it. If you are serving as a side dish, this recipe pairs well with my chopped winter salad or my Caesar Salad with home-made egg free dressing.
I made rye bread croutons to go on top of this by cubing rye bread (I like the kind with caraway seeds.) I essentially adapted my Crouton Recipe to make them. I tossed them with avocado oil, salt and pepper and baked them at 350 until they were crispy- about 12 minutes. I stored them at room temp for a few days in a Ziplock bag.
I also topped the soup with chives for a little bit of color. Scallions or red onion would also be a nice option. You could also garnish with a little extra cheddar cheese if you like. And bacon would be obscenely good!!
If you don’t have one, do it carefully in batches in the blender. Take care when blending hot liquids!!! Don’t overfill and make sure the lid is on tight, and cover it with a dish towel and hold it down so it can’t pop off.
Additional Soup Recipes to Try
- This Roasted Pumpkin Soup is actually vegan and so creamy!
- I highly recommend my Italian Wedding soup or my Minestrone Soup if you’re craving Italian.
- This Zucchini Soup has and always will have my heart.
- If you’re a chowder fan you have to make this Healthy New England Seafood Chowder.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Today’s new recipe for Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup with sharp white cheddar cheese is the first of my new pressure cooker recipes here on Healthy Seasonal Recipes. But if you haven’t bought an instant pot yet, there’s a slow cooker option as well.
Ingredients
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/3 cup beer or 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons brown deli mustard
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 medium gold or white potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 parsnip or carrot, peeled and chopped
- 6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup half and half
Instructions
- Whisk broth, beer, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper in the insert of an instant pot or a large slow cooker. Add in potatoes, celery, garlic, onion, parsnip, and cauliflower.
- For instant pot close lid and set float valve to seal. Set to high for 10 minutes. If using slow cooker set to low for 8 hours.
- For Instant Pot, when timer goes off, carefully turn valve to release steam (use tongs and oven mits to prevent steam burn.)
- 4. Puree soup with an immersion blender (or very carefully in batches in a blender) to desired smoothness. Stir cheese and half and half into hot pureed soup. Serve hot!
Notes
Pressure Cooker Tips:
Once the soup ingredients are stirred together, seal the lid close by twisting it. If it is plugged in, it should make a clever bleeping noise to let you know you’ve secured the lid correctly.
Next- a super important detail- turn the valve on the top to “seal” position. That closes up the chamber so that the pressure can build up inside the pot.
Then turn it on to high for 10 minutes. Note: it takes a while for the pot to come up to pressure. Like 12 or 15 minutes. Then the timer will start. This is normal.
Once the timer goes off (and the Instant Pot beeps loudly) you can release the pressure, but MAKE SURE YOU DO SO SAFELY! Here’s how: Put an oven mitt on your hand. Put a set of tongs in the oven mit. Use the tongs to twist the valve to release to “quick release” the steam. It will splutter a bit, so the oven mitt will protect you from any spray or steam.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: Small Appliance
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 245
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
This is one of the best soups I have ever had or made! I add some celery salt and dried basil too. I use the sherry instead of the beer but I am sure the beer would be good too. Make this today! I make a batch every week and have it for lunch every day. It does not freeze well.
Thank you so much!
I can’t wait to try this! I got rid og both of my Instant Pots (3 & 6 quart) in favor of my stovetop pressure cooker that comes to pressure so much faster than the IP. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Love this soup! It’s my go-to during the week. So easy to make and with ingredients I always have on hand. Have made it on the stove and with my IP, so don’t fret if you don’t have an IP!