This mushroom and cauliflower soup is very scrumptious and easy to make! This thick cauliflower soup with mushrooms is also naturally diary-free and will be a perfect addition to your weekly meal plan – either for dinner or lunch. The roasting the vegetables may seem like an extra step but this is what gives the soup a richer and bolder flavor.
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Why To Try This Mushroom and Cauliflower Soup
Me and my partner love this cauliflower soup with mushrooms, and I believe that you will enjoy it too! Here are the main reasons why I think you should try it:
- The recipe is super simple – this delicious soup is ready in just 4 easy steps and contains only 7 key ingredients!
- The roasted vegetables give the soup an absolutely divine taste – you will want to have more!
- It is seasonal - mushrooms and cauliflower are at their best this time of year, however, both are often available in shops all year round.
- This homemade soup is light in calories but rich in flavor.
- It freezes well – which makes it great for batch cooking and making ahead (if you don’t finish it all before it cools down)!
Key Ingredients
There are 7 main items in this recipe, most of which will probably already be in your fridge, freezer or kitchen cupboard. Here they are:
- Cauliflower gives this soup the delicate earthy flavors, whilst being rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and choline. Use the whole head, removing the tough bottom part and outer leaves (however, these are edible too, so feel free to use them if you don’t like composting them). For the best results, I recommend using fresh cauliflower, but frozen one can be used too (do not thaw it before cooking!).
- Mushrooms provide the soup with additional vitamins (vitamins B and D), antioxidants and other minerals. They are low in calories but big on taste – and bring the umami flavour to the dish. Use fresh chestnut (cremini), porcini or portobello mushrooms for best pairing with the cauliflower. Or, use frozen mushrooms – again do not defrost them prior to roasting them.
- Roast the veg with a small amount of olive oil.
- Potato – helps thicken the soup naturally, keep the skin on.
- Red onion and garlic are the base of this soup, providing rich flavor and also helping thicken the soup.
- Beef stock will help bring this soup to life, and gives it slightly darker colour too. Use homemade broth or opt in for stock pot or stock cubes.
- Thyme, salt and pepper are added for seasoning. Use dry spices, or fresh herbs.
- Fried pancetta is optional – add it before serving if you wish to make the soup truly rich and full of flavor.
Serve this delicious homemade soup with a slice of crusty sourdough bread or with croutons. For detailed quantities and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutes & Variations
Here are a handful of ideas on how to swap some of the ingredients in the recipe:
- Brown onion or shallots instead of red onion,
- Chicken or vegetable stock,
- White button mushrooms or similar,
- Rapeseed or vegetable oil,
- Diced bacon to replace pancetta.
Quantities and ratios can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Mushroom and Cauliflower Soup
This soup with cauliflower and mushrooms is ready in these four simple steps:
- Prepare the vegetables and mushrooms, dice them and place on a baking tray. Season and roast until softened.
- Wash and cut the potatoes and move them with the roasted veg into a stock pot, add stock (or broth) and cook.
- Blend the soup with a stick blender or in a liquidiser.
- Serve with bread, pancetta and/or crème fraiche.
Detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this article.
Top Tips
If you are wondering how to make this soup perfect each time, you’re in the right place.
- Use the freshest vegetables possible – pick cauliflower and mushrooms without any visible marks.
- If using frozen vegetables and mushrooms – do not defrost them, cook straight from frozen, add 3-5 minutes extra to the roasting time.
- Save some of the roasted vegetables and mushrooms for effective garnish.
- Do not overcook the soup – 45-50 mins of cooking are plenty to ensure the vegetables are soft enough and that the flavors have maximised.
- Planning to freeze some for later? Skip adding any dairy products to it before freezing, or risk the soup splitting, and the cream curdling. Add any cream or yogurt just before serving.
Storage & Reheating
This mushroom and cauliflower soup can be made in advance and is suitable for cooking in batches. It will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not add parsley or cream if making ahead. Let it cool down completely and store it in an airtight container or in a pot with a lid.
This soup is also great for freezing. Do not add any garnishes or dairy to it before freezing. Leave it cool down to room temperature and transfer it to a freezer-safe food container or freezer bag. Cover with a lid (seal carefully) and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Always remember to reheat the soup thoroughly before serving. Here are tips on how to reheat this soup at home. Only add garnishes and toppings (crème fraiche, yogurt, herbs etc.) once you reheat the soup.
- On the hob – transfer the soup into a saucepan or a pot, and reheat it slowly on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer for about 5-6 minutes. This method is great for reheating multiple servings, and for reheating from frozen (no need to defrost the soup in advance).
- In a microwave – place a single portion of this chilled soup into a microwavable bowl and reheat it for about 3-5 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave). Check that the soup is piping hot before serving. If you wish to microwave frozen soup, leave it to thaw in the fridge for 8-12 hours before reheating in a microwave, or reheat it several times in 2-minute intervals until it turns liquid and hot, stirring it in between blasts. This microwave method works well for reheating individual portions.
FAQs
If your soup is not as thick as you’d like, then you have a few options how to make it thicker. Firstly, you can continue cooking it until the water in the soup reduces and it becomes naturally thicker (keep stirring it to prevent burning). Second option is to thicken it with flour or cornstarch mixed with cold water (cook it for at least 5 minutes afterwards). Finally, you can make it thicker by adding in potato, cauliflower or mushroom puree (cooked and blended) – stir it in and cook for at least 5 minutes. Check seasoning before serving.
There are a few ways how to clean mushrooms before cooking them. Always do this right before cooking, as otherwise you would compromise on their shelf life, quality and taste.
If you are going to need your mushrooms for soups or sauces where they don’t need to be crispy, then you can wash them under cold running water. Dry them, slice and they’re ready to be cooked.
If you want to ie. fry the mushrooms and get them crispy, then wipe them with a paper towel or with a special mushrooms brush.
Alternatively, some people prefer to peel them with a knife, this way however, they may lose some of their flavor. Whichever method you choose, always remove any dirt and cut of dry ends.
Fresh cauliflower can last up to 2 weeks if stored carefully in the fridge. It can sometimes have black or brown stains on it. Before you buy it or start cooking with it, check for any dark spots, insects, slimy or mushy texture and fouls smells. If there are just a few black spots that don’t seem to be a sign of a rotting vegetable, cut them off and use the rest of the cauliflower as usual. If you find a bad smell coming out of the cauliflower head, patches of softened texture and/or a sign of insects infestation, discard it and get a fresh one.
📖 The Recipe
Mushroom and Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 500 g cauliflower head (large; leaves removed), or cauliflower florets
- 250 g chestnut (brown) mushrooms, or porcini mushrooms
- 290 g white potatoes (skin-on)
- 150 g red onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1.5 l beef stock, or beef stock cubes and 1.5l water
For serving (optional)
- 60 g Fried pancetta, or bacon
- Sourdough bread, or bread croutons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C fan/ 356F.
- Prepare the vegetables and mushrooms, clean and dice them and place on a baking tray, splash with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and thyme. Toss, distribute everything evenly on the baking tray and roast for 30 minutes or until softened and lightly golden.
- In the meantime, wash the potatoes, and cut them into dices.
- Add beef stock into a large pot, add the diced potatoes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and mushrooms into the stock pot, cover and bring to boil on high heat. Once the soup starts to boil, lower the heat to medium-low and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Blend the soup with a stick blender, or in a liquidiser. Serve hot with bread and fried pancetta.
Notes
- 1 brown onion or 2 shallots,
- Chicken or vegetable stock,
- White button mushrooms or similar,
- Rapeseed or vegetable oil,
- Diced bacon.
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