Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe with Beer

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Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe with Beer

This rich, creamy cauliflower cheese soup recipe with beer is well-balanced with subtle sweetness, smokiness, and savory flavor. It has a ton of vegetables, and not a drop of cream in sight!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Cauliflower Beer Cheese Soup, Cauliflower Cheese Soup, Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe, Cheesy Cauliflower Soup, Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 278kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-large onion chopped
1 large carrot diced
1 large stalk celery diced
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 medium head cauliflower chopped into florets
3 cups ale
3 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock for deeper flavor
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce use vegan Worcestershire to keep this dish vegetarian
1 teaspoon hickory-smoked sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot sauce (more or less to taste)
8 ounces smoked Gouda cheese shredded
3 tablespoons tapioca starch aka tapioca flour (see Notes to use cornstarch instead)

Optional Toppings:

Croutons I used my paleo sandwich bread to make homemade croutons; sourdough would also be great
Fresh scallions thinly sliced
Black truffle oil
Cracked black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Create the base flavor. Add the butter, onion, carrot, and celery to a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Cook (uncovered) until the vegetables are softened and starting to caramelize in spots, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Simmer. Stir in the cauliflower, ale, stock, bay leaf, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; turn the heat down slightly so it doesn’t boil over, and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Carefully puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches using a regular blender.
Add the cheese. Toss the Gouda and tapioca starch together in a bowl.
Turn the heat on low under the soup and stir in the cheese a handful at a time until melted (don’t let it come up to a boil). Taste and add regular salt (not more hickory-smoked sea salt) to taste.
Serve. Add any of the optional toppings you like and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional toppings.
Recipe Adaptation: Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s recipe for Ale, Cheddar, and Cauliflower Soup.
Croutons: I used my paleo sandwich bread recipe to make homemade croutons for topping this soup. If you aren't sure how to make homemade croutons for soup, I give instructions in my Czech garlic soup recipe.
Tapioca Starch: Instead of tapioca starch, you can use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to Freeze and Reheat Cauliflower Cheese Soup:

Put the cooled soup in freezer-safe containers. Label the outside with the date and contents. Freeze for up to 6 months.
When you want to enjoy the soup, thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Reheat it in a microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan on the stovetop until steaming, stirring occasionally. (Don’t let it come to a boil.)

Nutrition