This mushroom cauliflower soup is always a favourite — it’s an intensely mushroom-flavoured soup with a lovely creaminess and a texture similar to chowder. The combination of comfort and warmth with delicious flavours is truly unbeatable. Think: thick and hearty, cosy and comforting, rich and savoury, and seriously delicious! It’s so nutritious too thanks to all of the veg.
This recipe serves 4 for dinner with some bread on the side and it’s perfect for sneaking extra vegetables into your diet in the tastiest way. Pair it with my sizzler cheese toast like I have here (which I made using extra thick slices of ciabatta — YUM). A grilled cheese would also be fantastic.
Now, if I’m going to have a bowl of soup, it simply must be hearty and satisfying — never fear with this cauliflower mushroom soup — it satisfies every single time. Each time I have a bowl, I’m blown away all over again at how good it is.
Try this cauliflower pumpkin soup and these creamy garlic mushrooms too.
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Ingredients
Mushroom and cauliflower soup is loaded with complimentary flavours — mushrooms, thyme, and pepper are absolute classics together. While mushrooms are rich in umami, the cauliflower lightens things up, creating a combination I can’t get enough of. And that secret ingredient I mentioned? It’s none other than sesame oil.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Mushrooms: Use brown mushrooms for the best flavour. In Australia, we call the mushrooms you see pictured Swiss brown mushrooms, but they have different names all over the world — cremini mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, or chestnut mushrooms.
- Leek: I love incorporating leeks in soups — the sweet, mild onion-like flavour adds depth without overpowering the other ingredients. If you can’t find any, it can be swapped for a small brown onion or 2-3 shallots. Leeks can be very gritty so see my tips here on how to wash leeks.
- Cauliflower: I add a whole head of cauliflower to my cauliflower and mushroom soup. As long as it’s cooked until soft, it creates a creamy and smooth texture, plus its mild flavour complements the umami of the mushrooms wonderfully.
- Garlic: You’ll need 4 large cloves to flavour your mushroom cauliflower soup. I roast them (along with the other vegetables) before blending, and it’s incredibly tasty. Once roasted, it becomes milder in flavour — adding the right punch without being overwhelming.
- Butter: I like unsalted butter for roasting as it gives me more control over the sodium content. Stick to a plant-based spread if you want to keep it vegan but still get that buttery flavour.
- Vegetable stock: Stock or vegetable broth is perfect here. You can replace this with chicken stock / chicken broth if you prefer. If you need the soup to be gluten-free, just check the label.
- Sesame Oil: My secret – not-so-secret-anymore – ingredient is sesame oil. It somehow makes the mushrooms taste even more mushroomy, which seemingly makes no sense, but it really does.
- Creme fraiche: While you can leave it out and it still tastes nice, this mushroom and cauliflower soup is so much more comforting and obviously creamier with it added in. You could also use sour cream or heavy cream instead. Use a plant based cream if you want to keep this vegan along with a plant based spread mentioned above.
- Seasonings: Just a bit of sea salt or kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and some fresh thyme leaves are all you need. Fresh thyme is best and is gorgeous as a garnish but you can swap for 1 teaspoon dried thyme if needed. A note on thyme: if it’s young and soft, you can just roughly chop up the whole stalks. If it’s older and more woody, strip the thyme leaves from the stems and discard the stems.
How to make mushroom cauliflower soup
Once you roast the vegetables, this creamy mushroom soup comes together very quickly. For blending, I find an immersion blender (or stick mixer) gives the best results, but a high-powered blender will work well too. If you use the latter, you’ll have to work in 2 batches.
Blend to the consistency you like — you can always add more stock if you want a thinner soup too.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Roast the vegetables
Preheat your oven to 200°C (395°F). Chop the cauliflower, leek, and mushrooms. Add the prepared veggies to a baking sheet lined with baking paper along with the whole garlic cloves with the skin still on. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to combine.
Roast for 35-40 minutes, then add the butter and fresh thyme. Roast for 10 minutes more — then squeeze the garlic cloves to remove and discard the skin. The roasted cauliflower should be very tender by this point.
2. Transfer to a Dutch oven
When the vegetables are roasted, transfer them to a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the vegetable stock, sesame oil, ground black pepper, and salt.
3. Blend
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Remember that you can also use a high-powered blender here if you’d like.
4. Add the cream
Use a whisk to stir in the creme fraiche, then bring the cauliflower and mushroom soup to a simmer over high heat. Stir regularly so it doesn’t catch on the bottom. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Prepare the veg evenly. When chopping the cauliflower, leek, and mushrooms, try your best to cut them into evenly sized pieces. This ensures that they roast at the same rate in the oven — which ultimately results in evenly roasted vegetables with consistent flavours and textures.
- Caramelisation adds flavour: You’ll also want to allow the vegetables to roast until they become a little caremelised and golden brown. This helps deepen their flavours and brings out their natural sweetness. Keep an eye on them toward the end of roasting time to make sure they don’t burn.
- Adjust the seasonings gradually. Start by only adding half of the salt to the soup initially, as you can always add more later to adjust to your taste preferences. Depending on the type of stock you use, it may already contain salt. Always taste before adding any more because you can add salt but you can never take it out.
- To serve your mushroom cauliflower soup like it is in the photos, slice up a few more mushrooms (or keep some aside before roasting) and sauté them until golden in a little oil in a pan. Add 3 sautéed mushroom slices to the top of each soup, then top with some more fresh thyme. Add a few drops of sesame oil here and there, then sprinkle over some freshly cracked black pepper.
Variations
Mushroom and cauliflower soup is relatively simple, meaning there is plenty of room for variations. A great tip is adding crispy fried bacon to the mix for some protein and extra savoury flavour. Remember that you can always swap the creme fraiche for heavy cream or even sour cream for a slightly different texture.
I once added some leftover air fryer roast chicken to a bowl of this soup for lunch and it was great — you could also use leftover rotisserie chicken if you have that on hand. Try making up some cheese garlic croutons to add on top too!
FAQs
Cauliflower is quite mild and almost bland on its own, which is why I pair it with mushrooms, leeks, vegetable stock, and seasonings like fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Roasting the veg before blending also helps make them more flavourful. Don’t skip that important step. Also, measure the ingredients by weight if possible so you know you aren’t adding more cauliflower than necessary.
You can certainly roast the vegetables 1-2 days in advance to save some time on the day you plan to serve your cauliflower and mushroom soup. Let them cool completely before placing in an airtight container in the fridge.
No, you don’t need to soak the cauliflower for your mushroom and cauliflower soup. Simply chop and wash the florets thoroughly and pat them dry to remove any excess moisture.
Storing
Cauliflower mushroom soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
If you want to store your soup for longer, it freezes beautifully. Allow it to cool completely before placing it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. It will keep for up to 2-3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
I love using my freezer storage cubes to freeze the soup in portions until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. This way you can easily thaw and reheat just a single serve if needed. I use smash freezer cubes but souper cubes are another well known type and while they look a little pricey, they can (and will) be used over and over again for anything from soups to bolognese to slow roasted meats.
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Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower (1 ½ lb/ 700g prepared)
- 450 g Swiss brown mushrooms (chestnut, baby bella, crimini) roughly sliced (1lb)
- 1 medium leek
- 4 large cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil (60ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt (not flakes) or kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g / 1oz)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 6 cups vegetable stock (1.5L / 1.6qt)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup creme fraiche (or sour cream or heavy cream) (125ml)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan forced) / 395F).
- Chop the cauliflower roughly into small florets. Cut halfway through the leek down it’s length, leaving the root portion intact. Rinse under running water fan it a little and allowing the water to run down towards the leaves. Cut into 1 inch rounds.
- Add the cauliflower florets, leek, sliced mushrooms and whole garlic cloves with the skin still on to a large baking sheet. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle over ½ teaspoon of salt (reserve the rest for later). Toss well to combine.
- Roast vegetables for 35-40 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender. Add the butter and thyme and roast a further 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the garlic cloves to remove and discard the skin.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large dutch oven and add the vegetable stock, sesame oil, pepper and half the remaining salt. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth or to your desired smoothness. You can use a blender and do this in two parts if you don’t have an immersion blender – the more powerful your blender, the smoother you’ll be able to get it.
- Whisk in the creme fraiche then bring to a simmer over high heat stirring regularly so it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
- Taste and add the remaining salt if required.
- Serve immediately.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- Garnish: To serve it up the way this one is in the photos, slice up a few more mushrooms or keep aside some mushrooms before roasting and saute them until golden in a little oil in a pan. Add 3 sauteed mushroom slices to the top of each soup, then top with some more fresh thyme. Add a few drops of sesame oil here and there, then sprinkle over some freshly cracked black pepper.
- See my tips here on how to wash leeks.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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4 Comments on “Mushroom Cauliflower Soup”
I’ve been assigned to bring a cream of mushroom soup to a food club I belong to. I’ve tried several recipes, and this one is the BEST. The smell of roasting mushrooms was heavenly. Some in the group have dairy allergies, so I when I tested this at home, I used coconut milk which I added last at the table. The soup is actually good without the creme. I love that it has a cauliflower base which adds to the nutrition. I highly recommend!
I’m so happy to hear this, Pauline. You can also get some great plant-based creams too that work well in this. Thank you so much for dropping back to leave a review.
The mushroom flavor only enhances the cabbage undertones of the cauliflower, helping it along to new heights
I’m so happy you love it, Richard. Thanks so much for dropping back to leave a review.