Learn to make vegan cauliflower soup in the Instant Pot! This healthy cauliflower and white bean soup is very thick and creamy while also being vegan and dairy free. You’ll love how easy this Instant Pot cauliflower soup recipe is to make, and all the possibilities for toppings. Make Instant Pot vegan cauliflower soup, Instant Pot broccoli cauliflower soup, or another variation!
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This pureed cauliflower soup is loaded with protein-packed cannellini beans, aromatic garlic, and rich coconut milk. I’m not the biggest fan of cauliflower, but this soup makes me want to eat my vegetables.
What’s amazing is how creamy this cauliflower soup is without cream. There are two secrets here for making the best Instant Pot vegan cauliflower soup.
The first is the use of full fat coconut milk. This provides a creamy mouthfeel, similar to using heavy cream.
The second secret for ultra creamy cauliflower soup is pureeing the veggies. After cooking, blending this cauliflower white bean soup gives it a super smooth texture. It’s silky and absolutely delicious.
Let this cream of cauliflower soup Instant Pot recipe become your new favorite way to use cauliflower. Though it makes a lovely side dish, you may just want to have it as the main course!
Table of Contents
⭐ Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup Ingredients
To make the basic Instant Pot cauliflower soup recipe, you need:
- 6 cups fresh cauliflower (one small head)
- 15½ ounces canned cannellini beans (439g)
- 1 medium onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1½ tablespoons Coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken bone broth (low sodium broth)
- 13½ ounces canned coconut milk (400mL)
Get a printable recipe card at the end of the article!
I don’t recommend substituting dairy milk for the coconut milk in this recipe, because the cow’s milk may curdle. However, since the coconut milk adds coconut flavor to this soup, you may want something else if making loaded cauliflower soup. You might be able to use plain soymilk or almond milk, but the results will be less creamy.
If you’re using homemade broth and no salt added beans, you may want to add salt to this recipe. Otherwise, I would skip it, as store bought broth and canned beans tend to be pretty salty already.
It’s important to keep the food between the min and max fill lines on the Instant Pot when pressure cooking. If your pressure cooker has a different capacity than mine, you may need to halve or double the recipe so it fits. This may impact the total cooking time.
➕ How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot)
Here are the step-by-step instructions for this healthy soup recipe:
- Chop the onion into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm) and mince the garlic cloves. Chop the cauliflower into 1” pieces (2.54 cm).
- Melt the coconut oil on high saute in the Instant Pot. Add the onions and garlic and soften for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You are not looking to brown them.
- Drain a can of cannellini beans well. Add the cauliflower florets, beans, broth, and coconut milk to the pot. Stir. If you’re adding salt, you can do it now. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and close the steam vent.
- What’s the cauliflower soup Instant Pot cook time? Pressure cook cauliflower soup for 8 minutes on high (“beans/chili” setting). Then quick release the pressure and carefully open the lid.
- The veggies in the soup should now be very soft. Blend them until completely smooth using an immersion blender. If blending in the Instant Pot, be careful not to scratch the sides of the pot!
The immersion blender only took 1-2 minutes to completely blend the soup silky smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can let the soup cool and bit and blend it in a food processor.
I thought the soup was perfect at this point. If you feel it’s too thick, you can stir in a little milk or broth to thin it.
After the cauliflower soup is cooked, it’s time to add the toppings. Don’t add the toppings until right before serving, as they will get soggy if sitting around in the soup.
Why is my cauliflower soup tasteless?
Try roasting the cauliflower before making the soup if you want to add another layer of flavor. You can also add herbs and spices such as dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, basil, chili flakes, coriander, or turmeric to this basic recipe.
How do you thicken cauliflower soup?
This cauliflower soup recipe is thickened by pureeing the ingredients with an immersion blender. Another way to thicken cauliflower soup that is vegan is to blend in cashews or almonds. Xanthan gum is one of my favorite thickeners for soups, because it can thicken at any temperature.
Cauliflower Soup Storage
Keep leftover Instant Pot cauliflower soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat your portion in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, and top right before serving. You can also reheat the soup on the stove top (or use high saute on the Instant Pot).
📖 Recipe Card
Watch How to Make It!
Vegan Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot, Dairy Free, Creamy!)
Ingredients
- 6 cups cauliflower, chopped 1.5 lbs; 680 grams (about one small head)
- 1 medium onion, chopped (8 ounces; 227 grams)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1½ tablespoons coconut oil
- 15½ ounces cannelini beans (439 grams; canned, drained)
- 3 cups low sodium broth Vegetable broth or chicken bone broth
- 13½ ounces coconut milk (400 mL; full fat)
Instructions
- Chop the cauliflower into 1” pieces (2.54 cm). Chop the onion into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm), and mince the garlic cloves.
- Melt the coconut oil on high saute in the Instant Pot. Add the onions and garlic and soften for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You are not looking to brown them.
- Drain a can of cannellini beans well. Add the cauliflower florets, beans, broth, and coconut milk to the pot. Stir. If you’ll be adding salt, you can do it now.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and close the steam vent. Pressure cook cauliflower soup for 8 minutes on high (“beans/chili” setting). Then quick release the pressure and carefully open the lid.
- The veggies in the soup should now be very soft. Blend them until completely smooth using an immersion blender. If blending in the Instant Pot, be careful not to scratch the sides of the pot!
- If you feel the soup is too thick, you can stir in a little milk or broth to thin it. I thought it was perfect. Add any soup toppings you wish, and serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). My cauliflower soup gets a boost of plant-based protein from the white beans. Depending on the toppings and broth you use, this is a gluten free recipe. If you are on Weight Watchers and need to lighten this dish up, swap the full-fat coconut milk in the soup for low-fat coconut milk. Another option is to skip the soup toppings. A serving of the cauliflower soup without toppings is under 500 calories.Cauliflower Soup Topping Recipe
- ¾ cup rolled oats, dry
- ¾ teaspoon garam masala
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped cashews
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoons ghee, melted (for vegan: substitute coconut oil or vegan butter)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup crunch or freeze-dried apples (I used crushed Trader Joe's crunch-dried honey crisp apples)
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
"To taste" means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don't eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
❓ How do I add flavor to cauliflower soup?
Need more ideas on how to serve cauliflower soup? Here are some ideas for cauliflower soup toppings:
- Croutons
- Pine nuts
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Leeks
- Steamed broccoli
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded cheese (sharp cheddar cheese would be delish!)
- Parmesan cheese
- Chives
- Green Onions
- Caramelized onions
- Chickpeas
- Tempeh
- Air Fryer Tofu
- Pesto
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Roasted red peppers
Maybe don’t add everything on this list to the soup at once. Haha
👩🏻🍳 Other Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Looking for more soups to make in the Instant Pot? Try these next:
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Hello! I'm Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create high quality content for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
Terrified Amateur says
Oh, Summer, how clever! Your food knowledge's only rival is your skill in assembling it the most pleasing, and innovative, way possible. Add more than a touch of whimsy, and you've made your family the most fortunate in five counties. And zounds, do they eat well!
I totally missed out on the April Fool's connection when I tried banh xeo a couple weeks ago. Drat! Mind if I shamelessly steal the notion to use in all future discussions?
Summer Yule says
Oh, so did I! The banh xeo would have been absolutely perfect for today! Maybe you can play a little prank on someone next year. It's probably best if they haven't already seen what you've been cooking up on your website. 🙂