Curried Cauliflower Soup

Creamy, vegan cauliflower soup made with coconut milk and spiced with Thai curry paste. This healthy, comforting soup recipe is perfect for chilly days.

141 Reviews
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Curried Cauliflower Soup

Did you survive Thanksgiving? Good. Me too, barely. While in Oklahoma, I ate German chocolate cake for breakfast (more than once), overdosed on queso (entirely necessary) and cheered on the karaoke singers in a smoky Oklahoma City dive bar. Now itโ€™s Monday, which means itโ€™s time to get back into the swing of things. Iโ€™m going to need another cup of coffee for this.

cauliflower and onions

Which reminds me: Iโ€™m out of half and half for my coffee. Iโ€™m also out of fresh greens and produce, so my lunch options are looking bleak.

I really wish I had more of this Thai-spiced, roasted cauliflower and coconut milk soup. Itโ€™s a fun, dairy-free spin on classic cauliflower soup that is loaded with good-for-you vegetables and spices. Itโ€™s exactly what my body needs after all that chocolate and cheese.

cauliflower

I made this soup with the help of some beautiful wooden tools from my sponsor over there in the sidebar, Earlywood Designs. The rock-solid ironwood cutting board, jatoba ladle and maple sautรฉ stickโ€”all Earlywood. All handcrafted by Brad in Red Lodge, Montana. They are gorgeous heirloom pieces that I look forward to cooking with for the rest of my life, and Iโ€™m happy to have the chance to promote a sustainable small business.

Curried cauliflower soup ingredients

roasted cauliflower

A note on cauliflower. Even if you are not a big fan, I beg you to try roasted cauliflower. I still donโ€™t love raw or steamed cauliflower (Iโ€™m a broccoli girl) but I absolutely love roasted cauliflower. Roasted cauliflower with a little bit of salt is, like, French fry good. Totally irresistible. And when you blend it up in a soup, it just makes the soup more creamy and hearty. Try it!

Thai curry soup

Curried cauliflower soup recipe - cookieandkate.com

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Curried Cauliflower Soup

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 bowls 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 141 reviews

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Creamy, vegan cauliflower soup made with coconut milk and spiced with Thai curry paste. This healthy, comforting soup recipe is perfect for chilly days. Recipe yields 4 bowls of soup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium-to-large head of cauliflower (2 to 3 pounds), broken into small florets
  • Up to 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil or olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste* (depending on the brand and your preferred spice level)
  • ยฝ teaspoon lemon zest
  • Optional: ยฝ cup unoaked white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)**
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons rice vinegar, to taste
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional garnishes: ยผ cup chopped green onions or chives, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (preferably Thai), or red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower with enough oil to lightly coat it (up to 3 tablespoons). Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast until the tips of the cauliflower are golden brown, about 25 to 35 minutes.
  2. Wait until the cauliflower is done before starting the soup (this is a good time to prep the remaining ingredients). In a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is turning translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the curry paste and lemon zest and stir to incorporate. If youโ€™re using the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, pour it in, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the wine has evaporated.
  3. Add half of the cauliflower florets and all of the stems to the pot. Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Continue simmering for 5 to 10 more minutes to meld the flavors, reducing the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the pot from the heat.
  4. Let the soup cool for a few minutes. For the creamiest results, transfer the soup in small batches to a blender, blending until each batch is smooth. (Donโ€™t fill your blender past the maximum fill line; beware of the steam escaping from the lid.) Or, use an immersion blender and blend well.
  5. Stir in 1 teaspoon vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup needs more acidity, stir in 1 to 2 additional teaspoons of vinegar (it will taste fantastic once youโ€™ve added enough). Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Top each with ยผ of the cauliflower florets and a sprinkle of green onions, basil, and pepper flakes (if using). Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

Adapted from The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook.

*Thai red curry paste: I used Thai Kitchenโ€™s red curry paste for this soup, which is vegetarian (some other Thai curry pastes contain shrimp). Itโ€™s pretty readily available in grocery stores these days and shouldnโ€™t cost more than a few dollars. Look for it in the Asian food section, near the coconut milk.

2025 recipe edits: I revisited this recipe and made a few edits/notes. I omitted the sugar, increased the broth, verified that the soup is great without the wine, and tweaked the roasting time.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโ€™s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Earlywood Designs. Opinions are my own, always.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Tammela

    This sounds delicious โ€” I love cauliflower and often just roast it with cumin. So good.

  2. Laura (Tutti Dolci)

    Iโ€™m such a fan of roasted cauliflower โ€“ my Monday needs a big bowl of this soup!

  3. Charles @ TLF

    This soup wasnโ€™t at my table growing up but I wouldnโ€™t mind adding to my comfort food list. Yum.

  4. Shel@PeachyPalate

    LOVE cauliflower and curry togetherโ€ฆthis looks divine!

  5. Julia@Vikalinka

    I just saw your soup on Pinterest, itโ€™s looks incredible and what really caught my eye is the spoon. :-) I have the same one and I bought mine in London where I live so I had to find out if you are from England! Just posted a soup recipe with that spoon in the pictures as well. So glad Iโ€™ve discovered your blog-beautiful and fresh recipes. :-)

    1. Kate

      Oh, how funny! The silver spoons came from my grandmotherโ€™s side of the family. She was American, but her mother was Scottish and her father was English. Iโ€™m not sure if she bought the spoons here or there!

  6. Diana Kane

    Yummy!

  7. Maria Tadic

    This looks so good! And..somehowโ€ฆ I have all the ingredients at home! Crazy!

  8. Erin

    Woah, this looks absolutely delicious and I will be making it sometime this winter for sure! Ooo, wouldnโ€™t it be lovely on a snowy day? :)

  9. Bev @ Bev Cooks

    I looooohuuuuuuuuv soups like this. Just funnel it down my throat.

  10. Liz

    Sounds wonderful. Thanks you.

  11. dishing up the dirt

    what a beautiful soup. I love cauliflower soups. So filling and healthy at the same time!

  12. Katrina @ WVS

    This looks awesome!! Canโ€™t wait to try :)

  13. Katy

    I love the idea of a cauliflower soup, I bet itโ€™s super creamy and wonderful for cold temperatures. I can relate to being out of things, I love going to the grocery store but I feel like Iโ€™m always running out of things!

  14. Angela@eatspinrunrpt

    Oh my goshโ€ฆlove roasted cauliflower, love Thai curry, and I love these spoons! Going to head over to Facebook to enter your giveaway now!

  15. Julia Stratman

    Looks delicious!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Julia!

  16. jacquie

    oh I love roasted cauliflower also and actually donโ€™t understand the people who donโ€™t!

    I wish I had a facebook account so I could enter the drawing for the spoon but unfortunately I do not. That company certainly makes lovely products.

  17. sara

    This soup looks AMAZING. Yum!!

  18. Rosa

    This was DELICIOUS โ€“ rich health food! I think you are my food soul sista.

    1. Kate

      Hooray! So glad you loved it, sista. :)

  19. Joanne

    I made cauliflower soup a few weeks ago and thought I was pretty cauli-ed out so itโ€™s pretty amazing that youโ€™ve managed to spark a craving again! What can I sayโ€ฆIโ€™m pretty stuck on anything thai curry infused!

  20. Tieghan Gerard

    Oh yeah!! Soups like this are so my thing! I could eat this for days!!

  21. Sarah @ The New Loaf

    This looks so good. I love your pictures โ€“ even roasted cauliflower looks amazing!

  22. Skye

    What a fabulous way to pep up cauliflower โ€“ looks scrumptious.
    Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can look forward to Christmas :)

  23. Grace @ FoodFitnessF

    Yum! Iโ€™m a fan of anything curried, coconut and cauliflower. This sounds delish, and since I survived Thanksgiving, it should probably go on my soon-to-eat list.

  24. Jamie Lee

    I adore cauliflower. Great post, thanks for sharing! Do you come up with your own recipes or pull inspiration from others?

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Jamie! I do bothโ€”some recipes are totally original, others are adapted from others. I always cite the sources of inspiration, most often in the recipe notes.

  25. Samantha

    This soup looks like the perfect thing to help me snap out of my thanksgiving food coma!

  26. Katie @ Produce on P

    Wow Kate! This looks amazing. I love anything involving curry, but Iโ€™m not sure if Iโ€™ve ever made a cauliflower soup! Iโ€™ll definitely have to try this out. Thanks for sharing! :)

  27. Nicha @ GreenRecipes

    The soup looks very tasty and the cutting board looks very nice! I checked out the Earlywood website, but they donโ€™t ship it to Europe, or at leastโ€ฆnot yet. Otherwise, I would definitely enter the giveaway :)

  28. Kenna

    I 100% agree with you about cauliflower! My husband laughed at me when I told the kids that raw cauliflower tastes like dirt but roasted cauliflower is like candy to me! Glad Iโ€™m not the only one!

    1. Kate

      Ha! Glad we agree on cauliflower. I mean, why eat raw cauliflower when you could eat raw broccoli?

  29. Annie Harrier

    Lovely! Will make this tonight! Would love some Earlywood tools!
    Thanks โค๏ธ

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Annie! Hope you enjoyed the soup! Be sure to comment on my Facebook page for a chance to win an Earlywood ladle!

  30. Megan

    G to the ORGEOUS!! I am having Post-Thanksgiving day food regret, too. Iโ€™ve been devouring every veggie in sight in penance for the pie atrocities I committed. This soup is the perfect way to absolve myself of the bad food guilt!

    1. Kate

      Haha! Penance for pie atrocities. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, and sometimes that means eating pie.

  31. ~Heather

    I never did get any cauliflower in our CSA this year โ€“ but then, thatโ€™s what farmers markets are for: deliciously filling in the gaps!

  32. chaya

    how can i make an imitation to thai red curry paste?
    thanks!

    1. Kate

      Hi there, Iโ€™m sorry, I just googled how to make Thai red curry paste and it seems to require quite a few ingredients. I just bought some for three dollars at a health food store and I have seen it at quite a few grocery stores in the Asian section. Hope you can find some!

  33. Larissa

    Oh I wish I had the things to make this right NOW!

  34. saniel

    I have all ingredients except cauliflower, better go get some. Thanks

    1. Kate

      Hope you loved the soup, Saniel!

  35. paula rothman

    soup sounds divine!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Paula!

  36. Alissa

    I could definitely down this whole recipe!

  37. Lila

    Iโ€™m still in shock you dislike steamed cauliflower! Have you ever tried it mashed and blended with some garlic or pesto? It is one of my favorite things!

    1. Kate

      No, I havenโ€™t! Iโ€™ll have to give mashed cauliflower a shot. Pinch of Yum just came out with a cauliflower sauce e-cookbookโ€ฆ might be just up your alley! P.s. Hope to see you soon.

  38. G Fred

    Oooo girl! Those pictures look so good against that dark cherry colored cutting board!!
    And yikes, smokey bars are the thing Iโ€™m most dreading when Iโ€™m in OK for Christmasโ€ฆpretty much unavoidable if youโ€™re going out. :/ Itโ€™s like smoking a pack per hour without lifting one cig to your lipsโ€ฆsigh. Gimme some of that cleansing soup! ;)

    1. Kate

      Thanks, G! I requested that we go to smoke-free bars that night, but of course that didnโ€™t work out. I didnโ€™t have that much to drink but I felt super lousy/tired all day the next day. Smoke hangover? Hope to see you while youโ€™re in OKC over Christmas.

  39. Jess

    Wow โ€“ what beautiful tools from Earlywood, and a beautiful soup as well. After living in such a hot climate, Iโ€™ve become quite certain that the need for comforting soups this time of year defies weather patterns. I absolutely crave the simplicity of a pot of soup and make them despite the heat! This one looks fantastic, Kate โ€“ glad you had a fun holiday with some nice indulgences!

  40. Amy Lai

    Canโ€™t wait to give it a try this weekend.

    1. Kate

      Hope you love the soup, Amy!

  41. kelsey

    GOOD GRIEF. Those spoons. I DIE.

  42. Julie

    Though Iโ€™m not a cauliflower fan, I have learned to trust your recipes. This soup tasted great. I added a big squeeze of lemon juice after the first few bites, and liked it even more. Garnished with jalapeno slivers and loved the extra heat, but thought a different flavor would be better. Any recommendations for this hot pepper novice?

    1. Kate

      Julie, Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed the soup! Lemon juice sounds like a great addition. As for peppers, if you can find Thai chilis (aka birdโ€™s eye chilis, they come in red and green), they would be very good in this soup. They are super spicy. I also prefer serrano peppers to jalapeรฑo peppers, and theyโ€™re easier to find. Their flavor is a little more bright and fresh.

  43. Elaine Ableidinger

    This was AMAZING! I started with the immersion blender, but wanted a smoother soup so I used my blendtec. It was thick and silky!

    To make it a main course I pressed some extra firm tofu, diced it and fried it in coconut oil with some salt. I got them good and crispy and added a generous handful like croutons.

    My husband also loved it. Thanks so much!!

    1. Kate

      Elaine, thank you for commenting! Iโ€™m so glad you and your husband enjoyed the soup. Coconut oil-fried tofu is a fabulous idea! Iโ€™ll have to try that soon.

  44. Claire

    Did Earlywood pick a winner yet?

    1. Claire

      My bad. I see the winners will be announced on Monday. Fingers crossed! P.S. Canโ€™t wait to try this soup! mmmm We had your tortilla soup this week and YUM!

      1. Kate

        Glad you enjoyed the soup, Claire! Good luck in the giveaway.

  45. Honey What's Cooking

    Very very creative. This looks absolutely delicious. I love the red curry paste.

  46. Mae

    Loved this recipe! Your blog is one of my favs! So thankful you share your work. Great photos too.

  47. Lisa R

    Hi
    This looks great and Iโ€™m on the verge of trying it but wonder if you have any idea of the nutritional specs? fat? calories? etc.
    Thanks!

  48. Grandbaby Cakes

    That is such a lovely soup! Very gorgeous photos!

  49. Rhonda

    The soup was excellent and quite easy to make. It was appropriate for all the below zero temps we have been having.

  50. Phi-fr Sweetphi.com

    wow, this soup looks gorgeous-love the look of those ladles too! I will definitely need to add this to my โ€˜to makeโ€™ list!