Description
A rich, creamy, and savory keto-friendly cauliflower soup loaded with crispy bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. This comforting weeknight dinner is ready in just 20 minutes and tastes like a loaded baked potato without the carbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2–2.5 lbs / 900g-1.1kg), cut into florets
- 3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 6–8 slices thick-cut bacon (150g-200g)
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1.5 cups (150g) freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions, chopped chives, hot sauce
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Chop onion, mince garlic, cut cauliflower into florets, and grate cheddar cheese.
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy. Remove, drain, and crumble, reserving some for topping. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan or use a clean pot.
- In the same pot, sauté diced onion in butter or bacon grease for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add cauliflower florets to the pot and stir to coat. Pour in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
- Remove pot from heat and blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or standard blender.
- Return soup to low heat. Stir in heavy cream and grated cheddar cheese gradually until melted and smooth. Do not boil. Stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in crumbled bacon (reserving some for topping). Ladle into bowls and serve with reserved bacon, extra cheese, and green onions.
Notes
For the best texture, blend the soup until completely smooth. Keep heat low when adding cheese to prevent separation. If the soup is too thick, add more broth. If it breaks, remove from heat and whisk in a splash of cream. This soup does not freeze well due to the dairy content; store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: keto, cauliflower soup, bacon, cheddar, low carb, weeknight dinner, comfort food, fall recipes, gluten-free, vegetarian option