This Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup is my new favorite spring time soup that I know I’ll be making over and over again. Why? It’s quick and easy with just 10 ingredients and It’s thickened naturally with white beans and cashews, making it luscious and creamy but dairy-free.
I have Nisha from Rainbow Plant Life to thank for the inspiration to my newest and now favorite cauliflower soup! But what makes this one so much better than my other cauliflower soups? Probably the biggest reason is that it’s so easy & quick with minimal prep work, thanks to the Instant Pot. Secondly, three cheers for white cannelloni beans👍. These are not only great for adding protein, but make this soup irrisistably creamy too!
How do I make this soup?
It’s seriously crazy how easy this soup is. All ya gotta do is gather your ingredients, chop your garlic, cauliflower, and onions roughly, and add all to your instant pot. I did use the sauté mode to caramelize my onions but it’s totally not necessary. After adding all ingredients to your IP, set it to 7 minutes, next natural release, and finally blend everything together and presto….The creamiest vegan cauliflower soup EVER. I highly recommend not skipping on the garnishes. Nisha is right…..it totally takes the soup up a notch or two.
How to serve?
You can definitely serve this with some crusty sourdough bread, but to be perfectly honest, it’s so satisfying you won’t miss it. This is coming from a sourdough lover! The raw cashews not only add more protein but also some healthy fats making it very satisfying. I love how both the beans and cashews make this soup so irresistibly creamy.
Personally I love using cashews to create delcious pastas, pesto, bowls, curries, and of course my smoothies. They are so versatile. I actually purchase raw cashes and sprout them which you can read more about how and why here. Yes they are a little more work and a tad more expensive (which is why I hide them from my husband😉). If you don’t have the time to sprout your own nuts, you can also purchase them from a variety of vendors on line.
Because this is so quick and easy, it’s perfect for a weeknight meal but SPECIAL enough for a celebratory birthday meal. My husband and I had a blast celebrating his 60th birthday on Sunday which started out with brunch at one of our favorite cafes. It was our first time back in over a year and thankfully it wasn’t raining because they still had no in door seating. It was a little cool so we grabbed a blanket from the car which helped keep the chill off. The hot coffee helped too! At first I was a bit disappointed since I had no idea we could not dine inside, but then I realized they probably don’t like anymore than we do. We ended up having an awesome brunch with exceptional service.
We may be entering a new decade, but turning 60 doesn’t mean you still can’t have fun even though we’re no longer honeymooners. I kind of like hanging out with this guy! I was a long fun day so I was very thankful for this quick and easy but incredibly delicious Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup.
“CREAMY” VEGAN INSTANT POT CAULIFLOWER SOUP
(adapted via rainbow plant life)
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into large florets
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 13 oz jar of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For Finishing
- Lemon zest
- Crushed red pepper flakes (or Aleppo pepper)
- Good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- Bread for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- To the Instant Pot inner pot, add a little olive oil or coconut oil and set to sauté mode. Caramelize the onionnfor a few minutes. Turn off. Add garlic, cauliflower florets, cashews, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, nutritional yeast, 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, set valve to sealing, select the Pressure Cook setting and set to high pressure for 7 minutes.
- Once the 7-minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a Quick Pressure Release by switching the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting.
- Open the pot and remove any whole herb sprigs. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until thick and creamy, taking care to blend all the cashews. Alternatively, if you want a super silky texture, transfer the soup to a stand blender and blend until creamy and smooth. I used my VitaMix.
- Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
- Transfer the soup to bowls, and before serving, zest some lemon on top, add a scattering of red pepper flakes, and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
- Serve with bread, if desired.
What’s your favorite meal to eat out?
Do you have a favorite cauliflower soup that is vegan but tastes like it’s not?
How long have you been married if you are married?
11 for us…..12 this September
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