Cauliflower Potato Soup with Peas
on Oct 03, 2019, Updated Sep 29, 2026
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This vegan cauliflower potato soup is thick, creamy and comforting, with potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, celery and green peas in every bite. It’s an easy one-pot soup made with simple ingredients and finished with a little fresh lemon juice for brightness.
Serve it with toasted sourdough or crusty bread for an easy plant-based lunch or dinner.
Top Review
This soup is amazing! I think the recipes on this website are simply delicious. This will be a regular in my rotation.
🔍 Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Servings: 6
Nutrition: 130 calories | 4g protein | 2g fat
Diet: Vegan, gluten-free.
Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love Cauliflower Potato Soup
- Easy to make with simple everyday ingredients.
- Thick and creamy without adding cream or coconut milk.
- Chunky and hearty, with tender pieces of potato and cauliflower.
- Vegan and dairy-free. Gluten-free when made with gluten-free vegetable broth.
- A good source of vegetables and fibre.
- Great for meal prep and easy to reheat.
- Easy to customize with different vegetables, herbs and seasonings.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the complete ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need and why each ingredient is used.
- Onion, carrot and celery: This combination creates the flavour base for the soup. Cook the vegetables until they’re softened before adding the remaining ingredients so they have a chance to develop flavour.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here, but you can use a little garlic powder in a pinch.
- Cauliflower: About 3 cups of chopped cauliflower. No need to be too exact with the amount.
- Potato: I like russet potato for this soup because its higher starch content helps create a thicker, creamier texture. Yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes will also work, but they hold their shape a little better.
- Green peas: You can use frozen or canned and rinsed green peas.
- Broth: Use your favourite vegetable broth or vegetable bouillon mixed with water. If your broth is particularly salty, start with less added salt and adjust at the end.
- Dried herbs: Thyme, rosemary and parsley give this soup a simple savoury flavour without overpowering the vegetables. You can also experiment with oregano, sage or fresh herbs if you like.
- Olive oil: If you prefer an oil free recipe, it’s fine to omit the oil and use a splash of water or broth to cook the vegetables.
- Lemon: I like to add a little lemon at the end to brighten it up but it’s optional.
Variations
- Add sweet potato: Replace some or all of the potato with sweet potato for a slightly sweeter soup.
- Use butternut squash: Replace some of the potato with peeled and cubed butternut squash.
- Swap the peas: Use corn instead of peas, or use a combination of both.
- Add bell pepper: Sauté a diced red bell pepper with the onion, celery and carrot.
- Add chickpeas: Stir in a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas with the peas for extra protein and fibre.
- Add lentils: Add 1 cup of rinsed red lentils with the potatoes and increase the broth by about 1 cup. Simmer until the lentils are tender. To use canned lentils, stir them in at the end with the peas.
- Add rice: Stir in up to 2 cups of cooked rice with the peas. Brown rice, wild rice or jasmine rice all work well.
How to Make Cauliflower Potato Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the garlic, dried thyme, dried parsley and dried rosemary. Cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the cauliflower, potato and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes and cauliflower are very tender.
- Remove about 2 cups of the soup and carefully blend until smooth. Return it to the pot and stir to combine. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot, pulsing briefly so some vegetables remain intact.
- Stir in the green peas and simmer for 2–3 minutes, just until heated through. Stir in 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately with fresh parsley, freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Expert Tips
- Build flavour from the beginning. Don’t simply add everything to the pot and boil it. Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil with salt for several minutes until softened. This creates a more flavourful base and gives the finished soup more depth.
- Partially blend for the best texture. Blend only about 2 cups of the soup rather than puréeing the entire pot. This thickens the broth while keeping the soup chunky with pieces of potato, cauliflower and carrot throughout.
- Bloom the dried herbs. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley after the vegetables have softened and cook for 30–60 seconds. This briefly releases the flavour of the dried herbs while adding the garlic later keeps it from burning.
- Taste before adding more salt. Vegetable broth varies considerably in sodium. Season the vegetables at the beginning, then taste the finished soup after adding the lemon juice and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed.
- Cut the vegetables consistently. Keep the potato and cauliflower pieces relatively similar in size so they cook at roughly the same rate. You don’t need perfectly uniform pieces since some of the soup will be blended, but very large potato chunks will take longer to become tender.
Recipe FAQs
Do I have to blend the soup?
No. You can leave it completely chunky if you prefer. However, partially blending the soup is what gives it that thick, creamy texture while still leaving plenty of vegetables and potato pieces throughout.
Can I leave the peas out?
Absolutely. You can leave them out or replace them with corn or another vegetable.
Can I freeze cauliflower potato soup?
Yes. Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the soup has thickened considerably after chilling, add a splash of vegetable broth or water when reheating.
How can I make this soup creamier?
The easiest way is to blend a little more of the soup. The potatoes and cauliflower create a creamy texture without the need for dairy. For an even richer soup, you can stir in a splash of unsweetened plant-based milk or a little cashew cream before serving.
Is this cauliflower potato soup gluten-free?
Yes, this soup is naturally gluten-free. Just check the label on your vegetable broth or bouillon to make sure it is certified gluten-free if needed.
Instant Pot Method
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the olive oil, onion, celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley and cook for 30–60 seconds.
- Add the cauliflower, potatoes and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release the remaining pressure.
- Partially blend the soup. Stir in the peas and let them heat through for 2–3 minutes. Finish with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
How to Store
- This soup can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in a pot on the stovetop or in individual portions in the microwave until heated through.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Cauliflower Potato Soup with Peas
This creamy cauliflower potato soup is made with simple vegetables, potatoes and green peas for a hearty, comforting soup that's easy to make in one pot. Partially blending the soup creates a thick, creamy texture while keeping plenty of vegetables in every bite.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, or use water or broth for oil-free
- 1 medium white onion, diced, about 1½ cups
- 1 cup peeled and chopped carrot, about 2 medium carrots
- 1½ cups chopped celery, about 3 ribs
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 3 cups chopped cauliflower
- 2 heaping cups peeled and cubed potato, about 1 large russet potato
- 4½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and herbs: Add the garlic, dried thyme, dried parsley and dried rosemary. Cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the cauliflower, potato and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes and cauliflower are very tender.
- Partially blend: Remove about 2 cups of the soup and carefully blend until smooth. Return it to the pot and stir to combine. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot, pulsing briefly so some vegetables remain intact.
- Add the peas: Stir in the green peas and simmer for 2–3 minutes, just until heated through.
- Finish: Stir in 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve: Serve immediately with fresh parsley, freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, cool in the fridge then transfer to freezer containers or bags and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 130kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 762mg, Potassium: 676mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 4256IU, Vitamin C: 53mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
This recipe was originally published November 22, 2016.
I love this recipe! I used beef bone broth for my base. The soup was full of flavor with a satisfying creaminess. Thank you for sharing! 😋
Thank you so much!
I added chunks of pan-fried ham to mine to enhance the flavor. Very good base recipe!
Thanks, Sarah! Appreciate the review.
Not very good, looks nothing like the picture. It just taste like a bunch of vegetables blended together in a broth.
Made this for lunch and found it to be rather bland. Cooked in instapot. I played around with spices (garlic powder, tumeric, herbes de provence, pepper) to my own bowl to see how to improve the flavor and that seemed to work. Next time I make this, I will reduce the broth (used 4 cups low sodium) to 3 cups and add 1 cup of organic unsweetened soy milk and add more spices.
This Recipe was so so delicious thank you for sharing I do appreciate it
Hi Deryn , thanks for the recipe, l like my soup chunky so a blend worked so well. I used fresh basil to garnish and fresh corn instead of peas, and a bay leaf.
Sound delicious! Glad you enjoyed it.
I love this soup. So does my picky toddler. I’ve made it as is, and I’ve replaced the cauliflower with broccoli. I often make it that way since I usually have broccoli. Its a hit. So easy!
That’s awesome! Thanks so much for the review and feedback.
I made this recipe 3 times already. I normally double the herbs plus I add 1 tsp of rosemary. I also love to add some arrowroot in the blender to make the soup thicker. It is delicious. Thank you for the inspiration!
This recipe is really good! My husband and I loved it so much. I tweaked it a bit by adding some extra garlic powder and mushroom umami seasoning. I also followed one commenter’s recommendation to thicken the soup with some arrowroot powder and that was a great addition too. Thanks!!