Kale and Cauliflower Soup
on Mar 08, 2021, Updated Nov 17, 2025
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This healthy and delicious kale and cauliflower soup is easy to make with 8 simple ingredients and is ready to enjoy in 30 minutes.
Featured Review
This is a great soup. Real comfort food. It is also quickly made and super healthy. I actually used my immersion blender on all of it and added some nutritional yeast. YUM!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Janis
Why You’ll Love Kale and Cauliflower Soup
This wholesome recipe will be a go-to recipe when you’re short on time but still want something nourishing and comforting. Here are a few reasons to love it:
- You’ll need just 30 minutes and 8 simple ingredients.
- It’s vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, nut-free and sugar-free.
- It’s low in fat, carbs and calories.
- It’s a budget-friendly recipe.
- It has a delicious creamy texture.
- It stores well so is great for meal prep and batch cooking.
Cauliflower is an excellent ingredient for making healthy soups. Once blended, it helps to achieve a creamy texture without the heavy cream. You can also try it in Vegan Broccoli Cauliflower Soup, Creamy Cauliflower Wild Rice Soup and Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Soup.
Ingredients
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Onion: White or yellow onion both work.
- Herbs : The recipe calls for dried parsley and ground thyme, adjust to your preference or try additional herbs like oregano.
- Vegetable Broth: Any store-bought or homemade vegetable stock or bouillon powder/cubes works.
- Kale: Can be substituted with spinach or chopped Swiss chard.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
How to Make Kale and Cauliflower Soup
Step 1. Saute the onions and garlic in a large soup pot over medium heat in 2 tbsp of vegetable stock until they start to soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step 2. Stir in the chopped carrots, parsley and thyme. Cook for few more minutes, adding another splash of stock if needed if the pot starts to dry out.
Step 3. Add the broth and chopped cauliflower and bring the soup to a light simmer. Simmer lightly for about 12-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.
Step 4. Turn off the heat and carefully scoop half of the soup into a blender, leaving some pieces of cauliflower and carrot behind. Blend the soup until smooth then pour back into the pot.
Step 5. Stir in the chopped kale and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the kale to soften. Season with salt and pepper, if needed, then serve right away with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Notes from Deryn
- This soup is quite light and low in calories. For a heartier soup, stir in 1-2 cups cooked rice, white beans or chickpeas when you add the kale.
- Vegan sausage also makes a good addition if you want to add protein and substance to the soup. Brown the sausage in the pan first, then remove and proceed with the recipe. Stir the sausage back in when you add the kale.
- I like to add a good amount of fresh lemon juice with the kale to help brighten up the flavours. You can also just add lemon with each serving.
- Celery makes a good addition if you want to add an additional veggie. Add 1 cup when you add the onions and garlic.
- For “cheesy” soup like my vegan cauliflower wild rice soup, blend in up to 1/3 nutritional yeast when you blend the soup.
Storing
- Fridge: Let cool then store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Let cool then store in a freezer-safe container in one batch or in individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw as needed in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated to your preference, adding a little broth or water to adjust the consistency if it’s thickened substantially.
If you try this Kale and Cauliflower Soup or any other recipe on Running on Real Food, don’t forget to leave 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. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @runningonrealfood so I can see your creation! Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Kale and Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced (390 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, 175 g, approx. 1.5 cups chopped
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 head of cauliflower, 775 g, approx. 7 cups chopped
- 4 cups lightly packed, chopped, de-stemmed kale (120 g)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh lemon juice for serving, optional
Instructions
- Saute the onions and garlic in 2 tbsp of broth or water in a large soup pot over medium heat until they start to soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped carrots, dried parsley and ground thyme. Cook for few more minutes, adding another splash of stock if needed if the pan starts to dry out.
- Stir in the vegetable broth and chopped cauliflower and bring to a light simmer. Simmer lightly, uncovered, until the cauliflower is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off then carefully scoop about 1/2 of the soup into a blender, leaving some pieces of carrot and cauliflower behind. Blend until smooth and creamy (make sure you allow steam to escape when blending) and then pour the blended soup back into the pot and mix with the remaining soup.
- Stir in the chopped kale. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to allow kale to soften.
- Serve right away with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published May 14, 2015.
Could I sub collard greens for kale in this recipe? If so, would the prep be any different?
Thanks!
Hi Kristi – yes, that should be ok. The prep would be no different. Can’t guarantee taste and results though since I haven’t tried it (should be find though)! Enjoy!
I made this tonight and it was love at first taste! My husband loved it too. This is for sure going in our regular rotation.
Wonderful! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Extremely bland.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it! I love this soup and it’s had many happy reviews. Did you follow the recipe as written? Thanks for the feedback either way.
How long do you simmer the soup for once the cauliflower is added and do you do this with the lid on? I’m excited to try it!
You can simmer it about 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender, with the lid off. Enjoy!
So glad I found this recipe on pinterest!! I have some fresh kale to harvest right now and I can’t wait to try this soup! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you enjoy it, Dana! It’s a good one!
Very good soup that was easy to prepare. I am not vegan do so added some parmesan rinds while cooking. The soup was a little bland so next time I will add turmeric and cumin to the pot.
This was delicious! I made it tonight and changed out the carrots for celery, added a can of black beans and 1 cup of turkey and it was wonderful! Will definitely make this again!
That’s awesome, Sarah! So happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for adding your subs in, always helpful for other readers!
Hi. I just discovered your blog and I am stoked to dive in and try the goodness you’ve created!
Question, not related to food. Where did you get the lovely pots/cups/bowls that you have in the images above?
Also, I want you to know that it’s a breath of fresh air to see that there are Cross Fitters out there that choose to live on a plant based diet. Mama Earth thanks you 🙂
Aw, yay!! So glad you found my blog too! The little bowls are actually from HomeSense..it was such as good find, just a few bucks each! I hope you enjoy the recipes. 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
Love this recipe. Quick, simple, and utterly delicious! I will definitely be making this again. I threw some turmeric in there too and just a dash extra of parsley and ground thyme. I also didn’t have enough cauliflower so I threw the whole rest of the head in there, stem and leaves included, and just made sure to blend those pieces. It came out so well and made plenty to save.
Yay, that’s awesome. So happy you enjoyed it!!
This soup is easy to make! So delicious! Thank you for sharing this.
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!