Cheddar Buffalo Cauliflower Soup

Let’s ring in the new year with a brand new soup featuring one of my sneaky fav flavors…buffalo! Ever since I made this vegetarian buffalo dip a few years back I’ve had so much fun sharing creative new ways to use your go-to buffalo sauce.

This deliciously creamy buffalo cauliflower soup is a combo between my famous cheddar cauliflower broccoli soup and my buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese and OMG it’s truly lick-the-bowl good. This glorious soup is thick, spicy, savory, and of course, packed with veggies thanks to the cauliflower.

I’ve included a few easy ways to customize it by adding protein or some amazing toppings and garnishes, too. Any way you make it, you’re guaranteed to love it. It’s the perfect weeknight lunch or dinner and would make a great cozy game day dish!

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Ingredients in this buffalo cauliflower soup

This buffalo roasted cauliflower soup uses super simple ingredients that come together to create delicious, bold flavors in this soup. Here’s what you’ll need:

Vegetables: for the base of the soup, you’ll be roasting up cauliflower with a whole head of garlic, and sauteeing a yellow onion.
Olive oil: you’ll need some olive for cooking up those veggies.
Broth: feel free to use vegetable broth or chicken broth to help the soup come together.
Seasonings: we’re just using salt and pepper to bring out all of the flavors in the soup.
Buffalo sauce: feel free to use mild or medium buffalo sauce depending on how spicy you like your meals!
Cheese: you’ll be stirring in sharp cheddar cheese for extra rich, savory flavor.
To garnish: I like topping my bowl with scallions, chives, and a little extra buffalo sauce and cheese. SO GOOD.

Customize your buffalo roasted cauliflower soup

There are a few great ways to jazz up this buffalo cauliflower soup recipe and make it your own! Here’s what I can suggest:

Make it creamier or richer. Feel free to substitute 1 cup of milk for 1 cup of broth for an extra creamy soup, or bump up the richness by adding 1/2 cup of half and half or heavy cream in place of 1/2 cup of the broth.
Try a thicker soup. If you prefer a thicker soup, start with 3 cups of broth.
Add a boost of protein. I love to mix in cooked, shredded chicken to create a protein-packed chicken buffalo cauliflower chowder! It’s perfect for game day, and you can even use shredded rotisserie chicken for ease.
Add bleu cheese. This soup would be amazing with my homemade Bleu Cheese Yogurt Dip swirled on top!

Can I make it dairy free or vegan?

Sure! Simply use your favorite vegan/dairy free cheddar cheese shreds in place of the regular cheddar cheese. Easy!

Learn how to roast a head of garlic

One of the key components to the flavor in this buffalo cauliflower soup? The wonderful roasted garlic! Roasting garlic brings out a natural, caramelized-like sweetness that pairs deliciously with the savory elements in the soup. Here’s how to do it:

Peel off the outer papery layers of the garlic head, leaving the skins on the individual cloves.
Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the cloves so that you can see the individual cloves.
Place the head in some tinfoil, drizzle the top with olive oil, and wrap it loosely in the foil.
Then roast it up with the cauliflower florets!

Creamy buffalo cauliflower soup in 4 simple steps

Roast the veggies. Toss your cauliflower florets on a pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper, add the prepared head of garlic to the pan, and roast them both together.
Cook the onion. While the cauliflower and garlic are cooking, saute the onion with a little olive oil until it’s translucent.
Blend the soup. Add the roasted cauliflower and garlic with the cooked onion to a blender with broth, salt, and pepper. Blend it all up until it’s nice and smooth, then pour the mixture into a pot over medium heat.
Cook, top & devour. Bring the soup to a simmer, then stir in the buffalo sauce and cheddar cheese. Let the soup simmer and come together, taste, and add more buffalo sauce if you want it spicier. Serve it up with extra cheese, scallions, chives, and extra buffalo sauce!

What to serve with this buffalo cauliflower soup

Storing & freezing tips

To store: let the buffalo cauliflower soup cool completely and place any leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
To freeze: this soup should freeze well! Allow it to cool completely and place it in freezer safe containers in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw the soup completely before reheating it in the microwave or on the stovetop.

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I hope you love this cheddar buffalo cauliflower soup! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Serves4 servings

Delicious cheddar buffalo cauliflower soup packed with flavor from a whole head of roasted garlic, your favorite buffalo sauce, and savory cheddar cheese. This easy buffalo cauliflower soup is thick and creamy without using any cream. Enjoy as is or mix in your fav proteins for the perfect lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 5 to 6 cups cauliflower florets)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground salt and pepper
1 head of garlic
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cups vegetable broth (or sub chicken broth if not vegetarian)*
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ to ⅓ cups mild or medium buffalo sauce, depending on your heat preference
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
To garnish:
Extra shredded cheddar on top
1 to 2 scallions, sliced (green part only)
Chopped chives
Buffalo sauce, for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the veggies: Add cauliflower florets to the pan, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper; toss to combine. For the garlic: peel and discard the outer papery layers of the whole garlic head. Leave the skins intact of the individual cloves. Using a sharp knife, cut ¼ inch off from the top of the cloves so that the individual cloves of garlic are exposed. Place garlic in a medium piece of foil and drizzle the top of the garlic with olive oil then loosely wrap in the foil and place on the pan with the cauliflower. Roast cauliflower and garlic for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cauliflower is nice and golden, tender and caramelized.
Cook the onion: While the cauliflower is cooking, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a pot and place over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add diced onion and saute for 5-7 minutes until onion is translucent.
Blend the soup: In a large blender add the onion, roasted cauliflower, roasted garlic, broth, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, then add back to the pot and place over medium heat. Tip for the garlic: allow it to cool enough to touch then simply squeeze out the roasted garlic from the skin.
Finish it off: Bring soup to a light simmer over medium-low heat, then stir in 2 or 3 tablespoons buffalo sauce and cheddar cheese. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, taste and add more buffalo sauce if you want to kick it up. Buffalo sauces can vary in spice and flavor so start small and increase to suit your preferences. Garnish extra grated sharp cheddar cheese, scallions, chives and a drizzle of buffalo sauce. Serve with crusty toasted sourdough or your favorite bread of choice. Serves 4.

Recipe Notes

If you want a creamier soup, feel free to sub 1 cup milk for 1 cup broth. Alternatively if you want a bit of a richer soup, feel free to add ½ cup half and half or heavy cream in place of ½ cup of the broth.
If you prefer a thicker soup, start with 3 cups of broth.
Add 1 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken in step 5 for a delicious protein-packed Chicken Buffalo Cauliflower Chowder that’s perfect for game day. I love using shredded rotisserie chicken for ease.
This would also be delicious with my bleu cheese dip swirled on top.