The bacon starts sizzling in the Dutch oven, and a few minutes later the kitchen smells like the beginning of something hearty. I make this cheesy cauliflower and potato soup with bacon when I want a bowl that feels substantial without relying on a long ingredient list. The bacon brings a savory edge, while sharp cheddar makes the broth taste rich and comforting.
Potatoes and cauliflower simmer together until they’re tender, so the vegetables share the same gentle, savory base. I like the balance of Yukon Gold potatoes and cauliflower here: the potatoes make each bowl satisfying, and the cauliflower keeps the soup from feeling heavy. Milk and cheddar finish it with a smooth, cheesy taste, while the bacon adds a little bite against the soft vegetables.
Kitchen Note
Cook the bacon until it’s crisp before it goes into the soup. It softens once stirred in, so that crisp start helps it keep a little texture in the finished bowl.
Save this cheesy cauliflower and potato soup with bacon for a cozy dinner, with sharp cheddar and crisp bacon in every bowl.
Why this soup gets creamy without losing its potato chunks
A blended vegetable soup can easily end up either thin or completely smooth. Here, the potatoes and cauliflower do the thickening work, but you don’t have to blend every piece to get a creamy base. Partially blending breaks down some of the tender vegetables and leaves enough intact to give the soup the chunky texture that makes it feel like a meal.
That middle ground is worth aiming for. If you blend until every bit disappears, you lose the contrast between the creamy broth and the soft potato pieces. If you barely blend at all, the liquid stays brothy and the vegetables sit in it rather than becoming part of the soup. Take a few passes with an immersion blender, pause to check the texture, and stop while you can still spot pieces of potato and cauliflower. There’s no flour or separate thickener to mix in; the vegetables themselves give the soup its body.
What the potatoes, cauliflower, and cheddar each bring
- Yukon Gold potatoes — They become tender and give the broth a fuller feel when some are blended. Red potatoes can stand in if that’s what you have, though they tend to hold their shape more and make a less creamy base. Peel and cut the pieces evenly so they soften at a similar pace.
- Cauliflower — Its mild taste fits comfortably beside the cheddar and potatoes, and its florets soften enough to blend into the soup. Broccoli florets can replace it for a greener, more pronounced vegetable flavor; cook until the pieces are fork-tender before blending.
- Sharp cheddar — Sharpness matters more than an expensive label: it gives the milk-based soup a clear cheese flavor. Mild cheddar works, but the result tastes gentler. Monterey Jack melts smoothly too, though it brings less of cheddar’s tang.
- Whole milk — It gives the finished soup a rounded, creamy feel without making the cheese flavor disappear. Two-percent milk works if that’s what’s in the fridge, with a slightly lighter result. Stir it in after the heat is off rather than boiling it with the vegetables.
- Bacon — Regular sliced bacon is fine; a specialty cut isn’t needed for this pot. Turkey bacon can replace it, but it produces less fat, so use olive oil to keep the onion and celery from sticking during their sauté.
- Low-sodium chicken broth — Starting with low-sodium broth leaves room for the bacon and cheddar to contribute their own saltiness. Vegetable broth is a useful swap if you’re making a meat-free version; the soup will have a softer, less savory base.
Build the soup in stages, then let the vegetables set the texture
Render the bacon in the Dutch oven
Cook the chopped bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate when crisp. Leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot for the vegetables; too much fat can make the soup feel greasy.
Soften the onion, celery, and garlic
Add the chopped onion and celery to the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should look softened rather than browned, and the onion will start to turn translucent around the edges. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds; garlic left cooking much longer can scorch and taste bitter.
Simmer until both vegetables are tender
Stir in the potatoes, cauliflower, chicken broth, kosher salt, and black pepper, then bring the pot to a boil. Cover it, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Check a potato and a cauliflower floret with a fork: both should be tender enough to pierce easily, or they’ll resist blending.
Blend just enough to make a creamy base
Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup. Move it through different areas of the pot and pause to check the consistency instead of blending continuously. Stop when the broth looks creamy but you can still see soft vegetable pieces. If you keep going, the soup will lose its chunky texture.
Finish with milk, cheddar, and bacon
Turn off the heat before stirring in the whole milk and shredded cheddar. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted into the hot soup; the pot shouldn’t be bubbling at this point. Crumble the cooked bacon and stir it in. The finished soup should look creamy, with bacon and small pieces of vegetables throughout.
Two worthwhile ways to adapt this cauliflower-potato soup
Make a vegetarian pot
Leave out the bacon, use olive oil to cook the onion and celery, and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. The soup stays hearty and cheesy, though it loses the smoky, salty depth bacon brings. This version is vegetarian, not dairy-free, because it still contains milk and cheddar.
Turn it into a smooth soup
Blend the vegetables until smooth instead of stopping while the soup is chunky. For a crisp bacon contrast, keep the crumbled bacon out of the pot and sprinkle it over each bowl. The texture becomes more uniform, with the bacon adding a separate crunchy finish.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. The potatoes soften as the soup sits.
- Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months. The potatoes may become grainy, and the dairy can separate slightly when thawed.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stove, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout and at least 165°F. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the dairy texture grainy.
Questions that come up while making this soup
Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Soup with Bacon
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
- Add the onion and celery to the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the potatoes, cauliflower, broth, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil.
- Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are fork-tender.
- Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup until creamy but still chunky.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the milk and cheddar until the cheese is melted.
- Crumble the bacon and stir it into the soup.
