This cheddar cauliflower chowder is about to rock your weeknight dinner!
Warm, comforting and cheesy – it’s the perfect bowl to take your days from blustery and wintery to wonderful!
And that is exactly what I crave right now. Something SO good to look forward to for dinner. These early months of the year always get me with their gray and cold days. THIS makes dinner exciting and to be honest, freaking DELISH.
I know I know, I just shared a cauliflower recipe last week but this one is too good to wait. It is so easy, so flavorful, so filling and perfect for the cold, blustery winter days we are having right now.
LOVE IT.
Plus, if you really want to, you can just switch out potatoes for the cauli!
Chowder is definitely one of my go-to soups (hello, this sun dried tomato corn chowder, anyone?!) but I was hesitant about replacing the potatoes here with cauliflower. I considered using both, but was afraid the soup would be overwhelming with chunks and not as chowder-ish as I’d like.
I ended up going the cauliflower-only route and it is fantastic.
The flavor is absolutely perfect.
The cauliflower is tender but still brings enough texture to the soup, and of course, with the scallions and bacon on top? Texture is given an A+.
It’s SO satisfying.
The cheddar makes it for me too. Obviously. As a serious cheese lover, I was afraid that adding in the cheddar may make it too heavy or gluey. You know what I mean, right? But it doesn’t at all. Stirring in the white cheddar at the end adds the perfect cheesy flavor that a bowl like this begs for.
The base ends up being silky smooth, even though we still have our chunks of veg.
It melts in your mouth.
You won’t be able to stop the spoonfuls!
Cheddar Cauliflower Chowder
Cheddar Cauliflower Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- kosher salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces white cheddar cheese, freshly grated , plus extra for topping
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain off excess grease.
- Throw the onions, carrots and garlic into the pot where the bacon grease is. You can add a small pinch of salt and pepper - you most likely will need a little salt for the soup, but the bacon is salty, so don’t go overboard! Stir and cook the vegetables until they soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Stream in the stock while stirring. Add in the cauliflower florets. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce it to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Stir in the cream and cook for a minute or two until it warms. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese and half of the green onions. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste the soup and season with most salt and pepper if needed. This will depend on how salty your bacon and cheese are! Stir in most of the bacon, leaving a bit to garnish the bowls with.
- Serve the soup with the extra bacon, green onions and more cheese if you wish. Enjoy!
Living for this.
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