This creamy cauliflower ham soup is a delicious comfort food meal to enjoy on those chilly Fall and Winter nights! It's a quick meal to make for a family dinner and a great way to use up leftover ham!
Creamy Cauliflower Ham Soup Recipe
My whole family loves hearty soups! My daughter, more so than the average person. Seriously! She will crush multiple servings in a sitting. She will even opt for leftover soup over one of my perfect pan-seared steaks...most of the time, anyway.
When I make THIS soup, I know that either a) I better accept that the whole batch is already spoken for, or b) it better be a huge batch of soup! So, when I make this for the family, I make a large batch.
No kidding. The whole 48 oz frozen bag of cauliflower, a couple of cartons of broth. A really big stock pot! I've halved that for you here to present a reasonable amount.
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For another great, hearty, leftover ham soup, try my ham chowder! Or use up some more leftover ham with my creamy ham and pea fettuccine pasta!
How To Make Creamy Cauliflower & Ham Soup
This is a really easy soup to make! It can be made in small batches (on demand, in my home), as seen below in the saucepan photo.
Pick your cauliflower. If using fresh cauliflower, cut a head of cauliflower into florets-sized pieces. Even-sized pieces will cook more evenly for a more consistently creamy texture when done.
If you're using frozen cauliflower, most are packaged in 10 to 12-ounce packages. Either weight will work, and you will need two packages.
Plan ahead a bit. If you have an immersion blender, this soup is a snap! If you need to use a blender, you will be transferring hot soup to be blended. Plan accordingly to prevent burns.
Creamy Cauliflower & Ham Soup
Step 1: Boil. Now, to get started with your soup. In a stock pot, add the cauliflower and garlic. Cover with the broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a low boil.
Step 2: Simmer. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 5 - 10 minutes, depending on the size of your pieces. You want the pieces tender but don't cook them too long, or they will end up being mushy in the soup!
Step 2: Blend. Next, blend the soup using an immersion blender or blender. If using a blender, you may need to blend your soup in batches. Return to the stock pot if needed.
Step 4: Add. Once the soup has been blended, add the cooked, diced ham, milk, and heavy cream. *I frequently opt for just using heavy cream for an incredibly rich, creamy soup. On the other hand, if I want to melt more cheese into my soup, I opt for more milk. The cheese will thicken the soup plenty!
Step 5: Heat. Warm the soup over medium heat until the ham is warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Also, a single tablespoon-sized pat of butter melted into the soup before serving will add to the richness of this soup and give it a 'sheen' for a beautiful finish. Or try making your soup with roasted cauliflower for a deliciously different flavor!
Serve garnished with cheese and parsley, fried diced ham, or chopped bacon and chives, if desired. Enjoy!
More Leftover Ham Recipes:
- Ham and Pea Pasta
- Cheesy Leftover Ham Pasta
- Ham Chowder
- Leftover Ham Casserole with Broccoli and Cheese
- Au Gratin Potatoes with Diced Ham
More Hearty Soup Recipes:
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Creamy Chicken Minnesota Wild Rice Soup
- Turkey Noodle Soup
- Potato Leek Soup with Bacon and Chives
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
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📖 Recipe Card
Creamy Cauliflower Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (chopped into even sized florets, or 2 12 oz frozen cauliflower packs)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper (or to taste)
- 2 cups ham (cooked, diced or cubed)
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2% milk recommended)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup cheddar cheese (optional, garnish)
- ½ tablespoon parsley (chopped - optional, garnish)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, combine the cauliflower, garlic, broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Blend the soup using an immersion blender, or blender. Use precautions when handling the hot soup and blending (probably in batches). Return the blended soup to the stock pot, if needed.
- Once blended, add the diced ham, milk and heavy cream. Warm over medium heat until the ham is warmed through.
- Add a tablespoon pat of butter for extra richness, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with grated cheese, fried diced ham or bacon, chopped parsley, or chopped chives.
Jess says
Beyond happy I found this recipe, 100% will be making it again and again! I did tweak the recipe though. I followed all the steps, but eye balled all my ingredients/measured with my heart. I also added, sliced carrots, sliced celery, onions, and bacon bits! I also used shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. It was a hit!
Kristi says
Oh my, this is amazing!!! Trying to clean out my freezer and use things up. I had some cauliflower and leftover ham. I added a bag of diced cauliflower as well since I had it. Didn’t have cheddar but used a mix of Gouda and Monterrey I had on hand. Super creamy with the immersion blender and this one has the approval of the whole family! Thanks!!!