Keto loaded 'fauxtato' (cauliflower) soup is everything you love about loaded potato soup – thick, cheesy, and brimming with crispy bacon – with cauliflower doing the potato's job. No one guesses the swap: it is pure comfort in a bowl and ridiculously easy to make. Ready in about 25 minutes, it earns a permanent spot in the cold-weather rotation.
Craving a rich, soul-warming bowl of loaded potato soup but sticking to a keto lifestyle? You’ve come to the right place! This recipe was born out of love for my daughter, a die-hard fan of my classic loaded potato soup. I created this low-carb version using cauliflower, and it was an instant sensation. It’s everything you love—thick, cheesy, and brimming with crispy bacon—but without the carbs. I promise, serve this to anyone, and they’ll never guess the secret ingredient. It’s pure comfort in a bowl, and the fact that it’s ridiculously easy to make is just the cherry on top!
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons / 42g (1.48 oz) salted butter
• ½ cup / 75g (2.65 oz) chopped white onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 16-ounce / 450g (15.9 oz) bag frozen cauliflower florets
• 2 cups / 480ml vegetable broth
• 2 cups / 226g (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus extra for garnish
• 1 cup / 240ml heavy whipping cream
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, for garnish
Instructions
1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the frozen cauliflower florets. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.
3. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to prevent the soup from curdling. Stir in the heavy whipping cream and the shredded cheddar cheese. Continue stirring gently until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth and creamy.
4. Season generously with salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish lavishly with extra shredded cheese and crispy bacon crumbles before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutritional Information
• Recipe Information
• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Calories: 550 kcal
• Fat: 48g
• Protein: 22g
• Net Carbs: 8g (0.28 oz)
Pro Tips
• For an extra smooth and creamy texture, use an immersion blender to partially or fully blend the soup after the cauliflower is tender but before adding the cheese and cream.
• Feel free to swap the sharp cheddar with other great melting cheeses like Gouda, Monterey Jack, or a Colby blend for a different flavor profile.
• To thicken the soup further without adding carbs, stir in 2 ounces (56g / 1.98 oz) of softened cream cheese along with the heavy cream and cheddar.
• Make it a complete meal by stirring in some shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked ham during the last few minutes of cooking.
FAQ
Q: How many net carbs are in this loaded cauliflower soup
A: This keto loaded cauliflower soup contains just 8g (0.28 oz) of net carbs per serving, making it a perfect low-carb comfort food.
Q: Can I make this keto cauliflower soup smoother
A: Yes, for an extra smooth and creamy texture, use an immersion blender to blend the soup after the cauliflower is cooked but before you add the cheese and cream.
Q: How can I make this soup thicker
A: To thicken the soup further without adding carbs, you can stir in 2 ounces of softened cream cheese along with the heavy cream and cheddar.
Q: How long does this loaded cauliflower soup last in the fridge
A: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Pro Tips
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender after the cauliflower turns tender but before the cheese and cream go in – it gets luxuriously thick without a drop of flour.
- Keep the heat at its lowest once you add the heavy cream and cheddar; boiling at that stage makes the dairy curdle and the texture turn grainy.
- Stir in 2 ounces of softened cream cheese with the cream and cheddar if you want the soup even thicker – no carbs added, just body.
- Swap the sharp cheddar for Gouda, Monterey Jack, or a Colby blend – all melt smoothly and change the flavor while keeping the keto macros intact.
- Make it a full meal by stirring in shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked ham during the last few minutes; leftovers keep 5 days in the fridge and taste even better the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this soup really keto without potatoes?
Yes – cauliflower takes over for the potatoes and each serving lands at about 8g net carbs with 48g of fat, so nobody misses the real thing.
Can I make it thicker?
Blend it with an immersion blender before adding the dairy, or stir in 2 ounces of softened cream cheese along with the heavy cream and cheddar.
How long do leftovers keep?
Up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently – the flavors actually deepen overnight.
What can I stir in to make it a meal?
Shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked ham, added during the last few minutes of cooking, turns the soup into a full dinner without changing the keto profile.
Recipe card below.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Keto Loaded 'Fauxtato' (Cauliflower) Soup
Ingredients
Method
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and add the frozen cauliflower florets. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
- Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to prevent the soup from curdling.
- Stir in the heavy whipping cream and the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Continue stirring gently until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Season generously with salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish lavishly with extra shredded cheese and crispy bacon crumbles before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
