Silky-smooth and simple to make, this creamy cauliflower soup is rich but not excessive, hearty but not heavy, and garnished with crispy bits of bacon and minced chive to perk things up.

A bowl of soup with a silver spoon on a marble tabletop.

Leeks are, in my opinion, a deeply underappreciated vegetable. Sweeter and more delicate than onion or even shallots, they add so much flavor and depth to this simple cauliflower soup.

Unlike onions, leeks do require some special prep. Because they’re grown in sandy soil, and much of that soil ends up inside the leek’s thin layers, it’s important to wash them thoroughly to avoid a gritty, sandy soup. More on that in the recipe card...

For more leek love check out: Root Vegetable Mash with Caramelized Leeks and Olive Oil Roasted Leeks.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Leeks, bacon, a head of cauliflower, onion, garlic and chicken stock on a marble background.

Note: You don’t necessarily need to use homemade chicken stock when making this soup (or any soup for that matter) but it is important to use a good-quality stock. It is afterall the entire base for your soup. There are lots options for high-quality stocks and bone broths at the supermarket these days. The freezer section is where you’ll find the best ones. The brand Bonafide is very good and widely available. Some specialty markets and butchers make and sell their own stocks, those are good options too. Avoid boxed or canned stocks if possible.

Recipe Step by Step:

Step 1. Prep

Wash the leeks well in a bowl of water. Drain, rinse and repeat as many times as necessary to remove every last bit of sandy grit. Whether you’re using slab bacon or thick-cut slices, chop the bacon into 1/4-inch thick “lardons”. Bacon lardons are 1/4″ thick by 1″ long strips of bacon cut from a slab of bacon. Unlike regular strip bacon, lardons hold their shape during cooking resulting in a heartier bite of cured pork thats crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside.

Left: a bowl of chopped leeks in water. Right: s slab of bacon on a cutting board with a knife.

Step 2. Sauté

Render the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp and browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a small plate or tray for later use. Sauté the leeks and onion in the bacon fat until soft and translucent.

Leeks, onion and cauliflower sautéing in a dutch oven.

Step 3. Simmer

Next add the cauliflower, followed by the chicken stock and thyme or rosemary. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered until the cauliflower is tender – about 20-30 minutes. Add the cream.

Step 3. Blend and Serve

Blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Divide between bowls and top with the crispy bacon lardons, minced chives and freshly cracked black pepper.

A bowl of white soup topped with minced chives, bacon and olive oil.

How to Purée Soup – With or Without an Immersion Blender:

By far the easiest way to purée a soup is with an immersion blender. Place the blade end of the immersion blender into the bottom of your soup pot and puree until smooth. To avoid splatters, be sure the blade is completely submerged while blending. My immersion blender or “stick blender” is one of my holy grail kitchen appliances. It’s perfect for quickly blending together soups, sauces, salad dressing, aioli.. etc. It’s compact and easy to clean, if you don’t have one already I highly recommend this one by Kitchenaid.
If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular countertop blender but you need do so carefully and in small batches. Before getting started allow the soup to cool off on the stove, uncovered for 5-10 minutes. In batches, transfer the soup to you blender filling it no more than halfway, then place the lid on loosely leaving it slightly ajar so steam can escape then blend on the lowest/slowest setting until smooth and creamy. Repeat as needed until all of the soup is puréed.

Creamy Cauliflower and Leek Soup with Bacon and Chive

Ingredients You’ll Need: