Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Name: Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 12 cups
Ingredients: 2 heads Cauliflower (greens/core removed); 4 ounces Yellow/Brown Onion; 1/4 small Red Pepper (stem/seeds removed); 1 small Jalapeno Pepper (stem/seeds removed); 2 cloves Fresh Garlic; 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste ((or tiny piece of Habanero Pepper)); 1 teaspoon Sea Salt; 1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper; 1/2 teaspoon Dry/Ground Mustard Seed; 2 cups Chicken Broth; 1 cup Heavy Cream; 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (freshly shredded); 3/4 cup Monterey Jack or Oaxaca Cheese (freshly shredded); Crumbled Crispy Bacon; Chopped Scallions

August 15, 2018 By Jill Selkowitz 23 Comments Modified on July 14, 2019

Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup w/Bacon is a delicious low carb soup, which is creamy and rich and loaded with flavor.

Years ago, when I was on Weight Watchers, I lost 130 pounds in 1.5 years.

Yep, I was a chunky monkey.

I was exercising daily and I worked for Richard Simmons at his gym, Slimmons, in Beverly Hills.

My cauliflower soup utilized the Weight Watchers program (we counted proteins, fat, bread, etc. back then) and was totally delish.

It was first made in my blender and then heated on the stove.

Had I had a Vitamix back then, the whole thing could have easily cooked in the Vitamix.

So, with that recipe in mind, I added some nice fats and more flavor to make is low carb and keto compliant.

Using my Instant Pot, Mealty MultiPot or Pressure Cooker, makes quick work of my Pressure Cooker Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup!

I can’t get enough of this soup!!!!! It is soooooooooooooooooo good.

Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

For this low carb and keto recipe, I omitted the milk and used heavy cream.

Oh my gosh, you guys, the flavor is luscious.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup.

Cauliflower
Sharp Cheddar Cheese – because, well, yum!
Monterey Cheese – balances out the sharp cheddar and gives it a nice texture.
Chicken Broth or Homemade Bone Broth – Using my Homemade Bone Broth is great on a low carb and keto diet, as add more nutrients and helps a lot for those who experience the “Keto Flu.”
Heavy Cream
Onion – a small amount, which will keep you complaint.
Peppers – to add a teeny bit of heat, which separates this recipe from ordinary recipes.
Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste – This has a very nice and pure flavor.
Fresh Garlic
Sea Salt
Ground Mustard – adds wonderful flavor.

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t love steamed cauliflower, nor will I ever say that riced cauliflower takes the place of rice. It doesn’t.

But, in soup like this, the taste is very different from steamed or raw cauliflower and I love it so much.

Rough Chop Cauliflower

The Instant Pot, Mealty MultiPot or Pressure Cooker all do such a great job of cooking, no need to worry about chopping the cauliflower into small pieces.

Just grab a sharp knife and remove the green leaves and the hard core at the bottom.

Peppers and Onions add a Slight Kick!

The red pepper adds a bit of sweetness.

It is only a small amount, so that my Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup recipe remains low carb.

Keto purists might want to omit the red pepper however.

Habanero Peppers, which are similar to Scotch Bonnet Peppers are really, really hot.

For those of you that like super heat in your food, use a small amount, but with caution.

I used a bit of Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste instead, as for me, it is just perfect.

Everything into the Pressure Cooker

How to Make Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Chop up all the vegetables.
Measure out the seasonings.
Add it all into the pressure cooker.
Dump in the liquids.
Set the timer and sit back and relax.
Add the cheese at the end.
I strongly suggest frying up some bacon to add to your bowl of soup.

All the Seasonings Go in at Once

Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Use fresh ingredients. Fresh Garlic. Grind your own peppercorns.
No need to chop, mince or dice the vegetables.
My Pressure Cooker Homemade Bone Broth adds so much flavor and is very good for low carbers.
If homemade bone broth is not available, mix up Better than Bouillon Chicken Flavor with some water. The flavor is closest to homemade.
Add the cream in right with the veggies. Cream won’t break and then there is no need to simmer after adding cold cream.
Two types of cheese balance out each other and give a nice and smooth taste, without any grit or stringiness. It’s not a pizza, where you want the stringy cheese. 🙂

You can easily make half a batch, but you are going to wish you made a double batch of this glorious soup.

Chicken Broth or Bone Broth

The best chicken broth for a low carb and keto diet is my Homemade Bone Broth recipe.

The added nutrients from the bone broth helps keep the “Keto Flu” away.

However, if you don’t have any bone broth on hand, the next best thing is to use Better than Bouillon Chicken Base, mixed with water.

It’s delicious and I always have several flavors in my refrigerator at all times.

Heavy Cream for the Win!

You want to know one of the best things about using heavy cream in the Instant Pot, Mealty MultiPot or Pressure Cooker on a low carb and keto diet?

Cream does not break apart.

It can be added in with the rest of the ingredients.

You know how so many recipes have the cream added in after pressure is released? Well, that’s just silly, as you have to cancel the warm setting and then push the Saute button and heat up the cream.

With my Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup recipe none of that is necessary.

The cream is already nice and hot and the pot can stay on the warm setting and keep warm, so that everyone gets a nice, hot bowl of soup, when they are ready.

Vegetables are all Perfectly Soft

This looks kind of nasty now, nu?

Don’t worry, it is going to be delish.

Do you have a good Immersion Blender? This KOIOS Powerful 500 Watt Immersion Blender is very powerful and does a great job.

Use Immersion Blender

Just like my Pressure Cooker Low Carb Broccoli Cheddar Soup, use an immersion blender.

It is so nice to be able to do this right into the pot, rather than transferring hot soup to a blender.

For this Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup w/Bacon is a delicious low carb soup, which is creamy and rich and loaded with flavor., I like it nice and smooth, although, sometimes I find soft pieces of cauliflower in the soup, which tastes really good.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese

The cheese will quickly melt into the soup.

I used two kinds as it gives such a wonderful texture and mouth feel.

Extra sharp cheddar, which I love, has a tendency to break, so coupled with a melting cheese like Monterey Jack or Oaxaca, really helps, without adding grit or a stringy texture.

Smooth as Silk

Smooth as Silk.

Don’t you want to dive right in?

The little kick really makes a big difference in a cauliflower soup.

Cauliflower really isn’t my thing, but in a soup, OMG, the transformation is so incredible and delicious.

Adjust Salt and Pepper

I don’t know why the photo looks so white.

I love lots of freshly ground black pepper in my Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup.

Adjust the salt and pepper to your preference.

Instant Pot Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

While the toppings make a plain bowl of soup more colorful, they really enhance the flavor.

Definitely don’t skip the bacon and scallion garnish.

More Low Carb Recipes to Try.

There are tons more recipes on the blog to try!

I hope you enjoy this soup. It is a favorite of mine!

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

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Here is the handy printable recipe.