You GUYS. I made buffalo cauliflower soup to warm our souls.
Yes—I’m back with more cauliflower and another buffalo wing–inspired dish.
Years ago I first shared a creamy cauliflower soup that quickly became a favorite. It felt like potato soup—rich and velvety—yet made entirely with cauliflower. That recipe opened the door for me to love cauliflower beyond roasting.
This version nods to buffalo wings. It has a touch of cheddar because when I “buffalo” something I like a little cheddar alongside the tangy wing sauce. It’s not traditional, but it works—especially in soups, pizzas or anything aiming for that buffalo vibe. I also love using blue cheese when I make buffalo cauliflower bites, and this soup benefits from blue cheese crumbles as a garnish.
There’s an older buffalo chicken soup on the site that many of you still adore. That recipe is quick—about 30 minutes—and comfortingly simple. The photos are dated now, but the soup itself remains a winner, especially with a toasted baguette on top.
Anyhoo.
The idea for this recipe came from blending those concepts: the comforting creaminess of my original cauliflower soup with the bold heat of buffalo flavors. I considered roasting whole cauliflower florets into the soup like chicken pieces, but decided the smoother, dreamier cauliflower base would be better. Combining the two ideas was the right call.
The result is silky, slightly spicy, tangy and utterly comforting. A little cheddar is melted into the soup for depth, but the real star is the garnish: lots of chives, scallions (or green onions), cilantro if you like, and crumbled blue cheese. I wanted a crunchy topping, too—croutons or a baguette slice would be great—but I kept it bread-free here. Diced celery is a classic buffalo garnish; include it if you enjoy that crunch.
A bowl of this soup is warming and creamy, perfect for chilly evenings and ideal for football season or cozy dinners. It also works well as a small shooter-style starter if you want to serve it at a party. The subtle orange hue makes it a great autumn dish.
Buffalo Cauliflower Soup
Buffalo Cauliflower Soup
4 people
15 mins
45 mins
1 hr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
- ⅓ cup buffalo wing sauce (or more to taste), plus extra for drizzling
- ⅔ cup freshly grated sharp white cheddar
For garnish
- fresh cilantro
- sliced scallions
- chopped chives
- crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, then add the onion with the salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped cauliflower and vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is very tender. During cooking, press down with a spoon occasionally to break apart the florets.
- Carefully transfer the cauliflower and cooking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth. Hold a towel over the blender lid while pureeing to prevent splatters. Return the puree to the pot and keep over low heat.
- Stir in the milk (or half and half) and remaining butter. Mix in the buffalo wing sauce and warm the soup, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add the grated cheddar and stir until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning or add more wing sauce if desired.
- Serve immediately, topped with cilantro, chives, scallions and crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle extra wing sauce if you like.
Did you make this recipe?
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Seriously melts in your mouth!