Slow-Cooker Cauliflower, Potato and White Bean Soup

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated December 28, 2022

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
8 hours and 25 minutes
Rating
4(8,577)
Comments
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This creamy vegetarian soup is built on humble winter staples, but the addition of sour cream and chives make it feel special. (Crumble a few sour-cream-and-onion chips on top to take the theme all of the way.) It takes just a few minutes to throw the ingredients into the slow cooker, and the rest of the recipe almost entirely hands-off, making it very doable on a weekday. Use an immersion blender, if you have one, to purée it to a silky smooth consistency, but a potato masher works well for a textured, chunky soup. To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings 

  • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks 

  • 1 pound cauliflower, chopped into large bite-sized florets and stems 

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained

  • ½ yellow onion, minced

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced

  • 3 ½ cups vegetable stock 

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine

  • 1 sprig fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • Coarse kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (about ¼ lemon)

  • 8 ounces sour cream (1 cup), at room temperature 

  • ½ cup chopped chives (about 1 small bunch)

  • Potato chips, preferably sour cream and onion, for topping

  • Shredded Cheddar, for serving 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

52 grams carbs; 43 milligrams cholesterol; 402 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 11 grams fiber; 1158 milligrams sodium; 16 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the potatoes, cauliflower, beans, onion, garlic, vegetable stock, butter, wine, thyme, garlic powder and 1½ teaspoons kosher salt. Cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 8 hours on low.

  2. Step 2

    Remove and discard the thyme sprig, and turn off the slow cooker. Add the lemon juice. To make a completely smooth and creamy soup, purée the ingredients using an immersion blender. (Or, purée the soup in a blender in two batches, transferring the puréed soup to a different pot.) To make a textured, chunky soup, smash the ingredients using a potato masher in the slow cooker. Stir in the sour cream and chives. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Serve in bowls topped with black pepper, crushed potato chips and shredded Cheddar. For leftovers, gently reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it just barely bubbles around the edges; don’t let it boil or the sour cream will break.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
8,577 user ratings
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Comments

LD

Easy convert to instant pot. I sautéed the onion and garlic in the butter and then deglazed with the wine. Added cauliflower, potatoes, beans and broth. Pressure cooked on high for 18 minutes, quick release. Seasoned more aggressively adding some smoked paprika and more garlic powder at the end. Added lemon at the end. Puréed beautifully and didn’t require a full day on slow cooker. Really tasty- I love the creaminess from the beans. Will make again for sure!

Lisa S.

I did this QUICKLY and simply on stovetop and it came out great. Just threw everything in a pot (except chives, sour cream, and chips) and I used low sodium chicken broth (had on hand). Brought to a boil and then simmered for about an hour til veggies were tender. Took off heat and puréed in pot with an immersion blender. Doesn’t even need sour cream or chives (my garden ones had died for the winter!). Yum and healthy.

Jeannie

Delicious. Comforting. I sub Greek yogurt for sour cream whenever possible. If you add it to the soup in bowls, you can reheat leftovers without separation.

tkfDFW03

Used dry overnight soaked Cannellini beans. Sauté onion, fresh garlic, 2 stalks chopped celery;1 tsp smoked paprika;1 tsp chili powder and simmered until blended. Added 2 chopped carrots and 1 (14-5 oz) can of diced tomatoes with their juices. During the last 20 minutes of cook time, I added precooked, chopped Field Roast and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast. Removed the bay leaf. Served warm, topped with vegan sour cream and potato chips.

Julie in Oakland

I love this soup! Just made a pot on a cold San Francisco Bay summer day. I make it on the stove buy sweating the onion garlic and then tossing in the other ingredients, minus the sour cream and garnish. It makes A LOT of soup. I like a generous portion, and I still think I get 8-10 servings here. (I did use the whole onion and my cauliflower was more than a pound.) If you leave out the sour cream until serving, it reheats (and freezes) well. Even without the cream, it's very luxurious.

CH

Skipped the potato chips but added a bunch of paprika. Really delicious.

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