With creamy, buttery cauliflower plus buffalo sauce heat, this Buffalo Cauliflower Soup hits the spot! This thick, rich, creamy, and spicy soup is perfect for game day or any day.

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chowder with Herbed Crostini - This hearty, veggie-packed chowder recipe packs a kicky wallop, buffalo hot sauce style. Creamy, full of flavor, and, yep, vegan - though the carnivores will no doubt be clamoring for seconds, too! Don't forget the crisp broiled crostini for some delicious dipping.

For this spicy, bold bowl of Buffalo Cauliflower Soup, I took a cue from something nearly every coffee table offers up on game day: buffalo wings. If “buffalo” doesn’t scream football food, I don’t know what does! And this chowder definitely sports the heat-building vibe everyone knows and loves, but the delivery is meatless and served up in a bowl. Lighter AND far less napkins used. Touchdown! (Okay, I’ll stop now.)

Table of Contents

The Story Behind the Recipe

The makers of Silk challenged me to “sideline meat” and create a vegetarian, football-night-friendly food that uses one of their milk products. It was called the #MeatlessMondayNight challenge, and you know I was up for it!

After a little brainstorming and a lot of taste-testing (it’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it), this Buffalo Cauliflower Soup was born.

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chowder with Herbed Crostini - This hearty, veggie-packed chowder recipe packs a kicky wallop, buffalo hot sauce style. Creamy, full of flavor, and, yep, vegan - though the carnivores will no doubt be clamoring for seconds, too! Don't forget the crisp broiled crostini for some delicious dipping.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you aren’t eating dairy (or just want less of it), you know that it can be tough to replicate that creamy, dreamy element that chowders and creamy soups sport. But with this Buffalo Cauliflower Soup, I found the one-two play of blitzed cauliflower along with creamy almond milk gets us to the goal line. (Catch the football references?! Can’t help myself.)

So if you’re trying to eat less dairy, I’m willing to bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this Buffalo Cauliflower Soup!

Readers say …
“I loved this recipe! My boyfriend and I made it together last night (he is both a meat and dairy lover, and I am trying to cut them both out of my diet) and he could not get enough of it!”

– Noel

This chowder’s best with crispy, herb-coated crostini, dipped generously into that creamy soupy goodness and gnawed with gusto.

This is football food, after all! I love how the parsley and dill add a bit of a cooling feel to the whole shebang. Plus: crispy golden bread. Done and done.

Ingredients

For the Buffalo Cauliflower Soup:

  • Cauliflower – When cooked and pureed, cauliflower becomes remarkably smooth and luxurious – perfect for that decadent, thick creamy soup consistency.
  • Olive oil
  • Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic – Classic soup ingredients that build loads of flavor and add a nutrient boost, too.
  • Potatoes – I like buttery Yukon Golds, which add heft and a chowder-like quality to this creamy soup.
  • Smoked paprika – Such a magical ingredient! Adds a smoky note that pairs perfectly with the buttery creaminess and Buffalo heat.
  • Salt & pepper – gotta have it!
  • Milk – You have options, here!Feel free to use a plant-based milk like unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or even some homemade cashew cream. If you’re okay with dairy, heavy whipping cream would take it over-the-top luxurious, though plain whole or 2% milk works too.

For the Herbed Crostini:

  • Baguette – sliced thin
  • Olive oil – for brushing on the bread
  • Parsley & dill – these herbs offer a cooling counterpoint that is so delicious!
  • Salt – for flavor!
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chowder with Herbed Crostini - This hearty, veggie-packed chowder recipe packs a kicky wallop, buffalo hot sauce style. Creamy, full of flavor, and, yep, vegan - though the carnivores will no doubt be clamoring for seconds, too! Don't forget the crisp broiled crostini for some delicious dipping.

How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Soup

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Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chowder with Herbed Crostini - This hearty, veggie-packed chowder recipe packs a kicky wallop, buffalo hot sauce style. Creamy, full of flavor, and, yep, vegan - though the carnivores will no doubt be clamoring for seconds, too! Don't forget the crisp broiled crostini for some delicious dipping.

How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Soup

First, set a big ol’ pot over medium heat. Saute your onions, carrots, and celery then stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper.

Next, add the broth, cauliflower, and potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender.

While the soup is cooking, make your crostini by brushing the olive oil and herb mixture over the sliced baguettes and broiling them until golden.

When the soup is cooked, transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree it. Return the puree to the soup and stir. Creamy goodness!

Stir in the buffalo hot sauce and milk, add the parsley, and more salt and pepper if desired.

Ladle into bowls and top with scallions, blue cheese or vegan blue cheese, additional herbs and drops of hot sauce, and crostini.

Ways to Adapt this Buffalo Cauliflower Soup Recipe

  • Make it 100% creamy: Puree the whole thing for a silky-smooth soup.
  • Add meat for the carnivores: Top individual bowls with shredded, cooked chicken.
  • Add a can of beans: A drained can of white beans such as cannellini will increase the protein factor and add to the creaminess.

Make-Ahead Notes

Both the soup and crostini can be made ahead of time too. Just whip up the soup up to a two days before hand and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan over low heat over the stove, and you’re good to go. The toasted crostini freeze gloriously – just pull them out about an hour before mealtime to thaw.

Then just kick back and enjoy the game, in the most delicious way!

4.88 from 8 votes

Buffalo Cauliflower Soup

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 6
This hearty, veggie-packed soup eats like a chowder with a kicky buffalo-style wallop. Creamy, full of flavor, and, yep, vegan – though the carnivores will no doubt be clamoring for seconds, too! With crunchy herbed crostini for delicious dipping.
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Ingredients

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chowder:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (2 cups)
  • 2 medium carrots, diced (diced)
  • 2 medium stalks celery, diced (diced)
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt ( + more to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ( + more to taste)
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 4 cups cauliflower (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
  • 3 tablespoons Buffalo sauce (like Frank's Red Hot; add more or less, to taste)
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or another favorite milk or cream)
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Herbed Crostini:

  • 1/2 baguette (sliced thin (about 1/4-inch))
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Set a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
  • Add the vegetable broth, cauliflower, and potatoes. Increase heat to medium high to bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender, 15-20 minutes.
  • While the soup simmers, make the crostini. Set the slices of baguette on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, herbs, and salt. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the tops of each slice of bread with the olive oil herb mixture. Broil on high until toasted and golden brown, 2-5 minutes (the time really depends on your broiler. Watch carefully – they can burn fast!)
  • Back to the soup! Remove the soup from the heat and let cool just until safe to handle. Transfer 1/2 of the soup, about 4 cups, to a bowl and, using an immersion blender, puree the remaining soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can puree 1/2 of the soup in a blender or food processor. Return all of the soup to the pot, mixing the pureed soup and the chunky soup back together.
  • Place the soup back on the burner (medium-low heat). Stir in the red hot sauce and the almond milk. If you’re sensitive to heat/spiciness, you may want to start with 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce, then add more to taste. Return to a simmer and stir in the parsley. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
  • Ladle into bowls, serve with toppings such as scallions, roasted cauliflower, chives, blue cheese (if not vegan), or a few extra drops of red hot sauce. Float a crostini on top of each bowl (or serve alongside).

Notes

Nutrition information includes crostini.

Meat Option:

A reader suggested this and I think it’s brilliant! Add cooked, shredded chicken to the meat-eaters’ portions. I’d drizzle on some extra Buffalo sauce for good measure!

Dairy Option:

Use dairy milk or heavy cream and top with blue cheese or gorgonzola. A little sharp white cheddar stirred in with the milk or cream wouldn’t hurt either!

Gluten-Free Option:

The soup itself is gluten-free; just omit the crostini or make with a gluten-free bread.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 294kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 902mg, Potassium: 740mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 3867IU, Vitamin C: 57mg, Calcium: 121mg, Iron: 2mg

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