The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (2024)

This soup is cheesy, creamy, and flavorful! I did a side-by-side taste test and this copycat recipe is right on for Cafe Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower soup!

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (1)

Try this Wisconsin Cauliflower Zupas copycat recipe!

One of my favorite soups at Cafe Zupas is the Wisconsin Cauliflower. Mmm. This soup is cheesy, creamy, and full of flavor! (Especially if you top it off with bacon, which I highly recommend. Yum.)

I’ve seen a few copycat recipes floating around, but I was determined to find the best one! This is actually quite easy to make, especially since you can choose stovetop or Instant Pot method. One pot either way!

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (2)

If you want to use this for Weight Watchers, you can get5 points per serving if you use fat free half and half, light butter, and fat free cheese! Easy and still YUMMY!

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (3)

How to Make Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat

I prefer making this Zupas Cauliflower Soup copycat in the Instant Pot, but instructions for both methods are included below.

First, sauté the onion in melted butter. Sometimes I pull out my handy food chopper to make quick work of chopping onions. Then whisk in flour, then chicken broth, and add the cauliflower florets.

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (4)

How Much Cauliflower in Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Copycat

Usually two medium heads of cauliflower, or a large one and a small one, end up yielding about 2 pounds of florets. However, the easiest way is to do the cauliflower is to just buy a bag of fresh pre-cut, pre-washed, ready-to-go cauliflower florets. 😉

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (5)

When making this Zupas copycat recipe in the Instant Pot, I add the half & half after the cooking time. Adding it beforehand is more messy when releasing the pressure. I also just go with straight chicken broth instead of a mixture of broth and water.

How to Blend the Zupas Copycat Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup

The easiest way to blend the soup is with an immersion blender right there in the pot! The cauliflower is so soft, especially in the Instant Pot, that it easily blends smooth with an immersion blender.

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (6)

If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender. Blend the soup in three separate batches and let the blender run for 3o seconds to 1 minute each time. Remove the center of the blender lid to allow steam to escape.

Taste test when you are finished blending to make sure the soup is smooth!

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (7)

Side by Side Taste Test for the Best Zupas Copycat!

Of course, it was necessary to make a trip over to Zupas in order to do a side-by-side comparison. 😉 I tasted the Wisconsin Cauliflower soup without toppings, made a few tweaks to my recipe, and ended up with what I believe to be an awesome copycat!

While I do enjoy the chocolate-covered strawberry and bread with soups from Zupas, I am super excited to be able to make this Wisconsin Cauliflower soup copycat at home! I love serving this with 1-hour rolls or breadsticks.

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (8)

Here’s how to cook bacon in the microwave:

  1. Line a large microwave-safe plate with two paper towels.
  2. Lay bacon in a single layer on the paper towels. (May be able to fit up to 8 slices.)
  3. Cover with two more sheets of paper towel.
  4. Cook in the microwave for 4-6 minutes.

See more of our favorite Instant Pot recipes!

We’ve found a few other awesome copycat recipes from Zupas, Olive Garden, and more. Check out our favorite copycat recipes!

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (9)

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (10)

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe

This soup is cheesy, creamy, and flavorful! I did a side-by-side taste test and this copycat recipe is right on for Cafe Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower soup!

4.60 / 5 ( 169 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 pounds cauliflower florets roughly chopped (5-6 cups)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 pint half and half 2 cups
  • 1 ½ cups water omit for Instant Pot
  • 1 14.5 ounce can reduced sodium chicken broth (3 cups for Instant Pot)
  • 1 ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • ¾ cup pepper jack cheese shredded
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

Optional Toppings

Instructions

Stovetop

  • In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Gradually stir in the half and half, water, and chicken broth.

  • Add the chopped cauliflower and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

  • Use an immersion blender in the pot and blend until smooth. Or use a regular blender, with the center of the lid removed to allow steam to escape, and blend the soup in batches until smooth. Return it to the pot. Heat soup over medium heat and stir in the Dijon, salt, and cheese; stir until combined and melted. Serve warm with optional toppings.

Instant Pot

  • On sauté setting, melt butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Gradually stir in 3 cups chicken broth (instead of water & broth above, and don't add half & half yet).

  • Add chopped cauliflower. Cook on manual high pressure for 4 minutes. (It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure first.) Natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release.

  • Keep on "keep warm" setting. Pour half & half into pot. Use an immersion blender in the pot and blend until smooth. Stir in the Dijon, salt, and cheese; stir until combined and melted. Add more salt, if needed. Serve warm with optional toppings.

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers Freestyle Points - 5 with the following modifications: use fat free half and half, light butter, and fat free cheese!

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 724mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g

Recipe Adapted From: The Recipe Critic

The Best Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Copycat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my cauliflower soup tasteless? ›

How Do You Fix Bland Cauliflower Soup?
  • Season twice with salt and pepper: You'll start by seasoning the cauliflower florets with salt and pepper before roasting. Then, season again when the roasted florets are combined with broth on the stovetop. ...
  • Add lots of aromatics. ...
  • Finish with lemon.

How many calories are in Zupas Wisconsin cauliflower soup? ›

Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Cheese Soup (1 cup) contains 47g total carbs, 42g net carbs, 22g fat, 23g protein, and 480 calories.

What soup is made from cauliflower? ›

These are some of our best cauliflower soup recipes.
  1. 01 of 17. Low Carb Cauliflower Leek Soup. ...
  2. 02 of 17. Cauliflower-Cheese Soup. ...
  3. 03 of 17. Cream of Cauliflower Soup II. ...
  4. 04 of 17. Roasted Cauliflower Soup. ...
  5. 05 of 17. Vegetable Chowder. ...
  6. 06 of 17. Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup. ...
  7. 07 of 17. ...
  8. 08 of 17.
Nov 19, 2021

What French soup is made of cauliflower? ›

Cauliflower Soup (Creme du Barry)

How do you thicken cauliflower soup? ›

We thicken our cauliflower soup by blending the entire soup in batches using a blender or immersion blender once cooked. This (in addition to our heavy cream) helps thicken our soup up nicely to a hearty texture. Variations. As said before you don't have to add the cream to this soup for it to be delicious.

How do you make soup taste deeper? ›

If your broth tastes like it lacks savory richness, you can pack in umami flavor by putting soy sauce, miso, roasted onion, mushrooms, tomato paste, or seaweed. These ingredients provide depth to the broth, but you must ensure that your chosen ingredients match the recipe.

Who owns Zupas? ›

Café Zupas was founded in 2004 by Rob Seely and Dustin Schulthies. The first location was in Provo, Utah. Robinson said Seely and Schulthies worked together in the tech industry and traveled extensively, eating great food in other locations.

How many calories are in 2 cups of cauliflower soup? ›

There are 392 calories in 2 cups of Cream of Cauliflower Soup (Prepared with Milk).

How many carbs are in cauliflower soup? ›

Cream of cauliflower soup (1 cup) contains 20.2g total carbs, 16.8g net carbs, 3.6g fat, 4.1g protein, and 124 calories.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

What is broccoli and cauliflower together called? ›

Romanesco, also known as broccoflower or Roman cauliflower, is a chartreuse, unique-looking vegetable prized for its appearance and mild flavor. It is sometimes assumed to be a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower but is botanically different (although related).

What is the best thickener for vegetable soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Why does my cauliflower soup taste bitter? ›

All the vegetables form the Brassica family have a bitter component to their flavour. Brassica is the family that includes cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. You can actually remove quite a lot of it by leeching it out in to the water, or by using salt.

Is cauliflower soup gassy? ›

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are high in sulfur and can cause bloating and gas. Try some of these vegetables to see if they are easier to digest: carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini, green beans, celery and squash.

How do you fix soup that has no flavor? ›

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Why does my soup taste flavorless? ›

Let it evaporate and cook longer.

If you find that your homemade or store-bought broth is thin and bland, you can concentrate its flavors by cooking it a little bit longer." Make sure to remove the lid or tilt it slightly to let the steam escape.

How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›

The first is to caramelize the vegetables, either in your soup pot or in the oven, to sweeten them and condense their juices. Next, add plenty of aromatics to the pot — herbs, spices, garlic, onions and the like — and let everything simmer for a long time to blend the flavors.

Why does my cauliflower taste horrible? ›

The classic bitter taste of Brassica vegetables is commonly thought to be due to compounds called glucosinolates. When we chew a big mouthful of broccoli or cauliflower these molecules are converted into a chemical called isothiocyanate, which is responsible for the pungent flavor many struggle to overcome.

References

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