This Copycat Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup recipe is everything! It's super creamy, loaded with vegetables, and comes together in just 30 minutes! This quick and easy soup recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners when it's chilly outside!
If you have ever been in to a Cafe Zupas, there's a good chance you've noticed the Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup on the menu. Zupas started in Provo, Utah in 2004, right when I was going to college at BYU. It has since grown tremendously and is famous for their delicious fresh food. I had to recreate this deliciously creamy, cheesy Wisconsin cauliflower soup at home!
The great state of Wisconsin is known as "America's Dairyland" and is particularly known for one of the world's favorite foods: cheese! Wisconsin makes everything from cheese curds and mozzarella to cheddar and Colby. They are the cheese pros!
In my Wisconsin Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe, I added two of my favorite cheeses: cheddar and pepper jack cheese. The white cheddar adds a sharpness to your bowl, while the pepper jack adds just a hint of heat and spice. It is SUPER comforting and filling!
Rich, creamy, cheesy soups are super warming, filling, and comforting! Try our Cheeseburger Soup with Bacon, and if you love going to Panera Bread, you will low our Better-Than-Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup as well!
This Cafe Zupas Wisconsin cauliflower soup recipe is not only loaded with flavor, it has plenty of vegetables too, adding lots of good nutrition. I used a whole head of cauliflower, plus an onion and garlic for extra flavor. Cauliflower is such a neural tasting vegetable, and really just hides behind the sharp cheese, adding bulk to make this copycat Wisconsin cauliflower soup thick and creamy.
Prep takes just 10 minutes (it's super easy) and the soup is ready, start to finish, in half an hour. I can't believe something so flavorful can be whipped up so quickly. This Wisconsin cauliflower cheese soup is great when I'm stuck for time but want to get something filling and healthy on the table. This soup really does the trick!
Copycat Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Ingredients
- Butter: Butter adds flavor and keeps the onions and garlic from sticking when they are sautéeing.
- Onion & garlic: Onion and garlic adds so much flavor to soup!
- Cauliflower: You'll need about 1 large head of cauliflower chopped into small pieces so that it can soften quickly when cooking.
- Flour: Flour takes this one-pot Wisconsin cauliflower soup from thin and watery to thick and creamy!
- Milk: You can use either half-and-half or whole milk. Both will add extra richness and creaminess.
- Chicken broth: We want the soup to be thick, but not too think! Chicken broth makes the consistency perfect while adding some more flavor.
- Mustard: I didn't add much dijon mustard, but it brings out a delicious, peppery aroma.
- Cheese: Two delicious cheeses in this Wisconsin cauliflower soup: white cheddar cheese to give it a sharpness, and pepper jack cheese, for an extra peppery kick!
How to make Wisconsin cauliflower soup
- Melt and sauté. Firstly, melt the butter in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle and whisk. Secondly, sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for 1 minute, whisking to coat the flour. Whisk in the half-and-half, then the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cauliflower and boil. Next, add the cauliflower and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and cooked through.
- Blend! Blend the Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup using either an immersion blender or by transferring part of the soup to a blender with the lid tilted to an angle to allow steam to escape. Work in batches until all of the soup is smooth, then return it to the pot.
- Heat and melt. Heat the soup over medium heat and stir in the dijon mustard and cheeses until melted.
- Garnish and serve! Finally, serve with additional shredded cheese sprinkled on top. Additional toppings like chopped green onions and crumbled bacon are also really good.
How do I store this creamy soup?
Allow any leftovers to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the leftovers in a pot on the stove, and consume within 4 days.
I wouldn't recommend freezing this Wisconsin Cauliflower soup recipe as the dairy can separate and become unappetizing.
What is the best cheese for soup?
When adding cheese to a soup like this copycat Wisconsin cauliflower soup you want the cheese to have a low melting point so that it completely dissolves into the soup. Some good cheeses to use are cheddar, Colby, pepper jack, gouda, provolone, gruyere, and Swiss.
What do I serve with Wisconsin cauliflower soup?
This 30 minute soup recipe is great on it's own, but as a side dish try one of these:
Bread:
- Homemade French Bread
- Roasted Garlic & Rosemary No-Knead Artisan Bread
- Homemade Potato Bread
- Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread
- Soft Garlic Parmesan Homemade Breadsticks
- Sweet Molasses Brown Bread
- Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Soft Homemade Potato Rolls
Salad:
- Broccoli Salad
- Chopped Kale Salad
- Zucchini Salad
- A green salad with Olive Garden Salad Dressing
More cozy soup recipes you will love
- Homemade Tomato Basil Soup
- One Pot Lasagna Soup
- Chicken Avocado Lime Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Chicken Noodle & Dumpling Soup
- Easy Cheesy Taco Soup
- Smoked Salmon Chowder
Soup Recipes
The Best Recipe for White Chicken Chili
Soup Recipes
The BEST Smoked Salmon Chowder with Bacon
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds cauliflower, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 large head of cauliflower)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Optional Toppings
- Chopped green onions
- Crispy crumbled bacon
- Additional cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for 1 minute, whisking to coat the flour. Whisk in the half-and-half, then the chicken broth. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Add the cauliflower and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and cooked through.
- Blend the soup using either an immersion blender or by transferring part of the soup to a blender with the lid tilted to an angle to allow steam to escape. Work in batches until all of the soup is smooth, then return it to the pot.
- Heat the soup over medium heat and stir in the dijon mustard and cheeses until melted.
- Serve with additional shredded cheese sprinkled on top. Additional toppings like chopped green onions and crumbled bacon are also really good.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Butter With a Side of Bread.
Made this a couple times now. Great recipe! If you're looking for more creamy and less spicy then adjust the cheese ratios.
Thank you! I am glad you liked it!
Just about to make this for the second time. The family loved it.
Excellent! I make this one often. Sometimes i will sub broccoli depending on what’s in the fridge.
Yum! This was excellent! My hubby and I both went back more than once 😉. Thank you so much for sharing your excellent recipe.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Have made this one many times. I usually freeze at least half and it freezes and reheats beautifully.
Soups are the best! So glad you enjoy it.
Perfect! Loved the combination of the cauliflower and pepper jack - so tasty!
Great! Glad you liked it!
This is my favorite soup. I LOVE zupas! So glad I found your recipe! It did not disappoint. Even the 3 year old and 1 year old ate it!
Great! We love Zupas too. So glad your family enjoyed it!
Love this recipe and make it all the time. Super easy to flavor to your taste, and who can say no to white cheddar cheese?