Creamy cauliflower, bacon and cheddar keto soup
Silky, low‑carb cauliflower soup spiked with crispy smoked bacon, melted cheddar and double cream — warming, keto-friendly and ready in under an hour.
This is your go-to keto soup when you want something indulgent without the carbs. Roasting the cauliflower gives a deep, almost nutty background note that plays brilliantly with smoky bacon and rich double cream.
It’s quick enough for a weeknight but fancy enough for guests — make it in under an hour and serve with a crisp salad or a handful of toasted seeds for crunch.
Ingredients
- 800 g cauliflower
- 150 g smoked streaky bacon
- 2 leek — white and light green parts only, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil — use 10 ml for roasting and 5 ml for frying
- 800 ml chicken stock — low-salt if possible
- 150 ml double cream
- 50 g cheddar cheese — grated, optional for extra richness
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- sea salt — to taste
- ground black pepper — to taste
Equipment
- baking tray
- hand blender
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Spread the cauliflower on a baking tray, drizzle with 10 ml olive oil, season with sea salt and ground black pepper and roast until golden at the edges, 25 minutes.
While the cauliflower roasts, heat a large saucepan over medium heat with 5 ml olive oil and fry the smoked streaky bacon until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Transfer about two-thirds of the bacon to a plate and keep for garnish; leave the remaining fat in the pan.
Add the unsalted butter to the pan with the reserved bacon fat, then add the sliced leek and crushed garlic cloves. Sweat gently until the leek is soft and translucent, 6 minutes.
Tip the roasted cauliflower into the saucepan, pour in the chicken stock and add the fresh thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to marry the flavours.
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Purée the soup until smooth using a hand blender straight in the pan, or transfer in batches to a blender. Work in short bursts and vent the lid if using a blender.
Return the puréed soup to a gentle heat and stir in the double cream and grated cheddar cheese. Warm through until the cheese has melted and the soup is silky, 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter over the reserved crispy smoked streaky bacon and a sprig of thyme to finish. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Roast the cauliflower until it has some colour — that caramelisation is the flavour backbone. If your oven is small, roast in two trays rather than crowding one.
- If you have a stick (hand) blender, use it in the pan to avoid handling hot liquid. If using a blender, purée in small batches and vent the lid to avoid splashes.
- Make-ahead: cool quickly and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Reheat gently over a low heat and stir in a little extra cream or stock if it’s too thick.
- Freezing: this soup freezes well without the bacon and cheddar — add those after reheating. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
- To reduce carbs further, use 600 g cauliflower and increase cream by 50 ml for richness; flavour will be slightly different but still very good.
Substitutions
smoked streaky bacon → pancetta, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → full-fat cream cheese, same weight (adds tang and slightly thicker texture)
Noticeably differentchicken stock → vegetable stock, same quantity (keeps it vegetarian if you also swap bacon)
Stays closecheddar cheese → omit or use 30 g grated parmesan for a sharper finish
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 534
- Calories
- 20 g
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes — swap the double cream for full-fat coconut cream and omit the cheddar. The flavour will be different (coconut notes) but still rich and keto-friendly.
How do I keep the soup smooth rather than stringy?
Cook the cauliflower until very tender and purée thoroughly — a hand blender gives the smoothest result. Strain through a fine sieve if you want extra silkiness.
Is this suitable for strict keto?
At ~12 g net carbs per serving it fits many ketogenic targets, but adjust cauliflower quantity or increase fat (more cream or butter) if you need fewer carbs.
Can I replace bacon for a vegetarian option?
Yes — omit the bacon and use smoked paprika and a little extra butter or olive oil to add the smoky, fatty notes.
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