Bacon Cauliflower Chowder is gluten-free and keto-friendly and loaded with salty bacon, cream cheese, cauliflower, and seasoning for a delicious chowder recipe you’ll want to make again and again!
Even if you’re not on a keto meal plan, this chowder is delicious and super easy to make! You might also enjoy my Corn Chowder recipe too!
Whether you eat low-carb or not, this Keto Chowder is a healthier chowder that’s loaded with cauliflower instead of cream. It’ll satiate your family’s comfort food cravings on a chilly day, and they won’t even realize they’re eating veggies!
The big difference between Cauliflower Soup and chowder is that the soup is a thick and smooth dish where this has hearty chunks in it.
Ingredients In Cauliflower Chowder
- grass-fed butter
- garlic cloves
- bone broth (you can use regular chicken broth too)
- water
- head of cauliflower
- ground black pepper
- Old Bay Seasoning
- dried oregano
- kosher salt
- cream cheese
- bacon
- bacon drippings
How To Make Bacon Cauliflower Chowder:
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and then add in the garlic, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
- Add in the bone broth and water and bring to a boil.
- Cut up the cauliflower into small florets and add it to the pot.
- Add the spices and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the cauliflower is tender, remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend up about half of the florets in the pot. You want the mixture to be chunky yet start to look creamy.
- Add the pot back to heat and add in the cream cheese, chopped bacon, and bacon grease. Stir frequently until cream cheese has fully melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with additional crumbles bacon and a drizzle of olive oil. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an air-tight container.
Is Cauliflower Chowder Gluten-Free?
Yes, you can easily prepare this Cauliflower Chowder recipe for those with gluten allergies or sensitivities. Just make sure the ingredients you use are certified gluten-free, and anyone who avoids gluten can enjoy this soup.
How To Garnish Bacon Cauliflower Chowder:
You can get creative with yummy toppings and pairings, especially if you don’t have any dietary restrictions. Set out a bunch of bowls with different garnishes and everyone can dress up their chowder exactly as they please!
Topping Ideas:
- Bacon crumbles (of course!)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Green onions or chives
- Sour cream
- Croutons
Roast Cauliflower For Extra Flavor
If you’re looking to add more layer of flavor to the dish, try roasting the cauliflower before adding it to the pot. You’ll love the creamy roasted cauliflower chowder, but it does require an extra step!
How To Roast Cauliflower: Simply spread the cauliflower florets out on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees F. Reduce the cook time in step 4 by half, if you do this.
How To Reheat:
You can reheat this chowder either in the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring between each one until the desired temperature is reached. You can also add it to a small saucepan to reheat on the stove.
Sometimes, once cooled, the chowder can thicken. I recommend adding a small splash of bone broth to cold chowder before heating it up to help the consistency.
Pairing Options:
Other Veggie Soup Recipes:
Many veggie-based soups are cost effective, easy to make, and packed with nutrition. If you love Bacon Cauliflower Chowder, try these other cozy soup recipes, too!
- Lentil Soup – A classic, and you only need one pot!
- French Onion Soup – This pairs perfectly with your favorite sandwich.
- Sweet Potato Soup – A festive first course or side during the holidays and all winter long.
Cauliflower Chowder
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Bacon Cauliflower Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter1
- 5 garlic cloves2
- 1½ cups chicken bone broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 head of cauliflower3 cut into florets
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 4 slices bacon + drippings4 cooked and chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and then add in the garlic, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
- Add in the bone broth and water and bring to a boil.Cut up the cauliflower into small florets and add it to the pot.
- Add the spices and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- Once the cauliflower is tender, remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend up about half of the florets in the pot. You want the mixture to be chunky yet start to look creamy.
- Add the pot back to heat and add in the cream cheese, chopped bacon, and bacon grease. Stir frequently until cream cheese has fully melted.
- Ladle into bowls and top with additional crumbles bacon and a drizzle of olive oil. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an air-tight container.
Notes
- If you are not following a keto diet, you can use regular butter.
- You can also use 1 1/2 tablespoons of chunky garlic from a squeeze tube.
- If you’re looking to add more layer of flavor to the dish, try roasting the cauliflower before adding it to the pot. Simply spread the cauliflower florets out on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees F. Reduce the cook time in step #4 by half, if you do this.
- I like to make my bacon in a pan for recipes like this because it makes it crispy and I can easily reserve the bacon fat. If you are making a large batch of bacon, reserve about 2 to 3 tablespoons for this recipe.
- If you’re not following a keto diet you can also add half of diced white onion in with the butter and garlic for a lovely flavor addition.
Nutrition
This recipe was adapted from My Food Story.
Keira says
This looks amazing!!
Rebecca Hubbell says
I would use mascarpone cheese as a substitute.
Martha says
Hello! This recipe sounds wonderful, and I am following the keto diet, however I’m not a fan of cream cheese… Is there a substitute I could use in place of the cream cheese that’s keto friendly? Perhaps sour cream?
Misty says
OMG I am so stoked to try this!
Judy Gogan says
This soup was soooo delicious and easy to make. I was unsure of adding the bacon drippings but it turned out great. I will definitely make this again.
Camille says
I’ve made this twice–both times adding lobster tail meat for a lobster chowder. Delicious! The 2nd time I used marscapone instead of cream cheese, then thickened it with xanthan gum. Hearty and thick, like potato-based chowder. Thanks!
Rebecca Hubbell says
4 cups should work. You probably won’t want to use an immersion blender if you use rice cauliflower because it will really smooth it out and make it less chowdery.
tulips says
Will love to try it. I dont have a whole cauliflower, could I used riced frozen cauliflower? How many cups do think ? Thanks a million 🙂