A couple of weeks ago I made this Baked Ham with Apricot Cranberry Glaze and had a bunch of ham leftovers that I wanted to use up in some low carb recipes.
Using some of the ham leftovers in a soup recipe was a no-brainer, especially since I had a lovely ham bone ? to turn into a nice stock. I boiled the daylights out of that leftover ham bone until my broth was a hard block of gel when cooled, and then I used it in this delicious keto cauliflower & ham soup.
If you don’t have a ham bone (or any extra time) lying around, you could definitely make this keto cauliflower & ham soup with a store-bought chicken stock, but I’d toss in a couple of drops of liquid smoke to get a similar smoky flavor as a ham bone stock.
Even without the liquid smoke you’ll have nice flavor, but I’m a huge fan of liquid smoke ♨️ in low carb soup and sauce (mmm…BBQ) recipes, so you won’t go wrong if you pick some up. Just remember that a little goes a long way – one or two drops is usually all you need to get an authentic smoky flavor!
This keto cauliflower and ham soup couldn’t be easier to execute! All you need to do is simmer your cauliflower florets (I used frozen which was easy peasy) in the ham stock until tender, blend, then add the leftover ham and a few other ingredients!
I will say that an immersion blender is the easiest way to get the job done – you just plug it in, blend the soup right in the pot, and then wash the attachment. No muss, no fuss.
You can also transfer the contents to a large blender and blend it that way – it’s a little more work but will definitely get the job done!
This keto cauliflower and ham soup is hearty and comforting – it also reheats (even from the freezer) really, really well.
As a side note, I opted to make this low carb cauliflower soup recipe primarily dairy free as well – meaning it’s Whole 30 compliant in case you’re planning to detox in January like so many people do. Simply replace the butter with ghee, bacon fat or coconut oil if you’re avoiding dairy for any reason!
If you aren’t dairy free, then you can add a little heavy cream to this soup to make it even richer and more sumptuous – not that it needs it honestly!
This is the perfect keto cauliflower soup recipe to help whittle off some pounds in January if you overindulged a little – because it’s not only low carb, it also comes in at only 125 calories for a satisfying one and a half cup serving! That’s a win/win if I ever heard of one! ???
KETO CAULIFLOWER & HAM SOUP RECIPE VIDEO ??
Perfect for lunch or dinner, this keto cauliflower and ham soup would be even more amazeballs with one of my low carb Sundried Tomato & Asiago Zucchini Muffins! ????
Creamy Cauliflower & Ham Soup – Low Carb
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Low Carb Soup Recipe
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy and delicious low carb cauliflower soup recipe is a great way to use up leftover ham! It’s also gluten free, dairy free, keto, Paleo, and even Whole 30 compliant!
Ingredients
- 6 cups cauliflower florets (frozen is fine – abut 24 oz)
- 6 cups ham stock or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3 cups chopped ham
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tbsp butter (or ghee, bacon fat, or coconut oil)
- kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the cauliflower, stock, water, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Blend in the pot with an immersion blender (or remove to a large blender and blend in batches then return to the pan) until smooth. Stir in the ham, and thyme leaves and simmer another 10 minutes. Add the butter and apple cider vinegar. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per 1.5 cups: 125 calories, 7g fat, 5g net carbs, 13g protein
Nicole says
Loved this! The ingredients are similar to a recipe I have for navy bean soup, so I decided not to completely puree the cauliflower. This probably sounds weird, but after adding some sharp cheddar to my bowl, I felt like I was eating the bean soup which I totally miss! Will be making this a lot!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I love white bean soups so this is a great idea to try and mimic that texture. I’ll be trying it on my next batch, thanks for sharing!
Katherine Devereaux Beeman says
Does this freeze?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes!
Nikole says
This is one of the most flavorful keto recipes!! I will always have some in my freezer ready to go! Thank you!
★★★★★
Amie Lawler says
This was delicious, hearty and so full of flavor! Hands down one of my favorite soup recipes. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
John Meyer says
One of the tastiest soups I have ever made! I did add the ham bone in and I added a brick of cream cheese to this recipe to make it more creamy. It was outstanding
★★★★★
Britt says
As everyone else has said, this recipe was wonderful! Both my husband, who is doing Keto, and I, who am not, loved this soup. So satisfying! As others have done, I subbed dried thyme for fresh, and I ended up doing 8 cups of stock instead of 6 stock/2 water. I also added 4 Tblsp of butter rather than 2 to up the richness/fillingess quotient. I agree with other reviewers who say this would also be very tasty without the ham, but the ham adds a lovely smokiness to the blend. In any case, it’s a great, versatile soup that we’ll be coming back to again and again, no question!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Britt and thanks for sharing your tweaks too!
Cheri Dunbar says
Yum! I used dried thyme because I didn’t have any fresh, and served it with chives and shredded cheddar cheese. It was really good, thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Lauren says
I decided to make mine in the instant pot (manual 5 minutes with a 10 min natural release) and it turned out amazing. I added a little siracha cause I like my food spicy ;) other than that made as directed and loved it.
Melissa says
Wonderful, quick and easy. And as others have said, made with items typically on hand in low carb kitchen. Will be making a regular appearance in our menu!
★★★★★
Molly says
Not sure about the vinegar comments, I think it’s everything a soup should be! I did add a little extra onion and garlic powder, and a smidge extra of thyme, but overall a fantastic, healthy recipe. Will definitely add to the repertoire!
★★★★★
Cherie Eastham says
So, I just made this soup after wanting to for months. It is not something I would make again. It is bland. I wanted to be wowed, but it’s just not great. I had to add lots more onion powder, garlic and thyme. It is a sweet soup, especially if you are using leftover ham and made ham stock from the leftover bone. To add a kick, I sprinkled my bowl with cayenne pepper. My additions made it palatable. I normally love all the recipes on this site though, so keep them coming!
★★
Kristina Crupi says
Not sure what purpose the vinegar serves, I feel like the soup tasted better without, so next time I’d add less overall a pretty good and comforting soup
Wright says
Outstanding! I did the cream and added some shredded cheddar. Who knew cauliflower could be so versatile?
Alan Sparks says
I have a request. whenever i use a head of cauliflower, I always collect as much of the stem pieces as possible. by removing the stringy bark they are a perfect sub for diced potatoes. I use them for potato salad and hash. My request is for you to develop a cauli-potato Clam chowder that fits with my Keto diet.
Ann Davis-Rowe says
Have made this every time we have leftover ham and just love how it feels so rich – but so much better for you!
★★★★★
Patti says
5* rating is my sister’s call…I’m making it today. She lives in Japan and emailed the recipe to me last night. I’m laughing because yesterday I made your blueberry cheese danish & took the Double Dog Dare ??…another winner!!! So I told her to try THAT one! Love the addition of vinegar and she also added some fresh dill ( we are of Slavic descent, so right up our alley…on the docket for supper!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I love that you guys are both trying the recipes from opposite ends of the world! Glad you’re enjoying them!!!
Line says
Your recipes are great. I will definitely try this one. I made your devil ham salad it’s very good. I purchased your book it is great.
Cici says
Sometimes I make a ham just so I can make this soup! I see some people confused about the use of vinegar in this recipe-it just brightens the flavors and is not an unusual ingredient. I can’t imagine this soup would be quite as good without the ham stock. In my opinion, the ham stock really makes this soup special. Thanks Melissa for a great recipe!