A super tasty Keto Cauliflower & Ham Soup that is so comforting and delicious–but also dairy free, Whole30 and Squeaky Clean Keto compliant, and has only 125 calories and 13g protein per 1.5 cup serving! What more can you ask for out of a healthy low carb ham soup?!
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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 keto ham soup 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 & 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 cauliflower 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, leaving you with a silky and delicious cauliflower and ham soup!
This keto cauliflower & 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 Whole30 and Squeaky Clean Keto compliant. You can also replace the butter with bacon fat or coconut oil if you’re strictly avoiding ALL dairy for any reason!
If you aren’t dairy free, then you can add a little heavy cream to this keto cauliflower and ham soup to make it even richer and more sumptuous – not that it needs it honestly!
This is the perfect keto cauliflower & ham soup recipe to help whittle off some pounds if you’ve 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!
Perfect for lunch or dinner, this keto cauliflower and ham soup would be even more amazing with one of my low carb Sundried Tomato & Asiago Zucchini Muffins!
keto Cauliflower & Ham Soup – Low Carb
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This keto cauliflower & ham soup recipe is a great way to use up leftover ham! It’s also gluten free, dairy free, squeaky clean 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 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 cups chopped ham
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tablespoons 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.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: keto soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 125
- Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 5g net
- Protein: 13g
Dianne says
How is this a “cheesy broth” when there is no cheese in it????
Direct quote from your ad – Ham and Cauliflower Chowder | I Breathe I’m Hungry – Chunks of smoky ham, creamy cauliflower, and a cheesy broth
Mellissa Sevigny says
Not sure where you saw an ad for this, but it definitely shouldn’t say cheesy! If you tell me where you found that I can fix it, thanks!
Cathy Bock says
I love this soup. I did make 2 small changes. I omitted the water and used more broth (homemade chicken bone broth) and since I didn’t have fresh thyme, used dried (1 tsp. dried). I did use apple cider vinegar and think is is important to this recipe.
I am making it again today and will cook a bit of extra cauliflower and reserve some ot add back into the soup for a more ‘chunky’ soup (personal preference).
Thank you for this recipe – it is a keeper!!!
Joyce K says
OH. EMM. GEE!!! This soup is AMAZING! So easy to make and the taste is spot-on! If I didn’t know there weren’t beans in it I wouldn’t know. Such great flavor and wonderful on a chilly winter day – or any day! This will be on frequent rotation for sure.
Gail Snyder says
I love that your Facebook postings have a link directly to your website. No searching through the comments!
Kris says
Amazing soup!! So flavorful. The thyme is a perfect ingredient for this soup. I topped mine with some cheddar cheese and really enjoyed it!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Kris, I’m so happy you enjoyed it and I love the cheddar cheese idea!
Laurie says
I was surprised with all the comments saying it tasted like ham and beans…but tried it anyway. It was very close, I gotta admit! And I used chicken broth and skipped the ACV (some of the comments scared me away). Will def make again. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Soup is thin and brothy, it’s not a stew or a chowder – sorry it didn’t meet your expectations.
Sheila Hudson says
Holy buckets this is awesome! I took the suggestions of other reviews and omitted the apple cider vinegar, added a splash of heavy cream and used 4 cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of vegetable stock. This will be a regular in the rotation. Happy and Healthy New Year!