This Carb Creamy Ham and Cauliflower Soup will come together in under an hour using the Instant Pot, making it a delicious healthy soup great for any meal. It is chocked full of tender cauliflower, celery, onions, and hearty chunks of ham all in a rich a d creamy broth.

Does Cauliflower Taste Just Like Potatoes?

My Creamy Ham and Cauliflower Soup are delicious, hearty, and thick. Which by my standards makes it the ultimate bowl of yummy goodness on all these super cold nights.

Not only will your family enjoy this soup, but you’ll be amazed at how simple it is in the Instant Pot. 

Sure I love the flavors, but my favorite part is that I can have this yummy soup on our dinner table super quickly and it only uses only basic ingredients that can be found at any grocery store.

It is the perfect swap out for traditional potato soup!

I have always loved potato soup and always remember my mom making the best while I was growing up, but when I started trying to eat low-carb a few years back that soup became one I needed to avoid since a single bowl of potato soup would have around 32 grams of carb per bowl.

So I’ve learned through the years how to swap out other veggies for the potatoes to create this yummy soup.

Anyone that follows a lower-carb lifestyle, won’t be surprised that cauliflower is the star of this recipe. It is the most common veggie that is used in recipes to mimic white potatoes.

You may be wondering, will cauliflower taste the exact same as potatoes? Will I be able to fool everyone at the table into thinking there are potatoes in their bowl?

Well, the answer to those questions is simple, no.  I’d be lying if I said cauliflower tastes 100% like potatoes, but I believe cauliflower is definitely a close fit.

It has a mild flavor that will soak up all the other flavors in the soup as potatoes do and the text does remind me of potato if it isn’t overcooked. 

So with the right ingredients, it can taste pretty close to potatoes when used in your favorite dishes.

When I made this cauliflower soup to replace that creamy potato soup I fell instantly in love with it. This recipe has also become one of my readers’ favorites.

Every soup season, I get tons of messages about this soup and how it is one of their favorites.  

How Do You Make Creamy Cauliflower and Ham Soup in The Instant Pot?

In the past, I have always prepared my Creamy Ham and Cauliflower Soup on the stovetop. It is simple enough to do and the soup can be ready in under an hour or so. 

But ever since I joined in all the Instant Pot fun a couple of years back I’ve started making this soup in my Instant Pot. It worked out perfectly too, so yay!

I love making it in the Instant Pot early in the morning and letting it cook, then I can simply let dinner set on warm until we are ready to eat it.

So the Instant Pot is my favorite way to make this soup.

Here’s The Ingredients You’ll Need.

• large head of cauliflower
• celery and onion
• chicken or ham broth
• cubed ham
• cream cheese
• heavy whipping cream
• spices: garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper
• Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions

Once you’ve shopped for and gathered your ingredients in the kitchen you’re ready to through this soup together. Here are the steps to making this Creamy Ham and Cauliflower Soup in the Instant Pot. 

• Prepare the Instant Pot: Turn the Instant Pot on Saute and add the oil or butter to the bottom of the pot.
• Veggies: When the oil is hot add in the chopped celery and onions. You’ll just want to saute them a little before adding in the rest of the ingredients. They don’t have to be extremely tender because the press will cook them along with the cauliflower. I mostly do this because I like that the sauteing process brings out more of the flavors. 
• Adding The Rest of The Ingredients: Add the large head of cauliflower, you may have to cut it in half to get it to fit,  the chicken broth, and the cubed ham into the Instant Pot. Note: If you don’t have a fresh head of cauliflower, you can use a few bags of florets from the product or even some bags of frozen florets. I like to use a large head of cauliflower and remove the leaves and the core.
• Add in  The Seasonings: I like to use spices like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. But others that are yummy in this soup are thyme and parsley.
• Start The Instant Pot: When you are ready to cook the soup, place the lid onto the pressure cooker, turn the steam valve to seal so it can build up pressure, and press the Manual Button on the cooker. Set it for 4 minutes. Yes, that is all, super quick right?
• The Cooking Process: The Instant Pot will begin to build up steam and once that has happed the timer will appear and start to count down the 4 minutes of cooking time. Once the 4 minutes of cook time has finished, carefully turn the steam valve to the open position for a quick release. 
• Adding Finishing Touches To The Soup: After all of the pressure has been released, you’ll need to open the Instant Pot lid slowly avoiding all the hot steam that will escape. To finish this soup and make it ultra-creamy like those traditional potatoes soups we’re trying to mimic, we’ll stir in the cream cheese until it is melted and  1/2 to 3/4 cup of the delicious and luscious heavy whipping cream. That is all it takes to complete this amazing soup. 
• Keep Warm: Set the Instant Pot to warm and this will hold the soup at the perfect temperature until you are ready to serve it to your family. 

Do I Have To Make This Soup In The Instant Pot?

My Creamy Ham and Cauliflower Soup turned out great in the Instant Pot but it is also easy to do on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.

I am confident when I say that this recipe is one of the easiest recipes to make any way you choose. 

I’ll share the steps of making this soup on both the stovetop and slow cooker below in case that is your go-to choice for soups. Both are easy and turn out just as delicious. 

Stove Top: If you wanted to make this soup on the stovetop, start with a medium-sized soup pot. Next, add the oil to the bottom of the pot and saute the onions and celery.

When using the stovetop, I suggest cutting the cauliflower up more into florets before you add them to the onions and celery.

Next add in all the other ingredients, reserving the cream cheese and heavy cream until the end when you are ready to finish and serve.

Once the soup is cooked and you are ready to serve it, just stir in the cream cheese and cream then serve.

Slow Cooker: To use your slow cooker, all you need to do is to add all of the ingredients, except the heavy cream and cream cheese, to the slow cooker.

Pour in chicken broth and cover with the slow cooker lid. This soup will work on low for 4-6 hours or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.

Once the soup is down, I recommend blending the cream cheese and whipping cream together until smooth then add it to the slow cooker. Stir well and serve when ready. 

How do you like to make your soups? Do you enjoy cooking them in the Instant Pot or would you call yourself more of a slow cooker kind of person?

I would love to hear from you if you try this soup and which cooking mether you chose to go with.

So drop me a comment below! Oh, and if you’ve made this soup and enjoyed it please be sure to rate the recipe so it will let others know what you thought of it!

Yield: 10 Servings

Creamy Ham and Cauliflower Soup || Instant Pot

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A creamy cauliflower and ham soup that works well as a low-carb replacement for potato soups. It is hearty, creamy, and delicious.

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil
• 3 small stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 large head cauliflower or 3 bags of frozen
• 8 cups chicken stock, low sodium
• 8 ounces of cubed ham
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream

Instructions

1. Turn the Instant Pot on Saute and add the oil or butter to the pan.
   Toss in the chopped celery and onions and saute until slightly tender.
2. Add the fresh cauliflower, chicken broth, and ham to the Instant Pot and sprinkle in the spices. Note: I used a large head of cauliflower and removed the leaves and the core. Next, I just cut the head in half and placed it in my pot.
3. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the steam valve to seal and turn the Instant Pot on Manual for 4 minutes.
4. The Instant Pot will begin building up pressure and once it has reached full pressure it will begin the 4-minute count down.
5. Once the 4 minutes of cook time has finished turn the steam valve carefully to release. This will release the pressure quickly.
6. After all the pressure has been release carefully open the Instant Pot and stir in the cream cheese and heavy cream and serve.
7. Optional Toppings: chopped green onions, shredded cheese, or more cubed ham.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1 bowl
Amount Per ServingCalories 110Total Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gCarbohydrates 7gNet Carbohydrates 4gFiber 3gProtein 6.9g

I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.

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Keri Bucci

I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!