Instant Pot Low-Carb Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, chopped small
• 2 T butter or olive oil
• 1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and coarsely chopped.
• 3 cups chicken stock, plus a little more to thin soup if needed
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup half and half
• Extra grated sharp cheddar or extra sharp cheddar cheese, optional
• Sour cream, optional
• 8-10 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled, optional
• Thinly sliced green onions, optional

Directions

1. Peel the onion, then cut it into small bits. Trim off the cauliflower leaves and part of the stem, leaving the core, and chop the cauliflower roughly. Set the Instant Pot or pressure cooker to SAUTE, melt the butter, and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower, chicken stock, garlic powder, and salt. Secure the lid, choose the MANUAL setting, and cook at HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes. Release the pressure right away.
2. As the soup is cooking, get the cream cheese cut into cubes, grate the sharp cheddar, and measure the half and half. If using toppings, cook the bacon until crisp and crumble it, put the sour cream and extra grated cheese into serving dishes, and slice the green onions.
3. Make sure the cauliflower is extremely soft, then switch the Instant Pot to KEEP WARM. For another pressure cooker, use simmer or low. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, blender, or food processor. An immersion blender lets you blend right in the pressure cooker; if you transfer the soup, be careful with the hot liquid.
4. Look at the consistency and adjust it as needed: splash in more stock for a looser soup, or let it simmer briefly if you want it thicker. Add the grated cheese and the cream cheese cubes, allow them to soften and melt, then stir until the soup is smooth. Pour in the half and half, or use heavy cream or milk, warm it through, and finish with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Taste before adding more salt. Serve hot, with grated cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onion for adding at the table.
5. For the stovetop version, prep the ingredients the same way, but use 3 1/2 cups chicken stock. Choose a heavy dutch-oven type pan large enough to hold everything.
6. Warm the butter or oil in the dutch oven, add the onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped cauliflower, chicken stock, garlic powder, and salt.
7. Bring the pot to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer until the cauliflower is completely tender, probably 20-30 minutes.
8. Puree the soup using the same method described above, then decide whether the liquid level looks right. If the soup is thicker than you like, add a little more stock; if it looks too loose, cook it a bit longer so some liquid can evaporate.
9. Reduce the heat to low. Add the grated cheese and cream cheese cubes, let them melt, and stir until combined. Add the half and half, or heavy cream or milk, heat the soup through, and season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Taste before salting again. Serve hot, with grated cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onion to pass at the table.