Curried Cauliflower Soup with Apples
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Cozy, a little sweet, a little spicy—this curried cauliflower soup is basically autumn in a bowl.
One of the things I love about cauliflower is that it’s essentially a blank slate, ready to take on whatever flavors you pair it with. In this curried cauliflower soup recipe, the mild nuttiness of the cauliflower, the tart-sweetness of the apples, and the aromatic heat of the curry come together in a silky, savory-sweet soup that feels both comforting and a little unexpected. Best of all, it’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough to serve guests. And if you’re in the mood to keep the soup pot going, check out a roundup of my other favorite fall soups.
“OMG. This is delicious…Fortunately for me, my husband doesn’t eat cauliflower so I don’t have to share.”
What you’ll need to make Curried cauliflower soup With Apples
- Olive oil, yellow onion & garlic cloves: These are the aromatics that get sautéed first, building a savory base for the soup. The olive oil helps everything soften and release flavor.
- Curry powder, cinnamon, salt & black pepper: These spices provide the bulk of the soup’s warm flavor. Curry powder adds warmth and spice to both the soup and the curried apple garnish, tying everything together. Cinnamon brings a subtle sweetness, while salt and pepper keep all the flavors balanced.
- Cauliflower: The base of the soup that becomes ultra-creamy once blended. You’ll need one head cauliflower cut into small florets.
- Apple & Honey: The apple adds a touch of natural sweetness and brightness that keeps the flavor from feeling too heavy, while a drizzle of honey rounds out the flavors with gentle sweetness.
- Chicken broth: Provides the liquid base that carries the vegetables and spices while adding depth of flavor.
- Heavy cream: Gives the soup its silky, luxurious finish. The recipe only calls for ⅓ cup, which is way less than most cream soups. It may be tempting to omit it, but I highly recommend it—it mellows the spices and makes the soup silky.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Start the base. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, then add the onions and garlic. Cook gently until soft, about 4 minutes, then stir in the curry powder and cinnamon and cook until fragrant.
Step 2. Simmer the cauliflower and apple: Add the cauliflower, apples, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the cauliflower is tender.
Step 3. Purée the soup. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and creamy (or use a standard blender in batches). Tip the pot slightly when using an immersion blender to minimize splatters.
Pro Tip: If using a standard blender, always remove the center knob from the lid and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel before blending hot soup—this lets the steam escape.
Step 4. Add the honey and cream. And blend again until incorporated.
Step 5. Make the garnish and serve. Toss diced apple with a little curry powder. Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon the curried apples over top.
Pro Tip: For an extra layer of texture on top, pair the apples with toasted pepitas, homemade croutons, or pomegranate seeds.
More Cozy, Comforting Soups for Fall and Beyond
Curried Cauliflower Soup with Apples
Silky and spiced just right, this cauliflower soup is finished with chopped apples for brightness and crunch.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 head cauliflower (2½ to 3 pounds), cut into small florets
- 1 tart yet sweet apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, peeled and roughly chopped
- 6 cups (48 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons honey, plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
For Curried Apples Garnish
- 1 tart yet sweet apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, peeled and finely diced
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon curry powder
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the curry powder and cinnamon and cook a few minutes more.
- Add the cauliflower, apple, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
- Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches; see note.) Stir in the honey and heavy cream. Bring the soup to a simmer, and then taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more honey. (For a sweeter soup, you'll need 2-3 tablespoons more honey). Keep the soup warm while you prepare the garnish.
- For the garnish, toss the diced apples with the curry powder. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a spoonful of curried apples.
- Note: If using a standard blender to purée the soup: be sure not to fill the jar more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape; and pour blended soup into a clean pot.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 201
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 329 mg
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is a great soup.
I used veggie broth instead. I also used 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream and white pepper instead of black.
One of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants here in New York offered his version of this soup. I was hesitant to order it one night because, while I like the taste of curry, I don’t care for too much heat. Well, his recipe was just right so I gave this one a shot. Both soups are perfectly delicious and now I have a recipe to match the one in the restaurant!
Amazing. I couldn’t believe it. The only thing I did differently was exchange the black pepper for a pinch of cayenne. Love it. I’m totally amazed. This is my second recipe attempt from your site. Last night we had the white chicken chili. Thanks for being consistently awesome.
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
I made this yesterday and it was absolutely delicious, although I added a bit of cumin to add more flavor and used creme fraiche instead of heavy cream. I’d like to make this for Thanksgiving. Is this something I can make ahead and freeze, without the garnish of course!
Hi Janet, Glad you enjoyed! It’s perfectly fine to make ahead and freeze, but it’s best not to add the cream/creme fraiche until right before serving.
Could I use some creme fraiche instead of heavy cream? I happen to have it my fridge.
Hi Janet, Yes that should work fine.
Might try a dash of cayenne as well!
Delicious; I made two very different pots of soup this evening figuring this one was mine, for my husband doesn’t like cauliflower. Guess what, hubby loves this, as do I. This recipe, as is, is a keeper in our house. I made no additions or subtractions. Thank you very much.
I’m making this for high holy days this week and want to make it in the morning – should I just omit the cream and add it before serving? Any suggestions for prepping this the morning of?
Hi Michelle, You can make the recipe to completion, including the cream, as long as you’re not planning on freezing it. It’s absolutely fine to make the morning of, or even a day or two before. Happy New Year 🙂
I made this last night. It turned out great. I also made some roasted curry chickpeas to go with the soup. Wonderful!
Love that idea, Laura. I will definitely try that 🙂
So yummy. Curry, what’s not to love ?
Also try combining parsnip, apple and curry for a lovely soup with a different flavor. One of my families favorites!