Cauliflower Apple Soup with Celery Root That'll Warm Your Soul

This cauliflower apple soup is one of my absolute favorite meals. I don’t care how hot it is, I crave it year round.

And it works any season too. The celery root and apple screams fall. Yet, the zippiness from the vinegar make it feel light and fresh. Plus cauliflower is good year round. So no matter what time of year it is, this soup will fit the bill.

If you love soup, you’re going to love this cauliflower apple soup! In addition to the recipe, I break down what it tastes like and provide ideas for substitutions. There are also ideas for other dishes to serve alongside it for a complete meal.

Cauliflower Apple Soup

This cauliflower apple soup was inspired by my CSA. My fridge was overflowing and I knew some of it would go bad if creativity didn’t save the day. Soups allow you to use a lot of ingredients, so I started playing around.

I know celery root and apple is a classic fall pairing, but I also had a sad looking cauliflower. So I roasted it up, threw it in, and was pleased with the outcome. However, it was two note with the earthy root vegetables and sweet apple.

That’s where the Greek yogurt and vinegar game in. Both add a nice zip to bring this cauliflower apple soup with celery root over the top. And those leftover roasted pumpkin seeds from Halloween? Boom, they went on top and added some much-needed crunch.

Hungry yet? Let’s get started. Here’s everything you need to know about this soup recipe before making it.

What it tastes like

I love how this cauliflower apple soup has subtle sweet and sour notes playing against each other. At first it’s earthy thanks to the cauliflower, celery root, and thyme. Then you start tasting the sweetness of the apples and acid from the apple cider vinegar.

You can make this soup any thickness because you control the immersion blender! I like to keep mine a touch thick, but you can immerse the hell out of it to make it extra smooth. Just add more milk if you’re not getting the viscosity you want.

Lastly, don’t skip the pumpkin seeds. The pepitas absolutely make this cauliflower and apple soup recipe. They add this crunchy texture that goes perfectly with the thick, soul loving soup. I highly recommend you stock your pantry with pepitas, so hopefully you already have them on hand!

Subsitutions

This cauliflower apple soup with celery root is pretty flexible. Here are some ideas based on changed you may want to make:

Sub stock for water. If you don’t have any chicken or vegetable stock on hand, you can use water instead. Just make sure to use the same number of cups water as it calls for stock in the recipe.
Add sweetness without apples. If you’re allergic to apples or don’t have any, you can try subbing sweet potato instead to add that signature sweetness this soup is known for. However, you’ll need to adjust the liquids to make it your desired consistency, as apples have more water than sweet potatoes.
Use fresh herbs. Have leftover fresh thyme you’re trying to get rid of? Sub double the amount of dried thyme.
Make it spicy. Like some heat? Add some red pepper flakes!
Swap garnishes. I like to serve this with cilantro and pepitas, but you can use whatever garnish you have on hand. Don’t have cilantro or parsley? Use celery leaves instead! Want some zing? Serve this with lemon wedges. Whatever you dream up will likely work on this soup!

Cauliflower and apple soup recipe

Serves 4 | active: 25 min | total: 55 min

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small leek, halved and sliced
1 small – medium celery root, peeled and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 small apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (I use pink ladies, but any work!)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, chopped
1.5 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (white distilled vinegar is ok too!)
4 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock works too!)
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Fresh nutmeg, salt, and pepper to season
Parsley or cilantro for garnish
Roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Sea salt for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread cauliflower florets out on a cookie sheet and toss with 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil so that all the florets are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for 25 minutes until golden and deeply browned in some areas. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil and butter to a large pot and turn the stove onto medium high heat (or just heat to medium if your stove runs hot). Make sure you melt butter, then add the onion and leek. Sauté until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper halfway through the cooking process.
Add chopped celery root and cook until slightly browned and soft, stirring occasionally, 8-15 minutes.
Put the garlic in the pot and cook stirring until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the chopped apples and thyme, stir and cook until apples are soft, 5-8 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, vinegar, and chicken stock (or vegetable broth if using) to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the celery root is soft.
Remove soup from the heat. With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add milk and Greek yogurt, stirring and pureeing to mix it in. Feel free to add more to get a thinner consistency.
Sprinkle with salt, fresh nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh parsley or cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds, and sea salt. You can also serve with lemon wedges so people can finish the dish with some lemon juice. Enjoy!