When it’s cold, a hot vegetable soup is always a pleasure: it comforts, warms and, above all, easily solves the meal. So today I propose my cauliflower and apple cream. I had already experimented with the apple pairing in a pumpkin and apple velouté and in a vegetable and apple velouté that I liked a lot, so I decided to try it again here, working on a more delicate balance. In this recipe the apple is not obvious as a separate ingredient, but it accompanies the cauliflower making the cream softer and more harmonious, while the potato is only there to give structure without weighing it down. The result is a smooth, light and elegant cream perfect for autumn and winter evenings. If you like this recipe, save it and tell me if you personalized it, perhaps adding a crunchy topping or a flavored oil. I loved it this way! Simple and delicate.
Other cream recipes you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for the cauliflower and apple cream
- 13 oz cauliflower (weight after trimming)
- 7 oz potatoes (weight after trimming)
- 1 shallot
- 1 Golden Delicious apple
- vegetable broth (about 2 to 2½ cups)
- 1 small bunch parsley
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Tools
- 1 Saucepan with lid
- 1 Immersion blender
- 1 Pan small
Preparation of the cauliflower and apple cream
Wash the cauliflower florets and cut them into irregular pieces about 2–3 cm in size (about 3/4–1¼ inches). Here’s a nicely blurred photo!
Peel the potato and cut it into pieces the same size as the cauliflower. This way the vegetables will cook evenly.
Peel the apple and cut it in half: cut 80 g (about 3 oz) of flesh into chunks to be used in the cream, then dice another 80 g (about 3 oz) into small, regular cubes and set them aside for the final garnish.
Peel the shallot and chop it finely. I used a manual cord-pull chopper that I find really convenient. If you want to buy it you can find it by clicking HERE.
In a saucepan heat about 20 ml of oil (about 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) before adding the shallot. Let it sizzle for a moment without coloring it, then add the pieces of cauliflower, potato and apple.
Season with a pinch of salt, stir and sauté over medium heat for one minute; then cover with boiling broth.
Put on the lid, lower the heat and continue cooking for 18–20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the lid during the last two minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, quickly sauté the apple dice in a small pan with about 5 ml of oil (about 1 tsp) and a pinch of salt. They should not fall apart but just soften a bit and become glossy. Remove them from the pan and set aside. We’ll use them to garnish the plates at the end.
When the vegetables are cooked, before blending them, remove one ladle of the cooking liquid and set it aside. It’s a small trick that lets you better control the consistency of the cream. After blending you can add more if needed, while it would be much harder to do the opposite.
Blend with an immersion blender until you obtain a smooth cream, free of lumps.
Divide the cauliflower and apple cream into individual bowls, garnish with the reserved apple dice and finally sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper and finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately, hot. Enjoy! Paola.
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