Celery soup is easy to make using this simple recipe, with minimal ingredients and little hands on time. Even if you do not like raw celery give this a try. Cooking transforms the celery into something really rather delicious!
Celery soup recipe
Celery soup is a truly traditional dish that has become rather unloved, which is a shame as it is both delicious and easy to make, with minimal ingredients and effort.
See also
- Braised celery, a light and delicious side vegetable dish
- For a dinner party worth twist try cream of celery soup
- For gadget fans, soup maker celery soup is blissfully easy to make
Celery can divide people. I do not like raw celery and can still remember it in the lunchtime salads at my primary school. I used to hide it in the equally unattractive instant mashed potato to avoid eating it.
But cooked celery is something really rather different. It is part of soffritto or mirepoix vegetable base used in top kitchens world over, where it is the base of so many classic dishes.
Once cooked the flavour and fibrous texture of raw celery disappears, leaving a meltingly soft vegetable full of complex, subtle flavours, and a head of celery is a regular in my grocery basket, as it gets added to so many soups, sauces and stews.
These days, I could easily make enough braised celery for two and eat the whole pot, and the same goes for this fabulous celery soup recipe, which is very, very nice indeed.
I digress, however! The point is that cooked celery is delicious and this soup is a treat.
I’ve added potato to add some substance and to make the soup creamy without adding cream, and a pinch of celery salt for some extra umami flavour.
Why make celery soup
- a super easy recipe with minimal everyday ingredients
- satisfying but relatively low in calories
- Perfect for bulk cooking as it can be frozen
- Packed with complex flavours that even the raw celery haters may well love.
Celery soup ingredients
- Celery – choose a head of celery that has some tender leaves, as these make a great garnish
- Potato – to thicken, giving a creamy texture. Use one or two small potatoes, about two thirds the weight of the celery.
- Garlic
- Stock – vegetable or chicken
- Olive oil – I always use extra virgin
- Celery salt – celery salt is salt mixed with ground celery seed. It gives an extra burst of flavour to the soup, though if you can’t find any, you can just add a little salt.
How to make celery soup – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this celery soup recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Prepare the ingredients
Celery – trim and removing any thick fibres before cutting into 2” lengths. You need to cut it quite short or any remaining fibres will wrap themselves round the blade of your blender. Reserve some of the leaves for garnish. You can use the root end. Don’t throw it away, as it has plenty of flavour.
Helen’s Pro Tip
If the celery is older, with more strings, then de-string before chopping. Younger celery can simply be chopped. Even short pieces of tough string can wind themselves round the blades as they blend.
Garlic – Peel and chop
Potato – dice – as long as the skins are thin and in good condition, you do not need to peel.
Step Two – Heat the oil in the pan and sauté the potato and celery. Add the garlic about half way through.
Step Three – Now add the stock cube and celery salt, and top up with water so that the vegetables are not quite covered. Put the lid on and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Helen Pro Tip
I try to add less liquid than I think I will need, as it is best to err on the side of caution. You can add more later but not take it away.
Step Four – Check to see that the potato is cooked through. It should be soft and yielding when poked with a knife.
Step Five – Remove from the heat and blend until smooth and velvety. By far the best way to do this is with a simple stick blender.
Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
A cheap stick/immersion blender is the simplest and best way to blend soup. I have had mine for years.
If you must use a jug blender with hot soup, never use the central bung. As you blend, it will generate steam which can blow the lid off and send scalding soup everywhere.
Instead, cover with a folded piece of kitchen paper, then a tea towel over the top. Lift from time to time between each blend to allow the steam to escape.
Serving suggestion
Serve hot, garnished with celery leaves, with your favourite homemade bread or savoury scones.
This celery soup is quite light in colour and a garnish of fresh celery leaves or herbs has great visual impact.
Variations
- Crumble a little Stilton or other blue cheese on top to serve.
- Add your favourite herbs, such as thyme or lovage.
- Add a generous handful of baby spinach before blending.
- Swirl with a little cream.
Storage
This celery soup recipe will serve four as a meal with some hearty bread, or six as a starter, so if you are making it for one or two, you will have a second serving for tomorrow or to freeze for later.
Fridge – Once cool, cover and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three days. Reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
Freezer – Transfer the cooled soup to airtight containers and freeze your leek and potato soup for up to three months. See notes on adding milk and cream in hints and tips below.
Reheating – Defrost your soup in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug as you can lift it out one handed and pour it out easily.
Hints and tips
- You don’t need to chop vegetables too carefully when making a blended soup but it does help to cut the celery quite small. Otherwise longer fibrous strands can survive in the soup and then get caught around the blender.
- Do be careful if you choose to use a jug blender and don’t use the bung. Instead, cover with a folded piece of kitchen paper, then a tea towel over the top.
FAQs
Lovage will intensify the celery flavours, while thyme brings an earthy balancing note. You could also try cool, fresh dill.
Celery salt is salt flavoured with ground celery seed. It is used as a flavouring but also sometimes as a food preservative, as celery is a natural source of sodium nitrate.
Diets are good or bad for losing or maintaining weight, not individual dishes! But this is a lovely, light and wholesome dish that is low in calories but also satisfying, which is crucial to keeping your appetite in check.
More Soup Recipes
- Leek and potato soup is easy and delicious
- Celery and lentil soup – a hearty rib sticking version!
- Slow cooker cream of vegetable soup is a true “dump and start” recipe
- All my soup recipes
Easy Celery Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g celery (one small head)
- 200 g potatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil (to fry)
- 1 stock cube / pot (vegetable or chicken by preference )
- ½ tsp celery salt
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetablesTrim and chop the celery into 2" lengths, reserving some the leaves.Dice the potato to ½" pieces. Peel and chop the garlic300 g celery, 200 g potatoes, 1 clove garlic
- Heat the oil in a medium pan with a lid. Sauté the potato and celery. Add the garlic about half-way through.1 tbsp olive oil
- Now add the stock cube and celery salt, and top up with water so that the vegetables are not quite covered. Put the lid on and simmer for 15–20 minutes.1 stock cube / pot, ½ tsp celery salt
- Check to see that the potato is cooked through. It should be soft and yielding when poked with a knife.
- Blend with a stick blender (or in the food processor or jug blender) until smooth. If you want to thin the soup, you can add a little extra stock or water.
- Serve hot, garnished with a little extra celery salt and the reserved celery leaves.
Notes
- If you do not have celery salt just add a pinch of salt in its place.
- If you are making a batch for the freezer, use 500 ml stock for a slightly more concentrated soup that takes up less space. You can thin it when you come reheat it.
- Do be careful when blending soup and don’t use the blender with the bung in place!
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