This tasty celery and lentil soup is rich, hearty and filling, adaptable it is perfect for using up bags if lentils and leftover vegetables.
Celery and lentil soup
I am not a great fan of celery as a snack. Its bright, sharp character is tamed and mellowed by cooking, however, so it is beautiful in soups and stews. I think a good celery soup is delicious. Here, I have combined it with hearty lentils and some green vegetables for a substantial and nutritious lunch dish.
See also
- Roasted celeriac soup, subtle, velvety and delicious
- As tasty as it is nutritious, you need to make this spicy carrot and lentil soup!
- Easy soup maker tomato soup is a great way to make this classic dish
Anyone who gets a regular vegetable box delivery will be familiar with the occasional celery glut. I will confess that this is one of those dishes born out of the need to use things up. It is no less good for that. Savoury and comforting as well as nourishing, this is a soup to sustain you through the day.
I used a whole head of celery for this recipe, red lentils and half a head of broccoli.
Make a big batch of this soup at the weekend for easy lunches. It will freeze and can be reheated on the hob or in the microwave. I have allowed for eight portions but you can halve the recipe if you have no space in the freezer.
Waste nothing with flavour!
The first time I made this soup (back in 2011) I added lots of cheese rinds for flavour – for this update I have used regular grated hard cheese – but if you have cheese rids the do use them!
Any chef will tell you that in a professional kitchen nothing that tastes good ever goes to waste. One of my secret ingredients is the cheese rind pot in the freezer. All the cheese rinds get stashed in there ready for soups, risottos and stews.
Just cut off any wax or wrapping and use the hardened edge of the cheese to bring all that savoury flavour to your favourite dishes. It will cook right down, imparting a delicious savoury flavour.
Why make celery and lentil soup
- simple to make and full of flavour
- nourishing, natural and low in fat
- a frugal recipe
- a great way to use up a celery glut
- it is really adaptable – perfect for using up packets and leftover vegetables.
Celery and lentil soup ingredients
- Olive oil – for frying
- Butter – for frying and for flavour!
- Celery – one head, trimmed and chopped. Don’t waste the base of the celery head. Trim off roots and anything too hard, but keep the rest.
- Garlic
- Lentils – I used red lentils, which I love because they cook relatively quickly. If you have the time to let the pot boil for longer, you can use other dried varieties, or you can add a drained can or pouch of precooked green or brown lentils, mixed with reduced quantity of red lentils (in which case you will need less stock).
- Stock – vegetable or chicken
- Broccoli – or other green vegetables. This is a flexible recipe and great for using up leftovers.
- Hard cheese – I often use leftover cheese rinds but if you don’t keep these, grate some cheddar or grana style cheese and add at the end of cooking.
How to make celery and lentil soup – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Fry the celery gently in the olive oil and butter for a few minutes in a large saucepan. Then add the crushed or finely chopped garlic and lentils, and fry for another minute or two.
Step Two – Add the stock. Simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. If you are using cheese rinds instead of grated cheese, add these with the stock.
Step Three – Add the broccoli or other vegetables, and cook for another 5–10 minutes until they are soft.
Step Four – Blitz with a stick blender or in a liquidiser. If you use a jug blender, remove the central bung and cover with a tea towel.
Step Five – If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more hot stock to taste. Then add the grated cheese.
Stir through so that the cheese melts into the soup.
Step Six – Season to taste, garnish as you like and serve.
Serving suggestion
I like to garnish with a swirl of olive oil or leftover cream, and some chopped chives.
This soup goes well with my root vegetable loaf or this easy beetroot bread. For another simple and tasty soup, try this pea, potato and lemon recipe.
Variations
- Use a mix of lentils or your favourite variety. If you use dried forms of anything other than red lentils, they take a long time to cook, but you can substitute half the red lentils for a can or pouch of cooked green or brown lentils without adjusting the cooking time. If you do this, reduce the stock by about a third at the outset. You can add a little more later on if necessary.
- Vary the vegetables. Use cauliflower, leafy greens (add at the end of cooking), celeriac or a wedge of swede for that all important extra veg!
- Add your favourite herbs, although there is plenty of flavour and it doesn’t really need it – thyme or oregano would be ideal.
Storage
This recipe will serve six as a meal with some hearty bread, or eight 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 celery and lentil soup for up to three months.
Reheating – Defrost your celery and lentil 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 jug, as it is easy to lift and pour.
Hints and tips
- Make soup in larger quantities to last for a couple of days and provide extra for the freezer. This recipe yields 6 very substantial portions or 8 more modest ones. Freeze by the portion in microwave-proof containers and take it to work frozen to save any leaks in your bag!
- Be careful when blending hot soup and if you use a jug blender, please don’t use the bung as this can end in disaster!
Either remove it and cover the hole with kitchen paper and a tea towel, allowing the steam to escape from time to time as you go, or if you are making your soup to serve later, let it cool before blending.
Alternatively, do as I do and use a simple stick blender. It’s so much easier!
FAQs
Celery loses that astringency and becomes much more mellow when cooked. If it is the fibrousness of the salad vegetable that you dislike, you will find that disappears and it becomes tender when cooked.
Yes. You need to combine steps 3 and 4. The total simmering time will be around 15 minutes.
As always, it’s all about the overall diet. But this soup is high in protein and fibre and has plenty of veg. So yes, it’s filling and nutritious.
More easy soup recipes
- Good soup often starts with a soffritto recipe. Make a big batch, freeze and use every time you make soup.
- Carrot and lentil soup
- Pumpkin and sweet potato soup
- Swede soup
- Slow cooker vegetable soup
- Butternut squash soup
- Tomato and lentil soup
- More easy soup recipes
Celery & Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 head celery (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 200 g (1.0 cups) red lentils (or a mix – see notes below)
- 1 litre (4.0 cups) stock
- ½ head (2 cups) broccoli (or other vegetables)
- 30 g (1 cups) finely grated hard cheese (or leftover cheese rinds)
- salt and pepper ( to taste)
Instructions
- Fry the chopped celery in the olive oil and butter for a few minutes in a large saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and lentils, and fry for another minute or two.1 head celery, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp butter, 4 cloves garlic, 200 g red lentils
- Add the stock, simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. If you want to use cheese rinds instead of grated cheese, add these with the stock.1 litre stock
- Add the vegetables, cook for another 5–10 minutes until they are soft.½ head broccoli (or other vegetables)
- Blitz with a stick blender or in a liquidiser. If you use a jug blender, remove the central bung and cover with a tea towel.
- If the soup is too dense, you can add a little more hot stock to taste. Then add the grated cheese. Stir through so that the cheese melts into the soup.30 g finely grated hard cheese
- Season to taste and serve hot.salt and pepper
Notes
Variations
- Use a mix of lentils or your favourite variety. If you use dried forms of anything other than red lentils, they take a long time to cook, but you can substitute half the red lentils for a can or pouch of cooked green or brown lentils without adjusting the cooking time. If you do this, reduce the stock by about a third at the outset. You can add a little more later on if necessary.
- Vary the vegetables, adding about 2 cups of prepared veg either fresh or frozen. Use cauliflower, leafy greens (add at the end of cooking), mixed frozen vegetables, celeriac or a wedge of swede (add with the stock) for that all important extra veg!
- Add your favourite herbs – thyme or oregano would be ideal.
Storage
This recipe will serve six as a meal with some hearty bread, or eight 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 celery and lentil soup for up to three months. Reheating – Defrost your celery and lentil 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 jug, as it is easy to lift and pour.Hints and tips
- Make soup in larger quantities to last for a couple of days and provide extra for the freezer. This recipe yields 6 very substantial portions or 8 more modest ones. Freeze by the portion in microwave-proof containers and take it to work frozen to save any leaks in your bag!
- Be careful when blending hot soup and if you use a jug blender, please don’t use the bung as this can end in disaster!
Either remove it and cover the hole with kitchen paper and a tea towel, allowing the steam to escape from time to time as you go, or if you are making your soup to serve later, let it cool before blending.
Alternatively, do as I do and use a simple stick blender. It’s so much easier!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in August 2011, but was rewritten and republished with step by step instructions and photographs in February 2023.
Krithi
I love celery soup.. Nice addition of lentils!!
JohannaGGG
I feel a bit the same about celery – I did find a great celery salad recipe a few years back with cauliflower and watercress but generally love it for soups and stews – in fact I don’t buy it because I don’t like it much and then I find myself longing for it for soup.
Lauren
I often have trouble using up celery, as well. Thanks for the recipe!
Jacqueline
Nice soup. Thanks for submitting it :)
Nic
If only I liked celery, lol! I do love lentils though, great photo.
Ren Behan
I’ve never actually tried celery soup but it looks really delicious! Thanks for entering it into Simple and in Season. Ren x
Leila Horsey
I think the liquid amount of 500ml must be wrong. That would barely feed two people let alone 8! I’m making it with a litre of stock and hope that will work out ok.
Helen
Great catch, not sure what happened there!
David
I used the celery, garlic and lentils as a guide and stuck in parsnips, radish, chilli. Tasted really good.
Helen
delicious! I love a good soup to use up all the veggies