by Sylvie · This post may contain affiliate links
Gluten-FreeGrain-FreeVegetarianVeganDairy-FreeNut-FreeEgg-FreeNo Refined Sugar
This silky and creamy celery root soup is the perfect cold-weather comfort food.
There isn’t much about its appearance to entice you to put one in your cart, but celery root is truly a wonderful (if underappreciated) root vegetable.
For most of us, celery root (also called celeriac) is uncharted territory. You’ve probably passed it over a number of times, but don’t let its gnarled and bumpy façade fool you, because underneath that rough exterior lies a gem of a vegetable that can be eaten either cooked or raw. This time of year I like to turn mine into a silky celery root soup.
Its mild flavor and creamy texture make it a comforting cold-weather companion, especially when simmered gently with potatoes and then pureed into a velvety soup.
This soup is creamy without the addition of any cream. The potatoes and celery root give the soup all the body and richness it needs making it a great vegan option. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Potatoes – Use a creamy potato like yellow or Yukon potatoes.
- Celery Root – You’ll need a celery root that’s about ¾ of a pound.
- Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil.
- Leek – You’ll need a medium leek.
- Seasonings – You’ll need a bay leaf, 2 small garlic cloves and 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Mushrooms – You’ll need both dried and fresh mushrooms. I like to top the soup with some sautéed shiitake mushrooms but feel free to use creminis or your favorite mushrooms instead.
How to Make Celery Root Soup:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
It’s simple as can be, just 20 minutes on the stove, a quick wiz in the blender (you want to keep the blending to a minimum so the potatoes don’t go all gluey) and your soup is ready.
- You’ll start by sautéing the leeks, garlic and seasonings in the olive oil until soft but not browned.
- Stir in the potatoes, celery root, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and thyme branches. Add water, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to and simmer cook until the vegetables are tender.
- While the soup is cooking you’ll make the sautéed mushrooms.
- Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour the soup into bowls and top with the sautéed mushrooms.
Nothing warms you better from the inside out when it’s cold out.
More Root Vegetable Soups:
- Sweet Potato Carrot Soup
- Root Vegetable Soup
- Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup
Yield: 4 Servings
Celery Root Soup
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
A velvety cold-weather celery root soup with potatoes and sautéed shiitake mushrooms.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium leek, white part only, finely sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ lb yellow or Yukon potatoes (about 1 large or 2 small) /340g, peeled and cut into cubes
- ¾ lb celery root/340g, peeled and cut into cubes
- 2 small dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in ¼ cup hot water for 5-10 minutes
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 4 cups/946ml filtered water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For the Sautéed Mushrooms:
- ½ Tablespoon/7ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ½ lb/8oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1-2 branches of thyme, leaves removed
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over low heat. Add the chopped leeks, bay leaf and minced garlic. Sauté leeks stirring often, until soft but not browned.
- Stir in the potatoes, celery root, shiitake mushrooms (and soaking water) and thyme branches. Add water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to and simmer covered, until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes).
- Meanwhile make the sautéed mushrooms: Combine oil and garlic in a sauté pan and heat on medium until garlic starts to sizzle, but not brown. Add mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper, thyme leaves, then sauté, stirring frequently until tender and lightly browned. Set aside and serve with soup.
- Remove soup from heat and fish out the bay leaves, thyme branches and shiitake mushrooms. Transfer soup to a blender and pulse briefly until smooth. Pour soup into bowls and top with the sautéed mushrooms.
Notes
Storage:
Soup can be made ahead of time and re-heated as needed.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 176Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 684mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
More Soups
- Carrot and Red Lentil Soup
- Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
- Healthy Soup Recipes
Reader Interactions
Comments
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
Oh wow this sounds great! I LOVE celery root and shiitakes are my favorite mushrooms.
Reply
Elaina says
You're right about passing up celery root a thousand times in the grocery store. I had no idea what it was before reading your post! Sounds like a good veggie to include in any pureed fall/winter soup. 🙂
Reply
Raia Todd says
That soup looks so comforting. Potato soup is one of my family's favorites; your version sounds delicious!
Reply
Susie says
I love using celery root in soups! I haven't seen it for awhile around here, but this recipe will have me searching.
Reply
Taste of France says
This looks delicious. The bad weather in Spain and Italy has caused vegetable prices to spike in Europe. But we're in a region (south of France) where the winters are mild enough that we get plenty of fresh local produce even in February. And that produce is overwhelmingly root vegetables. I'm famliar with celery root done as a kind of coleslaw. Soup sounds like a good idea too!
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