This healing bowl of Celery Soup is comforting, affordable, and flavorful and can be made in 35 minutes. One of the most popular soup recipes on the blog with hundreds of 5-star reviews! Video.
When we come to a great barrier, when we find a place inside us we do not know how to navigate, when we are in a painful experience that we cannot avoid, we need to sit right down there–at the root of that experience, at the root of the tree of life- and be still. ~Adyashanti
Why You’ll Love This Creamy of Celery Soup
One of the most popular recipes on the blog with hundreds of 5-star reviews, this Cream of Celery Soup proves that simple ingredients can shine. It's something I learned from my very frugal, immigrant parents who would often host the most delicious dinners while using the humblest, most cost-saving ingredients. As a chef, I love bringing that same spirit into this recipe, transforming simple celery into a velvety, comforting soup that feels both nourishing and elevated.
This Celery Soup could be the start of a grand meal. It could also be a wholesome homemade supper, simply served with crusty bread. What I love most about this is, how adaptable it is. It is really easy to make this vegan. For more plant-based soup inspiration, take a peek at our 25 Cozy Vegetarian Soup Recipes!
Watch how to make Simple Celery Soup!
Creamy of Celery Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Celery: The star of the dish! Don't forget to save some celery leaves for garnish.
- Potatoes: Use peeled extra-large russet potatoes or unpeeled Yukon gold potatoes.
- Onion and garlic cloves:
- Veggie broth: Or sub chicken broth or use "Better than Bouillon" Vegetable Base with water.
- Seasoning: Bay leaf (optional), salt, black pepper, and cayenne (optional).
- Fresh herbs: Fresh dill and parsley are perfect pairings for this soup (small stems are okay).
- Sour cream: Use probiotic sour cream or vegan sour cream, or substitute with heavy cream or cashew cream.
- Garnish: Crispy celery leaves, nigella seeds, or hemp seeds. All optional, but delicious!
How to make Cream of Celery Soup
1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add onion and stir occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1-2 minutes.
2. Add remaining soup ingredients. To the pot, add celery, potatoes, broth, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cayenne. The liquid should just cover the veggies-add a little water if needed. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add herbs. Turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf, then add the fresh herbs. Be careful not to cook the herbs or you'll lose their vibrant color!
4. Blend the soup. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend the soup until silky smooth, about a minute. If using a regular blender, work in batches and place a kitchen towel over top, filling it no more than halfway. For extra green color, add a handful of baby spinach!
5. Gently warm. Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir in sour cream (or any substitute). Keep the heat low to avoid losing the vibrant green color.
6. Garnish. If making crispy celery leaves, warm a generous amount of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot, fry a "tester" celery leaf for 10-20 seconds on each side, then transfer to a paper towel. If crisp, repeat with the remaining leaves, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. If not crisp, fry a little longer. Aim for 3-5 leaves per serving bowl. If desired, use the same oil to fry the nigella seeds until they pop. Arrange the celery leaves in a crescent shape over the soup and spoon some nigella seeds, hemp seeds, and a drizzle of olive oil over top.
Celery Soup Recipe Variations
Oftentimes I’ll skip the dairy completely and make this with cashews, cooked right in the soup.
Sometimes I’ll make it with sour cream, giving it a delicious tanginess and extra richness.
Traditionally, it’s made with butter and heavy cream, which is totally fine too. Up to you!
Do what feels best.
Serving Celery Soup
Here I’ve topped the soup with crispy celery leaves and toasted nigella seeds and some hemp seeds, but really, you can top it any way you like. Try it with our vegan parmesan grated over top!
Croutons are always a nice option, as well as my new favorite, halloumi croutons, or millet croutons if going grain-free.
The crispy celery leaves are a beautiful touch and are really simple to make too.
Nigella Seeds are often used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking and offer up a pungent, oniony-peppery, herbal flavor, that is especially nice when toasted in a little oil. Sometimes they are called black cumin or black caraway seeds.
They are not imperative to the recipe, but if you have Nigella seeds, try them out-they will elevate!
How to Store
Store leftover Cream of Celery Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze Cream of Celery Soup?
For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months, but for best results, freeze the soup without the sour cream, as it can turn granular once thawed. Simply stir in the sour cream after reheating for a smooth, creamy finish.
And if you are curious about the health benefits of celery – they are numerous!
Seriously, just google it!
Celery fights inflammation, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and is super high in antioxidants, just to name a few.
Health benefits aside, I personally just really loooooooove the flavor. I am one of those people who fill celery stalks with almond butter and sprinkle them with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. A tasty snack!
As common as celery is, it truly is a flavor enhancer.
So for me, to have a bowlful of this Celery Soup with warm toasty bread ….. is beyond amazing!
I hope you like it too!
More Favorite CElery recipes!
Have a lovely weekend! xoxo
More Favorite Soup Recipes
- 25 Cozy Vegetarian Soup Recipes
- Sorrel Soup
- Minted Pea Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Coconut Corn Chowder
- Homemade Tomato Soup
- North African Carrot Soup
- Creamy Celeriac Soup
- Parsnip Soup
- Simple Cabbage Soup
- Farmers Market Vegetable Soup
- 50 Farmers Market Recipes!
More from feasting at home
Cream of Celery
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 7 cups
- Category: Soup, vegan, Gluten free
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A healing bowl of Celery Soup- comforting, affordable and flavorful, that can be made in 35 minutes. Healthy, delicious and vegan adaptable!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 fat garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 6 cups celery, sliced thin (about 1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds) 1 extra-large head, save some leaves for garnish
- 2 cups potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds ( about 3/4 lb – 1 extra-large russet peeled, or use a few yukons, unpeeled.
- 4 cups veggie or chicken broth ( or 4 cups water + 1 tablespoon “Better than Bouillon” Vegetable Base)
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf (optional), remove it before blending
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, start conservatively, add more to taste or leave it out entirely.
Add:
- 1/4 cup fresh dill (small stems ok)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley (small stems ok)
- Stir in: 1/2 cup (or more) of probiotic sour cream, vegan sour cream, heavy cream or cashew cream. (see notes)
- Garnish: Crispy celery leaves, nigella seeds, hemp seeds (all optional, but delicious!)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a big pot over medium-high heat and add the onion, stirring occasionally, letting the onions get golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the celery, potatoes, broth, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cayenne. The liquid should just cover the veggies ( if not, add a little more water). Cover, bring to a rolling boil, turn heat down and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Turn heat off, remove bay leaf and add the fresh herbs and just wilt them (don’t cook herbs or you lose the vibrant color!)
- Using an immersion blender blend until very silky smooth – OR if using a regular blender, let cool before blending in smaller batches. ( If blending warm soup, fill blender no more than halfway full, cover tightly with a lid and kitchen towel, holding it down firmly, when you start the motor (on the lowest setting, working up gradually) to prevent a blender “explosion”).
- Blend well, a full minute, until herbs are fully blended, creating a vibrant colored soup. For extra “green” color, add a handful of raw baby spinach if you like, or more fresh parsley.
- Place it back in the same pot over low heat. Stir in your choice of sour cream, or any of the other options. Gently heat, careful to not over-simmer, or you may lose the lovely vibrant color.
- To make the crispy celery leaves, heat a generous amount of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Wait until the oil is hot. Fry a “tester” celery leaf for 10-20 seconds on each side. Set on a paper towel. If it is crisp, continue on. Adding a few at a time, not overly crowding. If not crisp, fry them a little longer. You want about 3-5 leaves per serving bowl. In the same oil, you could fry the nigella seeds until you just begin to hear popping. Turn heat off. Arrange the crispy celery leaves in a crescent shape. Spoon a little of the nigella seeds along with a little oil in the same shape. Sprinkle with hemp seeds if you like.
Enjoy!
Notes
If using cashew cream, adding a little splash of lemon juice, enlivens the soup. Sour cream and yogurt have a natural tanginess, so you may not need it.
A quick way to make this vegan version ( with cashew cream), is toss the ½ cup of cashews into the simmering pot at the beginning with the celery and potatoes, letting them soften. Then just blend it all up!
Slicing the celery thinly will prevent fibers texture.
If freezing, best to freeze without the sour cream, as it may get granular- then add it later when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups made with ½ cup sour cream
- Calories: 183
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 478.2 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.1 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 8.1 mg
This soup was absolutely fabulous! Vibrant green (with the handful of spinach added) and so savory & good with the fried celery leaves & nigella seeds. It was quick to make and my hubby loved it! Delicious with some good crusty sourdough bread, yum!
Wonderful to hear Jen!
Lovely satiny smooth soup
I’ve already passed it on to a friend
Wonderful, thanks Lisa!