Cream of Celery Root Soup
A silky, refined vegetable soup built on the subtle, nutty flavor of celery root. Potatoes add body and creaminess, while fresh thyme and bay leaf provide aromatic depth. This French-style soup is finished with cream and a touch of nutmeg for warmth. Serve hot with crusty bread or croutons.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Makes
- About 5 cups (1.2 L); serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a first course
Steps
Before you start
- Peel the celery root thoroughly—the skin can be thick and fibrous, so use a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife
- Have your vegetable stock at a simmer in a separate pot, or use hot water with a stock cube
- Read through the blending step; you can use an immersion blender right in the pot for convenience
Sauté the aromatics
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot (5- to 6-quart / 4.7 to 5.7 L), melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
- Do not brown.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and pale golden
Tip: Keep the heat moderate so the onion softens without browning and losing its delicate flavor
Add vegetables and stock
- Add the cubed celery root and potatoes to the pot.
- Pour in the vegetable stock.
- Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- Stir well.
Bring to a boil and simmer
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring once or twice.
- Once it reaches a gentle boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the celery root and potatoes are very tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
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Ready when: Celery root and potatoes are very soft and disintegrate easily when pierced
Tip: A gentle simmer—not a rolling boil—prevents the soup from becoming cloudy and allows flavors to meld
Remove herbs and blend
- Remove from heat.
- Fish out the thyme sprigs and bay leaf with a slotted spoon or tongs and discard.
- Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth, working in batches if needed.
- Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.
- Work in batches to avoid overfilling and burns from steam.
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Ready when: Soup is completely smooth with no visible vegetable pieces
Tip: If using a blender, let the soup cool slightly and never fill it more than halfway to prevent hot liquid from splashing out
Strain for silk (optional)
- For an ultra-smooth, refined texture, pour the blended soup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a clean pot, pressing gently with the back of a ladle.
- This step removes any remaining fibrous bits.
- You can skip this if you prefer a heartier texture.
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Ready when: Soup passes through the strainer smoothly
Tip: This step is especially rewarding for celery root soup, as it removes the slight fibrous quality of the vegetable
Reheat and finish
- Return the pot to medium heat (or keep on the stove if you skipped straining).
- Warm the soup gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Do not boil.
- Stir in the heavy cream until well combined.
- Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
- Taste and season with kosher salt and white pepper to your preference.
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Ready when: Soup is hot throughout and cream is fully incorporated; small wisps of steam rise from the surface
Tip: Add cream while the pot is off heat or on very low heat to prevent curdling. White pepper is traditional in cream soups for its delicate flavor and pale appearance
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls.
- Garnish with a light drizzle of additional cream, a small sprig of fresh thyme, a grind of white pepper, or crispy croutons if desired.
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Tip: Serving bowls warmed under hot running water or in a warm oven help the soup stay hot longer at the table
Good to know
Tips
- Celery root oxidizes quickly once cut; prep it just before cooking or toss the cubes in lemon juice to prevent browning
- For a lighter version, substitute half the cream with whole milk or replace it entirely with an extra 0.5 cup (120 ml) of stock, though the soup will be less rich
- Toast crispy croutons (in a dry pan or oven) and serve on the side for textural contrast and an elegant presentation
- A swirl of truffle oil or a few drops of sherry vinegar on top adds sophistication and brightens the rich, earthy flavors
Make ahead
The soup keeps well. You can make it up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and thinning with a splash of stock or cream if it has thickened. You can also freeze the soup (before adding cream) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat, then stir in fresh cream before serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator within 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (freeze before adding cream for best texture; thaw overnight in the refrigerator). Reheat gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, or in a microwave in 2-minute intervals, stirring between. Thin with stock or cream if needed.
Substitutions
- celery root (celeriac) → Parsnips or a combination of parsnips and regular celery (use 1 lb / 450 g total). Parsnips are slightly sweeter but deliver a similar velvety texture. Regular celery alone would be too watery; mix it with potatoes or parsnips
- heavy cream → Greek yogurt or crème fraîche. Whisk in 0.5 cup (120 g) Greek yogurt or crème fraîche off heat after blending for a tangy, still-creamy result; the soup will be slightly lighter
- vegetable stock or broth → Chicken stock or water with a stock cube. Vegetable stock is ideal for keeping the soup vegetarian, but chicken stock adds depth. Water with a bouillon cube works in a pinch
- fresh thyme sprigs → Sage (use 2 small leaves), tarragon (use 2 sprigs), or a bay leaf alone. Each herb shifts the flavor subtly. Sage adds earthiness; tarragon adds a faint anise note; bay leaf alone is milder
