Delectable Vegan Celery Root Soup
Creamy, smooth, and satisfying, this really is delectable vegan Celery Root Soup. Made without any dairy or even plant-based milk, a few simple ingredients come together in a nourishing bowl that will leaving you wanting seconds.
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Why I love this Vegan Celery Root Soup recipe (aka Celeriac Soup)
This soup is:
Creamy without dairy or even plant-based cream or milk!
Quick
One Pot if using an immersion blender
Healthy
Simple, made with just one pot if you have an immersion blender
Dairy-Free
Low Carb
Vegan
Family friendly, even kids love this one!
What is celery root?
Celery root is simply the root part of the celery plant that grows in the ground, while the stalks we are more familiar with grow above ground. However, celery root comes from a variety of celery plants than the stalks we eat.
Celery root has other names too: celeriac, knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery.
What does celeriac taste similar to?
Celery root tastes most similar to parsnips when raw, and with a similar texture too: crisp, nutty, firm, earthy, and slightly sweet.
When cooked, celery root becomes creamy and sweet, with a bit more celery flavor. Cooked it becomes more similar to turnips or potatoes.
Celeriac has been compared in flavor to turnips, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, parsley root, and of course celery stalks.
Key Ingredients
In addition to the star ingredient, only a few key ingredients are needed for this simple recipe.
- vegan butter and olive oil: this recipe uses both butter and oil to maximize flavor; the butter gives the soup a rich creaminess and smoothness, and the olive oil a mild olive flavor
- onions or leeks: add sweetness and depth of flavor
- celery stalks: accentuate the celery flavor
- garlic: because, garlic…
- dried thyme & bay leaf: common French herbs for added layers of flavor
- bouillon cubes: add more flavor than broth, so I prefer them in this simple soup (but veggie broth works too)
How to Make this Vegan Celery Root Soup
Clean celery root. Peel. Then cut into 1/2-1 inch chunks. Prep/cut other veggies.
Add butter and oil to a warm Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
After 1 minute, add onions and celery. Cook for 5-6 minute; onions should be getting translucent.
Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Add celery root, bay leaf, and vegetable broth. Bring to boil, and then turn to low and cover. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until celery root is soft and fully cooked.
Remove from heat. If using an immersion blender, carefully blend soup until smooth.
If using standard blender, allow soup to cool completely. Then move to blender and blend until smooth, in batches if necessary. DO NOT blend hot soup, as the lid could fly off.
Taste soup. Adjust salt/pepper as desired. Add water to thin as desired.
Top with your favorite items (see ideas in list below). Serve.
Variations and Substitutions
Substitutions
- While I recommend using both vegan butter and olive oil for maximum flavor as mentioned above, you can use just butter or just oil for a total of 3 tablespoons
- Leeks or onions work beautifully in the recipe.
- Don’t like or have bay leaf or thyme? Use any dried herb that you prefer or have on hand.
Variations
- Looking to complement the celery root with another costar ingredient? While this recipe is written low carb without potatoes, adding 1-2 cups of potato makes a great addition for a heartier celery root soup (add 1 additional cup of broth too). Or add a cup of apples or pears for a sweeter take.
- Prefer a celery root stew? Simply don’t puree the soup at the end for a chunkier option. And include other root veggies if you want, like parsnips, carrots, turnips, and potatoes.
- Roast the celery root before adding to the soup adds another dimension of flavor to this soup. Simply simmer for 5 minutes before blending.
- Prefer an even creamier soup? Add a cup of your favorite thick plant cream or milk, like coconut cream, cashew cream, or oat milk.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious celery root soup makes a wonderful starter, side, or main course. Serve with a salad or fresh bread (like a fresh baguette, or get fancy and make your own vegan dinner rolls!) for a perfect balance of textures, temperatures, and flavors.
Soup topping suggestions:
- coconut cream
- cashew cream
- croutons
- roasted chickpeas (store bought or homemade)
- crispy quinoa
- scallions or chives
- fresh herbs
- cracked black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- sriracha
FAQs
While celery root has a mild celery taste, it is more similar in flavor and texture to parsnips. It is also often compared in flavor and texture to turnips and parsley roots.
No, it is not a comparable swap.
Yes, peel celery root before dicing it for soups.
It depends on what type of soup you are making. If you are pureeing the soup, you can dice into any size chunks, although the smaller the pieces, the faster they will cook. If you are keeping the celery root whole in a stew, cut into bite size cubes.
Nothing. They are two names for the same root vegetable.
If you enjoy this vegan soup recipe, you may also like:
- Irristible White Beans & Greens
- Carrot & Lentil Soup (Stovetop & Instant Pot)
- Superfood Soup (with lentils, sweet potato, kale, & more)
- Semi-Homemade Veggie Dumpling Soup
- Vegan Potato Chowder with Tomato & Chickpea
Tried this recipe? I would love to know what you thought! Please rate and review below!
Cheers!
–Jenn
Delectable Celery Root Soup
Equipment
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- Dutch oven or large pot with lid
- spatula
- immersion blender or standing blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced or 2 medium leeks, white part only
- 2 celery stalk, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 large celery root or a few small, approx 2-2 1/2 lbs, peeled and diced about 4 heaping cups chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups vegetable broth I prefer to use bouillon cubes for this recipe
Instructions
- Clean celery root. Peel. Then cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes.
- Prep/cut other veggies.
- Add butter and oil to a warm Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- After 1 minute, add onions and celery. Cook for 5-6 minute until onions begin to get translucent.
- Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
- Add celery root, bay leaf, and vegetable broth. Bring to boil, and then turn to low and cover. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until celery root is soft and fully cooked.
- Remove from heat. If using an immersion blender, carefully blend soup until smooth.If using standard blender, allow soup to cool completely. Then move to blender and blend until smooth, in batches if necessary. DO NOT blend hot soup, as the lid could fly off.
- Taste soup. Adjust salt/pepper as desired. Add water to thin as desired.
- Top with your favorite items (ideas above recipe card). Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this Creamy Celery Root Soup for later:
love how flavorful this soup turned out!
super tasty celery soup. It is very well balanced.
Such a nourishing soup! I love how quickly it came together.
I love that this soup does not require any milk but is still creamy!
This soup turned out so delicious! Super savory and perfect for dinner!