Description
This simple celery soup is a creamy, vibrant, and healthy dish. It’s loaded with nutritious ingredients like fresh celery, potatoes, garlic, and herbs, which are blended into a velvety smooth consistency. Perfect for a light vegetarian or vegan meal, this recipe is straightforward and easily adaptable to suit your dietary preferences. Garnished with crispy celery leaves and seeds, this soup is comforting and elegant enough for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Soup:
- 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, 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 a few Yukon potatoes, 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)
Fresh Herbs:
- 1/4 cup fresh dill (small stems ok)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley (small stems ok)
For Cream:
-
- 1/2 cup (or more) probiotic sour cream, vegan sour cream, heavy cream, or cashew cream
For Garnish:
- Crispy celery leaves
- Nigella seeds
- Hemp seeds (all optional but delicious!)
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the oil in a big pot over medium-high heat and add the diced onion. Stir occasionally, letting the onions turn golden, about 5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and stir for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the celery, potatoes, broth, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Ensure the liquid just covers the veggies. If not, add a little more water. Cover the pot, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Add Herbs: Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and add the fresh dill and parsley, letting them just wilt. Avoid cooking the herbs to preserve their vibrant color.
- Blend the Soup: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until very silky smooth. Alternatively, if using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly and blend in smaller batches. Be cautious when blending a warm mixture to avoid accidents. Blend for about 1 full minute to achieve a vibrant green soup. For extra green color, you can add a handful of raw baby spinach or more parsley if desired.
- Add Cream: Return the blended soup to the same pot and stir in your preferred cream—probiotic sour cream, vegan sour cream, heavy cream, or cashew cream. Heat it gently over low heat without over-simmering to maintain its vibrant color.
- Prepare Crispy Celery Leaves: Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot, fry a tester celery leaf for 10-20 seconds on each side. If it turns crisp, continue frying a few celery leaves at a time without overcrowding. You’ll need 3-5 crispy leaves per serving. For an added touch, fry some nigella seeds in the same oil until they begin to pop.
- Garnish and Serve: Arrange the crispy celery leaves on the soup, spoon some nigella seeds and oil in a crescent shape, and sprinkle hemp seeds if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- The cayenne is optional and can be adjusted to taste for an extra hint of spice.
- Add raw baby spinach or more parsley for a brighter green soup.
- Choose your preferred cream option—vegan sour cream, heavy cream, or cashew cream—for different flavors and dietary needs.
- For the garnish, crispy celery leaves, nigella seeds, and hemp seeds add texture and additional flavor complexity to the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
