Celery Root Soup | Will Cook For Friends (2024)

When I was a kid, I’d run around all winter long in shorts and a t-shirt, to the horror of any onlooking adults. It was like the cold couldn’t touch me. I loved winter, and would’ve taken cold weather over hot any day… that is, until one day when I was fifteen, and I fell through the ice on a frozen lake. Ever since then,cold weather and I don’t get along. I finally understand what the adults were complaining about as they bundled themselves up and shook their heads at my bare arms and legs. Amazing how a little hypothermia changes things.

Thankfully, The Husband is like my very own personal space heater. The man is like a walking furnace, and when I get the chills, he’s my go-to for a big warming hug. He can put an end to shivering in ten seconds flat. My second line of defense (and perhaps a more reasonable solution than throwing The Husband over my shoulders and wearing him like a coat) is soup.

It turns out, I have a thing for creamy soups that don’t require any cream. Every year I find a new one to love, like thiscauliflower and fennel soup, or thisroasted red pepper one, or one of my all time favorites,butternut squash soup with sage. There’s just something about that rich, velvety texture, without the heaviness of traditional cream based soups, that I just can’t get enough of.

This celery root soup is a bit of an unusual addition to my repertoire, but one which I am happy to have discovered. For me, and I think for most of us here in the US, celery root (also called Celeriac) isn’t something we’re terribly familiar with. Which is probably why I was so drawn to it in the first place — this strange, ugly, uncharted root vegetable. How could I not be curious? To turn something so rough and strange looking into abeautiful, delicious, healthy soup… well, it’s like a magic trick. Only better, because there is no trick.

Okay, so what is this thing, anyway? Well, once you get past the looks and peel away the rough outer skin, it’s really not so scary. As the name would imply, it’s the root of the celery plant, and it tastes like, you guessed it, celery. It isn’t stringy or fibrous like celery though, and instead has a texture like that of a not-so-starchy potato. It can be boiled and mashed, sauteed, roasted, or used in any other way you might use a spud. It is low in fat and calories, high in fiber, and has a fair amount of calcium, potassium, and vitamin C, among other things. The taste is mild, but distinct, and pairs well with things like onion and garlic.

Enter, leeks. The second ingredient in the making of this soup, and probably another less-familiar vegetablein American cooking. Leeks are a close relative of onions, are a staple in French cooking, and are really easy to use once you know how. Just split them open with a couple of lengthwise cuts so you can rinse away any dirt from inside the leaves, then cut away the dark green ends (which can be tough), and chop the white – light-green parts to use in the recipe.

Okay, if all that sounds like too much work, don’t worry — I’ve included a quick photo tutorial on prepping both celery root and leeks at the end of the recipe. You’ve got this!

I’ve already said how much I love soups for being warm and nutritious, but those are only the tip of the iceberg of why I love them. They are also insanely easy to prepare, inexpensive, and can be made in huge batches and frozen for future days when I’m too lazy to chop vegetables, put them in a pot, and walk away.(Yes, there are days when Iamjust that lazy.)

This soup works well as an appetizer or light lunch, or the mild flavor can bepunched up with garnishes to make it a little more substantial. I like to serve it with a drizzle of roasted hazelnut oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, but it would be equally good with some garlic and rosemary croutons,a hunk of sourdough bread for dipping, or a dash of chili powder for color and a bit of heat.I’ve included a bunch of serving ideas in the recipe notes, so feel free to play around and make it your own!

Yum

Not sure where to start? Click on either of the images below for a larger view on how to prepcelery root and leeks for this recipe.