Creamy Celery and Herb Soup (Printable)

Silky celery soup blended with fresh herbs, butter, and cream. Vegetarian and gluten-free comfort in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 6 celery stalks, sliced (approximately 14 ounces)
04 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk

→ Herbs & Seasoning

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
12 - Salt, to taste
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing

14 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or crème fraîche, optional for garnish
15 - Crusty bread, for serving, optional

# Directions:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add sliced celery and diced potato to the pot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and add bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until celery and potato are very tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in milk and fresh herbs including parsley, dill, and chives. Simmer for 2 additional minutes.
06 - Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer in batches to a countertop blender and blend until creamy.
07 - Return soup to pot. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat gently if needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls. Swirl in cream or crème fraîche if desired and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means you can have something restaurant-quality on the table before you know it.
  • The combination of three fresh herbs creates a flavor that's sophisticated but never fussy or hard to pull off.
  • Celery, often a supporting player, finally gets its moment to shine as the main character.
02 -
  • Don't skip the potato because it's what makes this soup creamy without relying on heavy cream, and it keeps the texture silky instead of watery.
  • The bay leaf does serious work but must be removed before blending or you'll end up chewing on it later and it will ruin the whole experience.
  • If your soup breaks or looks grainy after blending, you likely added the milk at too high a temperature, so next time add it when the broth is no longer boiling hard.
03 -
  • Make this soup a day ahead because the flavors deepen and marry together overnight, and reheating it gently won't harm a thing.
  • If your celery tastes strong or bitter, soak the stalks in cold water for an hour before cooking, which mellows their flavor significantly.
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