This easy recipe for Creamy Celery Soup has no cream, making it a low-fat, vegan version of cream of celery soup that’s healthy & delicious.
This celery soup is really tasty. I have friends who love it, even if they’re not usually fans of celery. The best part is that it’s a healthier take on creamy soups. It’s smooth and thick, just like the creamy soups we all love, but it has 90% fewer calories!
I’ve discovered a method to create wonderfully creamy soups without using any cream, significantly reducing the calorie count. The secret? Incorporating potatoes makes a thicker soup while also creating a creamy consistency. I love this method so much, I’ve used it to create my Creamy Broccoli Soup, Cauliflower Saffron Soup and my Easy Carrot Soup.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using a generous amount of celery that cooks in the stock, along with fresh aromatics and herbs, creates a full-bodied celery flavor without needing a lot of complicated ingredients.
- Using potatoes to thicken the soup gives it more substance and a smoother, silkier texture.
- Pureeing the celery soup with the potato results in a creamy soup without the added fat.
Ingredient Notes
- Celery: To avoid stringy celery, use the more tender celery stalks that are closer to the middle of the head. Lighter-colored celery is less likely to have though strings.
- Oil: Choose a light, healthy oil, such as olive or canola oil, that won’t overpower the soup’s flavors.
- Onion: We prefer a yellow onion for its mild sweetness, but you can also use white, red, or even shallots to create your own flavor profile.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is preferred for its superior flavor, but it can be substituted with garlic powder or prechopped garlic if you prefer.
- Chicken or Vegetable Stock: Opt for low-sodium versions to control the soup’s saltiness. It’s found in the soup aisle.
- Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal for their starchy quality, contributing to the soup’s creaminess.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a burst of freshness. You can also experiment with other fresh herbs to create your own unique flavors.
- Salt and Pepper: We prefer kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Celery Buying Guide
Opt for celery that’s light-colored and crisp, with stalks that are firm and tightly packed.
Ensure you buy celery with leaves attached, as they’re full of flavor. The leaves themselves should be a vibrant, pale green without any wilting or browning, indicating freshness and quality.
Prepping Celery For The Smoothest Soup
Some celery stalks can be quite stringy, and these tough bits can make your soup’s texture less smooth.
To test if your celery is stringy (which can be unpleasant for some), break it in half by hand before chopping. If you see the strings sticking out of the break (see photo below).
To de-string the celery, first wash it, then use a vegetable peeler to shave off the strings from the back of each stalk. Alternatively, you can break the celery into pieces and yank out the stringy ribs that become visible. For a clearer demonstration, you can find this helpful video on YouTube that provides a step-by-step guide.
Erren’s Top Tips
- Prep Your Celery: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the strings from the celery to ensure a smoother soup.
- Chop Evenly: Cut the celery and potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. The potatoes can be cut into quarters as they cook faster than celery.
- Simmer Gently: Cook the soup on low heat after it reaches boiling to allow the flavors to meld without overcooking the vegetables.
- Blend Well: Use an immersion blender for a creamy texture. If you don’t have one, a regular blender works, too; just be careful with the hot liquid.
- Taste as You Go: Season with salt and pepper during cooking, but always taste before adding more – you can always add, but you can’t take away!
- Reserve Some Liquid: Set aside some of the cooking stock before blending. You can add it back if the soup is too thick.
- Save Some Celery: Keep a few spoonfuls of the cooked celery to add texture to the soup after blending.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
To store leftovers: Cool your celery soup for about 30 minutes then place it in airtight containers, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers, leaving some space at the top, for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove, adding water or stock if it’s too thick.
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Let’s Make Creamy Celery Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 2 lbs fresh celery cleaned and chopped (see post for removing strings)
- 1 qt chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 lb potatoes peeled the potato and cut it into quarters
- a good handful of fresh parsley roughly chopped, including stems
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop the celery into roughly the same-sized pieces, about an inch – 1.5 inches, Don’t worry about precision as the soup is going to be puréed anyway. You just want it to cook evenly.
- In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute before adding the celery, stock, potato, and parsley. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Cover, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the celery and potatoes are soft enough that they can easily be pureed (But don’t let them get too mushy).
- Remove the soup from heat. If necessary, using a ladle, remove enough stock so that the celery is just covered. Set any reserved stock aside.
- Remove some of the chopped celery with a slotted spoon (1-2 spoonfuls) and set aside.
- Purée the soup with a stick blender in the pot – adding the reserved stock little by little until the soup reaches the desired consistency.
- Add the reserved celery, mix to combine and serve hot.
Tips + Notes
- If you don’t have a stick blender, a food processor or blender would work just as well to puree the soup.
- To avoid stringy celery, use the more tender celery stalks that are closer to the middle of the head. Lighter colored celery is less likely to have though strings.
- To test if your celery is stringy (which for some can be unpleasant), before cutting the celery, break it in half by hand. If you see the strings sticking out of the break (see photo above), peel the celery to remove the strings.
- To remove the strings from the celery, clean and peel the back of the stalk with a vegetable peeler (for more detailed instructions, you can see this video on YouTube) or just by snapping your celery into sections and pulling out the exposed, stringy ribs.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014 but published again in 2018 to include step-by-step directions, nutritional information, new photos, and a video.
Charity says
Instead of using a potato is it possible to use cauliflower?
joe says
just made this … absolutely delicious … 10/10. if you like celery and like soup, you must try this one.
full disclosure … i used what i had on hand, substituting as follows :
in place of olive oil, i used canola;
in place of a yellow onion i used a red;
in place of a potato, i used a sweet potato;
in place of parsley i used cumin.
as good as it was, next time around i think i will add chunks of potatoes and carrots, just to add some “heft” to it.
Erren says
Awesome, Joe! Sounds great! So glad you liked it! Thanks so letting me know!
Carolyn Bohler says
Vegan!!!!! Thanks so much. 🙂
Erren says
You’re very welcome 🙂
Debora says
I made this last night as a starter and it was delicious! My husband and stepson were even impressed–which was a surprise since it’s a meatless soup. It had the smooth texture of a cream-based soup, minus the fat and lactose.
Erren says
Hi Debora, That’s great! I’m so pleased to hear it! 🙂
mkeenan says
Loved this soup! Was so easy and tasty! The only change I made was to use bacon drippings instead of olive oil for another layer of flavour. It certainly is a keeper!!
Debbie Clarke says
Lovely, just made it. It’s a keeper
Erren says
Awesome, Debbie! So glad you liked it!
Janice (@FarmersgirlCook) says
I made this lovely soup Erren. It’s really good, I’m posting about it on my blog and linking back to the recipe your page, I hope that is okay with you.
Erren says
Hi Janice, Thanks so much! So glad you liked it!
shasta says
Tried this today. Finished with a drizzle of Butter Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil and was great!
Scot Loucks says
I use the potato trick all the time.
Great thickener for soups.
Trying this recipe tomorrow.
Will let you know.
Thanks
Virginia says
Yes potatoes and also white beans to soup make them creamy!!
Katerina says
I love the idea of not using cream and yet be a creamy soup!
Erren says
Hi Katerina, I’m so glad you like the recipe! sorry for the late reply, but I was sick with the flu for over a week. I’m just catching up!
The F Truth says
you realise the old idea that a diet must be low fat is very old and anti science, nutritional consensus is to have a balance of fat protein and carb not go low fat.
Erren says
For some it’s an old idea. To me it’s just a healthy way to eat. To each their own right? Thank so stopping by 🙂
Jenny says
I agree, and what “The F Truth” describes is just what this soup is, a healthy balance. It smells great as it cooks, can’t wait to taste it!
Erren says
Great to hear, Jenny! Hope you enjoy it!
Sarah says
I’m going to try this soup today, thinking of using coconut oil in place of olive oil 🙂
Sandra says
There may be other reasons for a low fat diet other than weight loss : )