Creamy Celery and Herb Soup (Printable Version)

Silky celery soup with fresh herbs, butter, and cream. Vegetarian, gluten-free comfort in just 45 minutes.

# 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 and 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
15 - Crusty bread for serving, optional

# How To Make It:

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 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 process in batches using a countertop blender.
07 - Return soup to pot. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat gently if needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl in cream or crème fraîche if desired and garnish with additional fresh herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like a restaurant-quality soup but comes together faster than you'd expect, making weeknight cooking feel a little less rushed.
  • The herbs make it taste bright and alive rather than heavy, so you don't feel weighed down after a warm bowl.
  • One pot, one blender, and you've got something that tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon.
02 -
  • Don't blend the soup until the vegetables are completely tender; a blender can't work magic, and undercooked celery will leave you with a gritty texture no amount of pulsing can fix.
  • Add the milk after blending, never before; it prevents the soup from breaking and keeps that silky feel from turning grainy.
  • Fresh herbs are not optional if you want this to taste like something you'd order out; dried herbs will make it taste like something you found in the back of a cabinet.
03 -
  • Invest in an immersion blender if you don't have one; it's the difference between an afternoon project and something you can pull together on a Wednesday night without thinking about it.
  • Taste the soup throughout cooking, especially before and after adding salt; this soup wants gentle seasoning that invites people to taste the vegetables rather than seasons so boldly that everything tastes the same.
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