Creamy Celery and Herb Soup (Printable)

Silky soup with tender celery, fresh herbs, and creamy finish. Vegetarian and gluten-free in 45 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 swirling
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 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 soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully 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 into bowls. Swirl in cream or crème fraîche if desired and garnish with additional fresh herbs. Serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like an actual moment to breathe.
  • The fresh herbs wake up something in the celery that tastes nothing like what you'd expect, almost floral and green in the best way.
  • One pot, no complicated techniques, and it's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free without feeling like a compromise.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the bay leaf before blending, because biting into it in a smooth soup is genuinely unpleasant and taught me that lesson once and forever.
  • The vegetables need to be actually tender before you blend, not just softened around the edges, or you'll end up with a grainy texture that no amount of blending fixes.
03 -
  • Make your own vegetable broth if you have time, because the difference in a simple soup where broth is the main flavor is genuinely noticeable.
  • Blend the soup while it's still hot because cold soup blends unevenly and requires more aggressive blending that can sometimes affect the texture.
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