Creamy Celeriac Soup with Crispy Bacon (Print Version)

Velvety celeriac and potato purée with cream, topped with crispy bacon for savory crunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large celeriac (about 1.5 lb), peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
06 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

→ Seasonings

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, optional

→ Garnish

10 - 4 slices bacon
11 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sauté until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
02 - Add the celeriac and potato. Stir to coat evenly with butter and cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
04 - While vegetables simmer, place bacon slices in a cold, dry skillet. Cook over medium heat until crispy, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels and crumble or leave whole.
05 - Remove the soup from heat. Purée with an immersion blender until smooth, or carefully blend in batches using a conventional blender.
06 - Stir in the cream and a pinch of nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper. Gently reheat if necessary without boiling.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with crispy bacon and a sprinkle of chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The silky texture achieves that restaurant quality creaminess without being heavy enough to weigh you down.
  • Even my vegetable skeptic friends request this soup when temperatures drop it has converted more picky eaters than anything else in my repertoire.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after adding cream or youll risk it breaking and becoming grainy I learned this the hard way during a dinner party.
  • Letting the finished soup rest for 5 minutes before serving allows the flavors to settle and somehow makes the celeriac taste even more pronounced.
03 -
  • Save the celeriac leaves if your bulb comes with them attached they make a gorgeous garnish when fried briefly in the bacon fat until crisp.
  • For the smoothest possible texture, pass the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve before adding the cream it takes an extra few minutes but elevates this humble soup to something truly special.
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