Creamy Celery Soup

Name: Creamy Celery Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
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)

Come home to a warming bowlful of this scrumptious, low-fat soup. Satisfying and simple to make, this homemade soup is a great light dinner or a tasty lunch.

Erren Hart

last Updated:

04/15/2024

4.58 from 70 votes

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Serves: 8 servings

Prep: 10

Cook: 30

A bowl of creamy celery soup topped with celery pieces and black pepper, served on a white plate with a spoon, with a basket of sliced bread in the background.

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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.

A bowl of creamy celery soup garnished with celery chunks, freshly ground black pepper, served on a white plate with a basket of bread in the background.

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.

Want to make this recipe in a slow cooker? See the recipe card for instructions.

in this article:

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.

A close-up of a bowl of chunky celery soup with a spoon, showing the texture of the soup with pieces of celery visible, accompanied by a crusty bread roll on the side.

Ingredient Notes

An organized display of ingredients for making celery soup, featuring bowls of potatoes, chopped garlic, minced onion, and fresh parsley, with containers of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bunch of celery alongside a bowl of chicken stock, all neatly labeled.

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.

A fresh bunch of celery with vibrant green leaves and firm stalks, lightly sprinkled with water droplets, on a white background.

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).

A snapped piece of celery with the strings showing

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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