Celery Root Soup
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Serves: 8 servings
 
Creamy, delicious, and super healthy, this soup is the perfect way to warm up on a rainy day. The mild flavor makes for a great appetizer or light lunch, or can be punched up with garnishes to make it a little more substantial. See recipe notes for serving ideas and variations.
Ingredients
  • 3 TBSP olive oil
  • 3 lbs. Celery root (aka, celeriac), peeled and cut into ½-1 inch cubes (about 2 large)
  • 2 leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-1 inch cubes
  • 1 small green apple, cored and chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 6-8 cups water, as needed
  • ½-1 tsp. Finely ground white pepper, to taste
  • salt, to taste
  • Hazelnut oil, for finishing (or good quality extra virgin olive oil, for a nut-free option)
  • Fluer-de-sel, or smoked sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
  1. Place a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Add the leeks, garlic, and a big pinch of salt, and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the leeks have started to turn translucent and a bit of color has started to develop on the bottom of the pot. Stir occasionally, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
  2. Add the celery root, parsnips, apple, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered until the celery root and parsnip are tender, about 40-50 minutes.
  3. Puree with an immersion blender, or remove the pot from the heat and carefully transfer, in small batches, to a regular blender and puree until smooth. (Always be careful pureeing hot liquids! Make sure the lid of your blender is on securely, and hold a dish towel over the top to prevent splatters.)
  4. If the consistency of the soup is too thick, add the remaining water, a little at a time, as needed. Add the white pepper and salt, to taste.
  5. Stir in a couple TBSP of hazelnut or olive oil before serving, or top with drizzle of oil in the bowl for garnish. Finish each bowl with a pinch of fleur de sel, or smoked sea salt.
Notes
This is a fairly simple soup, great on its own, or the perfect canvas for dressing up with other flavors. I like mine served simply with a drizzle of hazelnut oil and pinch of smoked sea salt, but here are some other ideas you can try to make it your own:

Serving suggestions: serve with root vegetable chips (thinly sliced parsnips, carrot, celery root, or beets, tossed with olive oil and salt and baked until crispy) for crunch // garnish with a dash of chili powder for a pop of color and flavor // serve with homemade garlic and rosemary croutons (cube bread, toss with olive oil, minced garlic, and rosemary, spread on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown) // serve with a hunk of crusty french bread, or toast, for dipping // saute wild mushrooms in garlic and butter or oil, and spoon over the soup just before serving // for a richer (and no longer vegan) soup, try adding a splash of cream or dollop of creme fraiche at the end of cooking // or, garnish bowls with a smattering of crispy, fresh cooked bacon in place of the sea salt and hazelnut oil.

Recipe adapted from the always amazing David Lebovitz. Check out his celery root soup, here: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/12/celery-root-soup/
Recipe by Will Cook For Friends at https://www.willcookforfriends.com/2015/10/celery-root-soup.html