This Celery Leek Soup recipe delivers a wonderfully comforting and remarkably easy way to enjoy a light yet satisfying meal. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a light lunch, this soup is a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly delicious and healthy.
Key Ingredients for Celery Leek Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced
- 4 cups chopped celery (about 1 bunch)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for a non-vegetarian option)
- 1 cup heavy cream (or milk for a lighter version)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnishes: fresh chives, croutons, a drizzle of cream or olive oil
How to Make Celery Leek Soup
This Celery Leek Soup is your new go-to for a quick, satisfying, and incredibly flavorful meal. Its beauty lies in its simplicity, requiring minimal effort for maximum taste and a luxuriously smooth texture. With just a 15-minute prep time and 30 minutes of cooking, you can enjoy a bowl of pure comfort in under an hour.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and is shimmering, add the sliced leeks, chopped celery, and chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, which should take about 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to brown them too much; we’re aiming for tender and translucent.
- Add the Garlic and Thyme: Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves (if using dried, you can add it later with the broth). Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. This step awakens the aromatic qualities of the ingredients.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, or until the celery is very tender. This simmering time allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Blend to Creamy Perfection: Carefully transfer the soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Blend until the soup is completely smooth and creamy. If using a standard blender, be cautious when blending hot liquids, and do not overfill the blender jar.
- Incorporate the Cream and Season: Return the blended soup to the pot (if you used a standard blender). Stir in the heavy cream (or milk). Heat the soup gently over low heat, but do not let it boil. This is also the time to add dried thyme if you didn’t use fresh earlier.
- Season and Serve: Season the Celery Leek Soup generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chives, croutons, or a swirl of cream or olive oil, if desired.
Why You’ll Love This Celery Leek Soup
You’ll adore this Celery Leek Soup for its incredibly smooth and comforting texture, a delightful departure from rougher vegetable soups. Its subtle, sweet leek flavor beautifully complements the fresh, earthy notes of celery, creating a harmonious taste that feels both sophisticated and incredibly approachable. Unlike store-bought versions that can be bland or overly processed, this homemade rendition bursts with fresh, vibrant flavor, making it a wise and economical choice that significantly beats the cost of dining out. The subtle sweetness of the leeks and the freshness of celery shine through, enhanced by a gentle creaminess that feels utterly luxurious, making this soup a standout on any table.
It’s a truly nourishing and soul-warming dish that’s surprisingly simple to whip up, making it perfect for busy evenings or whenever you crave a moment of culinary comfort. For a similar cozy experience, think of it as the elegant, lighter cousin to a hearty potato leek soup, offering a distinct yet equally satisfying flavor profile. Don’t just take our word for it; give this delightful Celery Leek Soup a try in your own kitchen and discover a new favorite way to enjoy simple, wholesome ingredients.
Storing and Reheating Tips
Proper storage will ensure your delicious Celery Leek Soup remains a delightful treat for days to come.
- Refrigeration: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerated, the soup will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Ensure it is completely cooled before freezing. Frozen Celery Leek Soup can be kept for up to 2-3 months. It’s best to freeze it before adding the cream, if possible, as cream can sometimes separate slightly upon thawing and reheating. If you freeze it with the cream, it will still be delicious, but a quick stir might be needed.
- Reheating: To reheat refrigerated soup, gently warm it in a saucepan over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Do not boil. If reheating from frozen, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat as above. Alternatively, you can reheat frozen portions in a microwave-safe dish on a lower power setting, stirring every so often, until fully heated. Be patient to retain the creamy texture.
Final Thoughts
This Celery Leek Soup is a testament to the beauty of simple, wholesome ingredients coming together to create pure comfort. We encourage you to gather your ingredients and enjoy this wonderfully easy and flavorful recipe at home. It’s a dish that warms the soul and delights the palate, perfect for any occasion.
Celery Leek Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and is shimmering, add the sliced leeks, chopped celery, and chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, which should take about 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to brown them too much; we’re aiming for tender and translucent.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced, 4 cups chopped celery (about 1 bunch), 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves (if using dried, you can add it later with the broth). Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. This step awakens the aromatic qualities of the ingredients.2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, or until the celery is very tender. This simmering time allows the flavors to meld beautifully.6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for a non-vegetarian option)
- Carefully transfer the soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Blend until the soup is completely smooth and creamy. If using a standard blender, be cautious when blending hot liquids, and do not overfill the blender jar.
- Return the blended soup to the pot (if you used a standard blender). Stir in the heavy cream (or milk). Heat the soup gently over low heat, but do not let it boil. This is also the time to add dried thyme if you didn’t use fresh earlier.1 cup heavy cream (or milk for a lighter version), 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- Season the Celery Leek Soup generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chives, croutons, or a swirl of cream or olive oil, if desired.to taste salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper, Optional garnishes: fresh chives, croutons, a drizzle of cream or olive oil