Creamy Celeriac Soup with Bacon (Printable)

Velvety celeriac soup with cream and crispy bacon. European comfort in a bowl, ready in 50 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large celeriac (about 1.5 lbs), 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

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
02 - Add celeriac and potato to the pot. Stir to coat with butter and cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
04 - While soup simmers, 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 soup from heat. Purée using an immersion blender until smooth, or carefully blend in batches in a standard blender.
06 - Stir in cream and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently reheat if needed, but do not allow to boil.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy bacon and a sprinkle of chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's elegant enough for company but honest enough to make on a Tuesday night without any fuss.
  • One pot, one blender, and you've got something that tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • The bacon stays crispy on top while the soup stays warm below—best of both worlds.
02 -
  • Don't skip peeling the celeriac thoroughly—the skin is thick and fibrous, and leaving bits behind will compromise the texture you're aiming for.
  • Immersion blenders are genuinely the way to go here; they give you silky results without risk, and cleanup is a dream.
03 -
  • Buy celeriac from markets where there's turnover; older ones can taste woody and hollow.
  • Brown butter instead of plain butter takes this from very good to unforgettable—melt it, let it turn golden and nutty, then proceed as written.
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