This simple and creamy celery leek soup is a twist on the classic potato leek combo. Blended until smooth and finished with quick homemade Parmesan croutons, it's cozy, satisfying, and simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Often overlooked and hardly ever a main ingredient, you may wonder why I'd include celery as a key component in this soup.
I wanted a lighter take on the potato leek combo and celery helps to balance the heavy nature of potatoes and dairy. Celery also adds freshness and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. That's why it's a key component of a mirepoix, the base of many soups and stews that adds a layor of depth and flavor.
I was also inspired by Julia Child, who mentions in Mastering the Art of French Cooking that you should use the potato and leek soup combo as a starting point and try adding other ingredients to create your own interesting combinations. I already did just that with my Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup, so why not celery?
😍 Why You'll Love This Soup Recipe
- It's made with everyday ingredients like celery, potatoes, bread, and milk. You may find you only need to buy some leeks.
- It's a cozy and comforting soup from fall to spring. Enjoy it on any cool day when you need a bowl of something warm.
- The croutons are incredibly easy and tasty. You'll want to eat them all on their own.
Other places where these croutons would be a welcome addition are Arugula and Spinach Salad, Blackened Shrimp Salad, Potato and Mushroom Soup, and Seafood Newburg Soup.
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🥔 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this tasty potato leek celery soup.
Key Ingredients
- Leeks: Look for medium to large leeks with a good portion of light green and white, which are the parts you will use to cook.
- Celery: Celery adds a subtle, fresh earthiness that lightens the whole soup. It doesn't overpower but rounds out the flavor with delicate herbal notes.
- Potatoes: You can use any basic potato for this soup, such as a russet or white potato. However, I find Yukon Gold potatoes have the best flavor and texture.
- Bread: I often use sourdough bread for the croutons, but you can use whatever bread you enjoy best. This is also a good way to use up those last few slices of bread hanging around.
Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🐄 Substitutions & Variations
- Extra creamy: Replace 1 cup of the milk with 1 cup of Greek yogurt for extra creaminess and a protein boost.
- Chunky version: Skip pureeing the soup.
- Dairy free: Use all olive oil instead of butter and your favorite non-dairy milk alternative.
- Gluten-free: Try a gluten-free bread to make the croutons.
- Other crouton seasonings: Instead of Parmesan and smoked paprika, try other spices, herbs, or a favorite blend to season the croutons.
🔪 Instructions
Here's how to make celery and leek soup. The recipe card below provides the complete instructions.
- Step 1: Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks, discard the tough, dark green tops, then rinse the sliced leeks well in a colander to remove dirt or sand.
- Step 2: Chop the celery. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Mince the garlic and finely chop some parsley.
- Step 3: Saute the leeks and celery in butter over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the salt, garlic, and thyme and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Step 4: Pour in the broth and add the potatoes.
- Step 5: Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Step 6: While the soup simmers, cut the bread into cubes.
- Step 7: Toss the bread with olive oil, Parmesan, and paprika.
- Step 8: Bake in a 350-degree F oven for 15 minutes until browned and crisp.
- Step 9: Blend the soup with an immersion blender.
- Step 10: Stir in the milk. Heat until warmed through, then add the lemon juice, if using. Serve topped with the croutons and chopped parsley.
✨ Helpful Tips
- The saltiness of broths varies greatly, so taste and adjust as needed. I always try to use a reduced-sodium broth to better control the salt level myself.
- If you don' have smoked paprika, try using sweet paprika instead.
🥡 How to store leek and celery soup
Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I don't recommend freezing it, as the dairy may separate when heating. However, you could try freezing it and adding the milk upon reheating. In that case, the soup may be frozen for up to three months.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQ
Start by trimming off the root end and the part of the leek where it starts to turn dark green. Compost these or save them to make broth. Then, slice the remaining leek down the middle, lengthwise, as this helps expose the layers. Next, slice each half of the leek into small, bite-sized pieces. Put the pieces of leek in a calendar and rinse well to remove any dirt or sand.
I like to include thyme while sauteeing the vegetables in the soup, because it adds earthy notes and depth, then include parsley as a garnish because it adds a bit of freshness.
Honestly, you can use just about any potato in a leek and potato soup. This soup is very forgiving and when you add ingredients like milk or cream, it will still turn out creamy. That said, Yukon Gold potatoes have a naturally creamy texture and buttery flavor.
🥖 Pairing
What can you serve with leek and potato soup? Try pairing it with any of these recipes:
📖 Recipe
Celery Leek Soup
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 generous servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This simpleand creamy celery leek soup is a twist on the classic potato leek combo. Blended until smooth and finished with quick homemade Parmesan croutons, it's cozy, satisfying, and simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 medium leeks
- 5-6 stalks of celery
- 1 ½ pounds of potatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- A small bunch of parsley
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 6 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
For the croutons:
- 4 slices of bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables. Trim off the roots and the leeks' tough, dark green parts and discard. Slice the leeks lengthwise, then slice each half into thin rounds. Rinse well in a colander. Next, roughly chop the celery, peel and cut up the potatoes, then mince the peeled garlic cloves. These will all be pureed into the soup, so don't worry much about their size. Finally, chop the parsley, which will be a garnish.
- Saute the vegetables. Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, celery, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add the thyme and garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Simmer the soup. Pour in the broth, then add the potatoes. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, partially covered, until the potatoes are very tender.
- While you wait, make the croutons. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread into cubes and toss on a baking sheet with the olive oil, Parmesan, and smoked paprika. Spread them out and bake for 15 minutes until crisp and browned.
- Blend the soup and finish. Remove the soup from the heat and blend until smooth with an immersion blender (or carefully in batches using a stand blender). Stir the milk into the soup and heat on low heat until hot. Then stir in the lemon juice, if using.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls, and top it with plenty of parsley and croutons.
Notes
The saltiness of broths varies greatly, so taste and adjust as needed. I always try to use a reduced-sodium broth to better control the salt level myself.
If you don' have smoked paprika, try using sweet paprika instead.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soups and Stews
- Cuisine: French
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Kathleen Krevetski says
So much of the leek is discarded. How different if one used onions?
Steve says
You could use more of the leek if you like. I find it too tough, but since it's being pureed, it would probably be fine. I also save scraps like that in my freezer and use them to make vegetable broth when I have a bag full. As for using onions, I'm sure that would work; it would just be a different flavor.