This vegan celery soup recipe shines thanks to a big heaping of dill and a drizzle of EVOO. This tasty soup is ready in under 30 minutes and uses simple ingredients. I skipped the expensive cashew cream and dairy replacements like coconut milk. It is garnished with a dill and celery salad, simply too pretty not to eat. Who doesn't love a dairy-free soup that tastes like spring but is still hearty and warm for those chilly days?
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This cream of celery soup isn't for casseroles but is a hearty meal the whole family will love. This recipe has become part of my favorite meal prep lunch rotation, along with my vegan poke bowl using leftover sushi rice. And I have been making a big batch of these gluten-free fried onions to snack on alongside the soup.
📖Why My Recipe Works
This dairy-free recipe only takes 30 minutes from start to finish and requires fairly minimal prep.
This recipe uses a starchy potato to make the soup creamy and give it body. You can substitute a celeriac bulb for the same texture but with a more intense celery flavor.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Celery- This is the star ingredient so freshness is important. Look for thin to medium celery stalks with thin veins. Heavy, thick stalks may turn out stringy when you try to puree You will need a bunch of celery that contains their leaves still in order to make the garnish.
- Potato- Any potato that leans towards starchy will do. The potato is what gives this soup its body and creamy texture without the use of heavy cream.
- White Onion- Not sweet, and definitely not red. Just a simple white onion. Feeling adventurous? Try substituting leeks or wild ramps, if you can find them.
- Dill- Used in both the soup and the garnish, dill brightens up this dish. You really want to use fresh dill. If dried dill is the only thing available, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried dill for every tablespoon of fresh dill. You can also try fresh parsley or chives.
- Vegetable Stock- Homemade or store-bought, I prefer a vegetable broth that is light in color and without mushrooms. Mushrooms have a great earthy flavor, but they can overpower the delicate flavors of this dish. While not vegan, if you are just looking to avoid dairy, you can substitute a light chicken broth. Although, in my personal opinion, the vegan version is better in taste.
- Lemon Juice- My mantra... all recipes must have acid! A zip of lemon juice really makes all the difference. Both fresh lemon juice and bottled work.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil- time to break out the good stuff. A drizzle adds much-needed fat to this dish and enhances the creamy feeling.
⏲️Tips for Making Vegan Celery Soup
- Before starting, be sure to separate the leaves from the green celery stalks. Set aside the leaves for the salad.
- Once the veggies are slightly softened, add the garlic and cook 1 min longer. Resist the urge to add it early, as you don't want the garlic to burn.
- While you can use an immersion blender or stick blender, I recommend using a regular blender for a smoother texture.
- If you are feeling fancy, pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer. This will thin the soup out a bit and make the texture silky and smooth.
- If the soup is too thick, try adding a splash of water to thin it out.
- Prefer a thicker soup? Try adding an extra potato.
🌡️Make Ahead
Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you want to store it for a longer period, you can freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
When reheating the soup, you may need to add a little water or vegetable broth to adjust the consistency, as it can thicken in the fridge or freezer. Make sure to heat the soup thoroughly before serving.
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📖 Recipe Card
Creamy Celery Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 head celery, chopped, leaves set aside
- 1 sm onion, chopped
- 1 sm starchy potato, peeled and chopped or substitute ½ bulb celeriac
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- ¼ cup dill, chopped
- 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
Celery Salad Garnish (optional)
- celery leaves, chopped
- 2 Tablespoon dill, chopped
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for garnish
Instructions
Soup
- In a small stock pan, melt olive oil over medium heat. Saute celery, onion, and potato for 8 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 min longer.1 head celery, chopped, leaves set aside, 1 sm onion, chopped, 1 sm starchy potato, peeled and chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- Add stock and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender. About 10-12 minutes.3 cups vegetable stock
- Pour into blender, add dill and lemon juice. Puree until smooth and always be careful with hot liquids. Salt and pepper to taste.¼ cup dill, chopped, 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Pour into bowls and garnish with salad, salt and pepper, and a heavy drizzle of olive oil.
Celery Salad
- Mix together all ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.2 Tablespoon dill, chopped, 2 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for garnish, celery leaves, chopped
Video
Notes
- Store leftover soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and reheat it on the stovetop over low heat/
- I recommend using a high-speed blender to puree the soup. For a chunkier soup, you can use an immersion blender or food processor.
Deepa says
Came back from 2 week vacation and the only edible items in the fridge were celery and a couple of carrots and potatoes! Can't eat garlic nor onion so chopped a small carrot to sub.
I just made this delicious soup! It was made in the instant pot on hi pressure for 10 min! Just put all the ingredients in raw, added oil before blending. Garnished with chopped arugula from our garden as neither Dill nor celery leaves were available.
Happily eating 😋
Samia says
Amazingly simple. I can't stand soup recipes where you have to do multiple stages before you end up with your final, edible product - at which point you can't even stand to look at it anymore and have no appetite for it.
Trish says
Super simple and delicious! Made two variations: one according to recipe and one that was more of a potato celery soup sans onion and garlic (for a kiddo that can't eat onions). Both tasty and a great substitute for my lunch salad on these cold days!
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for reviewing the recipe. Glad you enjoyed the celery soup!
Myra says
Made this soup tonight and it was delicious. I omitted the oil and water sautéed and I also wanted it a little creamier so added a can of navy beans to the blender when as I blended it and it was perfection! Thanks so much for such a delicious healthy recipe!
Jen Wooster says
Glad you enjoyed!
Raymond Aramburu says
I am just subscribing and am looking to try the recipes as they look inviting.
Jen says
Thank you so much! Appreciate the comment.
Adrianne says
What a delicious soup packed full of energy!! I love everytthing about it and can't believe it is vegan, that is so cool. Thanks, will give it a go soon.
Emily says
This soup sounds so healthy and delicious, perfect with lots of crusty bread!
Elizabeth says
This is such a fabulous recipe! I have no idea why I've left it so long to make cream of celery soup, but this recipe will now be a regular in our house. Thank you!
Irina says
This cream-soups sounds amazingly delicious. I love the color, too:) I am gonna give it a try!
Kelly Anthony says
What a great way to get more veggies in my day. I love how colorful and full of flavor this cream of celery soup is.
Jen says
Love this soup!