Creamy Dairy-Free Potato, Leek, and Celery Root Soup

Leeks
Georgia Glynn Smith/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This easy recipe for potato, leek, and celery root soup is great served warm on cool days or chilled on warm ones. If you can’t find celery root, add an extra potato and a couple of stalks of celery as a substitute.

Try this soup with a simple avocado arugula and goat feta salad.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped

  • 3 leeks, white and green parts, chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

  • 1 knob (1 1/2 pounds) celery root, peeled and chopped

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 quarts vegetable stock, or spring water

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, marjoram, or basil

  • Sea salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Chopped fresh parsley, dill, or chervil leaves, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. In large 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

  2. Add onion, leek, and garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

  3. Add the chopped potatoes, celery root, and bay leaf.

  4. Stir the vegetables and then add the stock.

  5. Bring the soup to a boil, cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender. 

  6. Add the thyme, sea salt, and pepper to taste.

  7. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

  8. Remove bay leaf, and puree soup with a vertical blender.

  9. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs.

    Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

    Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.


Variations

Try adding a few cups of chopped spinach just before serving. The heat of the soup is sufficient to wilt the spinach so it is tender and adds an extra nutritional punch. You can serve it as is or puree the spinach into the soup for a pale green color.

For a sweeter, pale orange soup, add two medium-sized chopped carrots with the onion and leek, and substitute sweet potatoes for the Yukon Golds. (If you make this variation and want to add spinach, don’t puree it, as it will turn the soup a muddy brownish color that isn’t particularly appetizing).

Notes on the Nightshade (Solanaceae) Family of Vegetables

Unlike potatoes, sweet potatoes are NOT in the Solanaceae (or nightshade) family of vegetables. (Other nightshades include bell peppers, eggplant, pepinos, tomatoes, tomatillos, pimientos, various sweet and hot peppers including cayenne and paprika).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
220 Calories
5g Fat
40g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 220
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1030mg 45%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 15%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 22mg 111%
Calcium 95mg 7%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 891mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)