Creamy Celeriac Soup Crispy Bacon (Printable)

Velvety celeriac soup with cream and crispy bacon topping. Simple, comforting, and ready in under an hour.

# 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 + 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 streaky bacon
11 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
02 - Add celeriac and potato. Stir to coat thoroughly 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 vegetables simmer, 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. Using an immersion blender, purée until completely smooth. Alternatively, carefully blend in batches using a standard blender and return to pot.
06 - Stir in cream and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently reheat if necessary, but do not allow to boil.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with crispy bacon and a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast between velvety soup and shattering bacon bits creates this magical moment when you close your eyes at the first spoonful.
  • It feels like restaurant-quality food, but honestly takes so little effort that it became my secret weapon for impressing guests while barely breaking a sweat.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after adding cream or it will separate, leaving you with a grainy texture instead of velvety smoothness.
  • Cooking the vegetables until truly fork-tender before blending makes all the difference between a silky soup and one with fibrous bits.
03 -
  • Save the bacon fat after crisping the garnish and use a tiny bit to sauté the vegetables at the beginning for an extra layer of savory depth.
  • The key to properly peeling celeriac is to first cut off the top and bottom to create stable flat surfaces, then use a sharp knife to remove the skin in downward strokes rather than struggling with a vegetable peeler.
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