Celeriac has many uses in various tasty dishes. It can be eaten raw, steamed, roasted, or, as in this recipe, we’re blending it down to make a warming winter soup. Not only that, we’re topping it off with some crunchy contrast in the form of garlic croutons. Celeriac is in peak season at the end of Autumn into Winter. It’s a fantastic, healthier alternative to potato, giving you a light, creamy and velvety soup.
Celeriac
Celeriac is truly the “dark horse” of the winter garden. While it might not have the vibrant orange of a carrot, its nutritional profile and seasonal timing make it a powerhouse for the December-to-March timeframe. Similar to parsnips, celeriac stores its energy as complex carbohydrates. As the ground cools, some of these starches convert to sugars, giving the winter harvest a subtle, nutty sweetness that late-summer celeriac lacks.
Particularly after the indulgence of Christmas and that wonderfully rich food, celeriac provides a refreshing change. It has the satisfying “bulk” of potato but feels much lighter and cleaner on the palate. And unlike potatoes, celeriac definitely counts towards your 5 a day. And with this recipe we’re making celeriac soup with garlic croutons, truly a meal in a bowl.
Celeriac: Winter wellness facts
Did you know, celeriac is exceptionally high in Vitamin K. When we’re getting less Vitamin D in the Winter months, especially in UK, Vitamin K works to improve bone density and our calcium absorption. It’s also the ‘de-bloat’ root! Being rich in Potassium, it helps to flush the body of excess fluids. It’s low in calories, making it the ideal swap for potatoes and creamy mash, as well as containing good levels of Vitamin C. It truly is the dark horse of seasonal Winter vegetables.
Other celeriac recipes
If you are looking for other Celeriac recipes to use up the remaining half from this celeriac soup and garlic croutons recipe, then check out the other blog posts below:
As we mentioned previously, celeriac is a great alternative for mashed potato, cubed and roasted to sit alongside roast beef, of perhaps you could try a quick teriyaki marinade and serve alongside some rice, steamed vegetables, and quick pickled red cabbage, for a truly nutritious bowlful of goodness.
Tips for growing Celeriac
Celeriac is a slow burner, taking at least 6 months from germination in March to harvest from September. But once you have sown indoors in March, and planted out in May/June, this vegetable requires little attention and doesn’t require a lot of space. Not only that, you’ll be able to harvest from September to March the following year. It does, however, require a good amount of water – particularly in dry weather it will need watering twice weekly.
Top varieties include: Giant Prague; Brilliant; and Monarch.
You could also use rosemary instead of thyme if you have some in the garden. Rosemary is another woody herb that would pair well with the earthy flavours of the celeriac.
You can use the remaining portion of the celeriac to make my celeriac remoulade
Celeriac Soup with Garlic Croutons
Ingredients
Celeriac Soup
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stick
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 celeriac around 400g
- 1 potato around 100g
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 800 ml stock chicken or vegetable
- 1 sprig thyme leaves
Garlic Croutons
- 100 g cubes of leftover sourdough bread
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove crushed
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180 °C
- Add the olive oil to a casserole dish and the diced onion and celery and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add in the crushed garlic and cook for another minute.
- Meanwhile, peel the celeriac and cut into 1/2 cm dice along with the potato.
- Add the dice vegetables to the dish along with the bay leaf, sprig of thyme and freshly grated nutmeg. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 25 minutes.
- Place your cubes of sourdough bread in a bowl with the olive oil, crushed garlic, and some seasoning. Give everything a good mix, and then pour onto a baking tray in a single layer and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Keep checking and turning them over as they brown and can burn quickly. When done, remove from the oven and set aside. If you're not using the oven for anything else, I often use my air fryer for this, as it saves energy.
- Back to the soup after it's had its 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the woody stalk left from the thyme, and either in a standalone blender or using a stick blender, blitz the soup until totally smooth.
- Season well with salt and pepper.
- Pour into serving bowls, sprinkle with some fresh thyme leaves and top with the crispy garlic croutons.
- For an extra special treat, you can drizzle on some truffle oil for total indulgence!
Notes
- You could also use rosemary instead of thyme if you have some in the garden. Another woody herb that would pair well with the earthy flavours of the celeriac.
- You can use the remaining portion of the celeriac to make my celeriac remoulade
