This vegan celeriac soup provides a simple yet delicious bowl of root vegetable goodness. Combining smooth and creamy celeriac with the subtle flavours of apple, lemon, and thyme, it's a winter warmer that's both gluten-free and dairy-free.
While many of my other soup recipes include bold flavours such as garlic, this one is more delicate to let the celeriac come through. Even the lemon zest is used sparingly to start with.
I like to add a diced potato to help thicken it all, before removing the bay leaves and blending until very smooth. For more simple soup ideas, see these recipes for vegan pea and mint soup and spicy pinto bean soup.
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What is celeriac?
Celeriac or 'celery root' is a root vegetable with a rough, knobbly exterior and white flesh on the inside.
Celeriac is very similar in taste to crunchy celery stalks, but with a slightly earthier and nuttier flavour. Its creamy texture makes it perfect for mashing, roasting, or blending up into a smooth soup like this one.
Are celery and celeriac related?
Celery and celeriac are closely related, however they are used very differently in the kitchen.
While celery stalks are great for adding base flavour to soups, stews, risottos, and sauces – not to mention a key component of a Waldorf salad – celeriac is a star ingredient in its own right.
Is celeriac good for you?
Celeriac is high in fibre, low in fat, and packed full of healthy nutrients. Lower in carbs than potatoes or other root vegetables, it is a popular replacement for use in side dishes such as mash.
How to make vegan celeriac soup with apple, lemon & thyme
Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring now and then until they start to soften.
Next, add the diced celeriac, apple, and potato. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the vegan stock, dried thyme, bay leaves, and nutritional yeast. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, stir in the lemon zest and plant-based milk. Start with half of the zest and build from there depending on how much lemon flavour you want to come through.
Cook for another 5 minutes or until the celeriac is tender. If necessary, add a little more water or stock.
Once the celeriac is cooked through, turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and blitz until smooth using a hand blender (you could also transfer to a larger, more powerful blender).
Adjust the seasoning and serve.
Serving suggestions for vegan celeriac soup
Top this soup off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, homemade cashew cream, and chopped fresh parsley. It's also delicious when paired with crispy tofu pancetta or a spoonful of freshly made vegan pesto.
Recipe FAQ
While there are no real restrictions in terms of variety, just bear in mind that different apples will bring different levels of sweetness and acidity. The Braeburns I used lean slightly towards the 'tart' end of the spectrum, but they're not as sharp as something like Granny Smiths.
I went for unsweetened oat milk, but you could use any you like (soya or cashew milk would have been my next choices).
If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock that is certified or labelled as such. You’ll want to do the same for any plant-based cream etc. that you use when serving.
Variations and tips
- Potato: This is entirely optional and just helps to bulk out the soup a bit.
- Garlic: I avoided flavours such as garlic or woody herbs (apart from the dried thyme), but feel free to add these in if you prefer.
- Other veg: I was tempted to include parsnip in this recipe, and think it would be a great addition if you wanted to throw it in.
How to store celeriac soup
Refrigerate: You can store this celeriac soup in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on low heat.
Freeze: Store this soup in the freezer for up to six months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating on the hob or in the microwave.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Vegan Scotch Broth (Scottish Barley Soup)
- 15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup
- Broccoli, Potato and Tarragon Soup
- Creamy Pumpkin Soup
- Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
- White Bean Soup with Lemon and Parsley
- Mashed Leek and Potato Soup
- Pinto Bean Soup with Chilli and Lime
You can also check out my full list of vegan soup recipes.
Full recipe
Vegan Celeriac Soup with Apple, Lemon & Thyme
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 medium celeriac, peeled and diced (approx. 1.5 lb / 700 grams)
- 2 large eating apples, peeled, cored, and diced (or 3 medium)
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (optional)
- 5 cups (1.2 litres) vegan stock
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ¾ cup (200 ml) plant-based milk
- Grated zest of 1 lemon (save the juice to serve)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Small handful fresh parsley, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring now and then until they start to soften.
- Next, add the diced celeriac, apple, and potato. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the vegan stock, dried thyme, bay leaves, and nutritional yeast. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, stir in the lemon zest and plant-based milk. Start with half of the zest and build from there depending on how much lemon flavour you want to come through. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the celeriac is tender. If necessary, add a little more water or stock.
- Once the celeriac is cooked through, turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and blitz until smooth using a hand blender (you could also transfer to a larger, more powerful blender).
- Adjust the seasoning and serve with homemade vegan cream, a squeeze of lemon juice, and chopped fresh parsley. This is also delicious when topped off with crispy tofu pancetta.
Notes
- Vegan Scotch Broth (Scottish Barley Soup)
- Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
- Vegan Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
- Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
- White Bean Soup with Lemon and Parsley
- Mashed Leek & Potato Soup
- Pinto Bean Soup with Chilli and Lime
Nutrition
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Doris Knights
Made this for our monthly lunch (golden oldies and we meet each month September to April). I am the soup maker and this is the first time I have made this soup. Asked for responses as I usually play fairly safe, but it was enjoyed by everyone, so it will definitely feature again.Served with home made bread by one of our number, followed by boeuf bourgignon We have some good cooks in our midst and keen gardeners too, so good judges. Thank you.
The Pesky Vegan
Sounds like high praise from an experienced bunch of cooks, thanks!
LJ
One of the best recipes I've encountered for using a celeriac knob that we got in our CSA share this past week. Thank you.
All soups seem to taste "that much better" the second day, but this tasted great for our supper last night (accompanied by a nice green salad and some crusty bread) therefore I anticipate enjoying it very much for lunch again today.
It was simple to make and fun to eat. Can't ask for much more if you catch yourself staring at a big ole gnarly celeriac knob!
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear you enjoyed this soup, thanks very much for the review!
Dagmar
celeriac has always been one of my all time favourite veggies
The soup is just ready and I am having a bowl right away 😋 who cares about the „right“ time for lunch or dinner
I added sweet potato and lots more fresh thyme but less lemon juice, not really measuring anything.
DE-LICIOUS!
The Pesky Vegan
Sounds good Dagmar, thanks very much for the review!
Janet
Excellent recipe! I confess I made a few changes, only because I wanted to substitute cauliflower for the potato, and added 1 clove of garlic because I love it garlic. I had no veg broth, so I added a big spoonful of miso. The apple flavor was delicious with the celeriac. Thank you for sharing this!
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed and got good results with the miso, thanks very much for the review!
Roberta
Delicious and very creamy - made it for the first time today for my soup loving celery hating husband. He loved it too. Highly recommended.
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear it went down well, thanks very much for the review!
Helen Markwood
Funnily enough I had just made a batch of celery soup, which was tasty, when your email arrived into my inbox, but your ingredients list sounded superb. So I pinched your ingredients and made up a risotto with well caramelised onion in it for flavour. Next week I’ll definitely try the soup. I’m loving your recipes.
Thank you.
The Pesky Vegan
Sounds great - thanks very much for the review and glad to hear you're enjoying the recipes!
Maria
Thank you for this. I'm expecting a grocery delivery soon, including a celeriac and some English apples. I've already got the other ingredients, so I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow. Regarding your comments about including parsnips, I think I'd use them instead of celeriac, rather than with them, as both veg have strong flavours and I think they'd ''fight'' each other rather than blending nicely. I usually include a small potato in this type of soup as it seems to improve the texture.
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear you have a celeriac on the way - let me know how you get on if you do make it!
Maria
I did make the soup, though not until yesterday when I found it delicious. I had some more today and, as happens so often, it was even nicer the second time around. It's both refreshing and substantial, a great combination. I've got plenty more for the weekend as I used the whole celeriac, but that's absolutely fine. The only drawback to celeriac for a single person is that it can be difficult to use it all before it goes bad, so normally I'm frantically trying to think of at least two things to make with it. In this case, I originally intended to freeze some portions, but then remembered that my freezer is full.
The Pesky Vegan
Glad to hear you enjoyed the soup, thanks very much for leaving a review!