Creamy Celeriac Soup Crispy Bacon (Printable Version)

Velvety celeriac blended with cream and garnished with crispy bacon for a comforting European-style bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large celeriac (approximately 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 plus 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 bacon
11 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley, optional

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
02 - Add diced celeriac and potato to the pot. Stir to coat thoroughly with butter and cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
04 - While soup simmers, place bacon slices in a cold, dry skillet. Cook over medium heat until crispy, turning as needed. Transfer to paper towels and crumble or leave whole.
05 - Remove soup from heat. Purée using an immersion blender until smooth, or carefully blend in batches using a standard blender.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently reheat if necessary without boiling.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with crispy bacon and a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms a humble root vegetable into something that feels like a five star restaurant meal.
  • The salty bacon crunch provides the perfect contrast to the velvety smooth base.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil once you have added the cream or it might separate and lose its shine.
  • Peeling the celeriac deeply is vital because the outer skin is far too woody to ever blend smooth.
03 -
  • For the smoothest texture possible, pass the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve before serving.
  • Cook your bacon starting in a cold pan to render out the most fat and achieve maximum crunch.
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