Cream of Celery Leaves Soup
Published Apr 28, 2023
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Wondering what to do with celery leaves? Cream of Celery Leaves Soup makes the perfect starter for an elegant spring dinner party, brunch or luncheon. It’s an easy and tasty way to use celery leaves and tender tops to reduce kitchen waste!
“Wish I could give this one TEN stars. It is deeee-licious! … This is just too good to be real!”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
After watching the late Anthony Bourdain’s movie Wasted on a plane ride back from Europe several years ago, I was shocked to learn how much food we waste as a nation. Frankly, it made me pretty uncomfortable.
We compost all our vegetable trimmings, but I decided to take a closer look at what we were tossing that was still edible and usable. Celery leaves were one of those things.
Celery is a workhorse in the culinary world for everything from potato salad to stuffing to soups and stews. That means the potential for lots of celery leaves and tender tops that can be used in numerous ways all year long–like this creamy celery leaf soup!
This Cream of Celery Leaves Soup recipe is:
- So delicious! Check out the reviews!
- Easy!
- Make-ahead!
Can You Eat Celery Leaves?
You absolutely can eat celery leaves. A leafy head of celery is a bonus because celery leaves are an unsung hero of the culinary world. They are delicious, and this celery leaves recipe proves it! Celery leaves are packed with intense celery flavor without the stringiness of the stalk. Another bonus–they’re super nutritious! Celery leaves are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, according to LiveStrong.com.
How to Make Cream of Celery Soup:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Cream of Celery Leaves soup recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Butter and Olive Oil: Using butter and olive oil together creates a flavorful base for sauteing the scallion, celery leaves, and garlic. Oil lacks flavor, and butter can burn quickly. I always use unsalted butter to adjust the salt level to taste.
- Scallions: Scallions, also known as green onions or spring onions, are young onions. They consist of a white base that has not yet formed into a bulb and long green stalks that often resemble chives when very young and thin. The white and green parts are edible and can be consumed cooked or raw. The delicate flavor of scallions won’t overpower the celery as using a mature onion would.
- Celery Leaves and Tender Tops: I highly recommend sticking to using only the leaves and tender tops. The stalks can be somewhat stringy unless you strip the strings off.
- Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes help to thicken the soup.
- Chicken Broth: Substitute vegetable broth to make this soup vegetarian.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream adds a luxurious touch. You can cut the amount in half if you’re concerned about the fat and calories.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat butter and oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or other soup pot.
- Add the scallions. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the scallions wilt.
- Add the garlic and celery leaves. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until leaves wilt and reduce in volume.
- Add the potato and give it a stir.
- Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until potato and other vegetables are very tender.
- Remove from the heat and add the cream.
- Puree with an immersion blender or carefully in batches in a food processor.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Voila! A beautiful, creamy, luxurious, and delicious soup perfect for any spring occasion!
- Garnish with a few fresh celery leaves.
Cream of Celery Leaves Soup is the perfect way to use an abundance of celery leaves and reduce kitchen and food waste!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Be sure to store your celery and leaves in aluminum foil which helps the celery breathe. Using plastic wrap will accelerate spoilage because ethylene gas produced by the celery can’t escape. Wrapped in aluminum foil, celery can last up to a month in your refrigerator.
- Definitely use scallions in this celery leaf recipe. Their delicate flavor won’t overpower the celery like a mature onion would. A leek or two is also a good option.
Recipe FAQs:
Fresh celery leaves can be used like any herb. Therefore, you can:
>>Use them in stock.
>>Use to flavor soups and stews.
>>Make a celery leaf pesto.
>>Add them to salads.
>>Use them in place of parsley either in the recipe or as a garnish.
>>Add them to a green smoothie.
>>Make this celery leaves recipe!
Wrap them in aluminum foil to store celery and the celery leaves so that they last up to a month. Do not store them in a plastic bag or plastic wrap. When stored this way, you’ll be amazed a vegetable can last so long in your refrigerator. Keep the leaves attached to the stalk as long as possible.
Yes, you absolutely can! It can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Cool the soup down completely and refrigerate until you wish to serve it. Then reheat it on the stovetop in a saucepan or the pot you cooked it in.
Storage:
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Serve with:
- Puff Pastry Vegetable Tart
- Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart with Thyme
- Chicken Divan
- Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Puff Pastry Parcels
- French Lentil Salad
- Salade Nicoise
More great recipes to reduce kitchen and food waste!
- Carrot Top Salsa Verde
- Radish Greens Pesto
- Hot Bacon Dressing with Radish Greens
- Whole Grain Croutons with Thyme Rosemary and Parmesan
Get all my soup and stew recipes at: Soup and Stew Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen
Cream of Celery Leaves Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 bunches thick scallions, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups celery leaves, tender tops and hearts, packed (from about 2 large heads, 2 cups after being chopped)
- 1 large Russet potato or 2 medium Russets, peeled and cubed (approximately 2 cups)
- 4 cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or other soup pot.
- Add the scallions. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the scallions wilt.
- Add the garlic and celery leaves. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until leaves wilt and reduce in volume.
- Add the potato and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until potato and other vegetables are very tender.
- Remove from heat and add the cream.
- Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Notes
- Store your celery and leaves in aluminum foil which helps the celery breathe. Using plastic wrap will accelerate spoilage because ethylene gas produced by the celery can’t escape. Wrapped in aluminum foil, celery can last up to a month in your refrigerator.
- Can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Cool and refrigerate until needed. Reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Although the weather is warming up here, don’t mind of having this delicious cream celery soup, what a delicious way to enjoy those celery leaves!
Thanks, Jagruti! It snowed in Colorado last week so there’s still chilly weather around. We eat other hot foods in the summer so why not a little soup? It’s perfect all year-round. Thanks again!
I can’t believe the simplicity of this celery soup! I was expecting to see lots of steps and guidelines but the recipe is so simple to make. Never going to waste celery leaves again. Your ideas about using celery leaves and tops are great!
Thanks, Saima! Definitely, don’t waste celery leaves. Put them in salads or use like you would any fresh herb. Thanks again!
I’m really loving this idea! Lately, I’ve been trying to throw away as little food as possible — and this is such an elegant way to use up a bit of food that typically wouldn’t be considered quite so glamorous. It seems like a really unique and tasty flavor, too — thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you, Amy! I’m still not perfect in the food waste area, but I’m working on it!
What an amazing idea! I love this feature concept of ‘Waste Not’. I’m so guilty of this too – especially when it comes to celery leaves! The scallions must add a great flavor as well. The color is so visually striking, love it.
Thanks, Lauren!
Am absolutely adoring your in process shots!!! They’re so useful and make the recipe so easy to follow! Thanks so much for sharing :).
Thanks, Daniela!
Carol, have you ever had lovage? It tastes and smells like celery but you only use the leaves. Do you think I could make this soup with lovage in place of the celery? Thanks!
Hi, Charity, I’ve never had lovage; it’s not something I find in my neck of the woods. I’m sure you could use it though. Thanks again!
What a beautiful summer soup! I love how simple the ingredient list is, and it’s so easy to put together. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks, Amanda! It really is super simple. Thanks again!
I LOVE this “waste not” series. Food waste is out of control in this country, but I also totally understand why — it’s so hard to come up with creative ways to use food scraps. We always save all our veggie tops and bottoms in a bag in the freezer to add to homemade stock, but I love this soup idea for times when we have lots and lots of celery all at once. I can’t wait to see what else you include in this series!
Thanks, Julie! I agree about food waste being out of control. I might not be able to feed too many hungry people with a soup, but I can certainly be a good steward of what I have. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
This soup looks SO deliciously good and the perfect way to use up those celery leaves. I wish I could eat that right now!
Thanks, Maggie! Hope you enjoy!
I’ve never done anything this creative with celery. This sounds like a lovely spring soup I’d like to try.
Thanks, Tynia! I know, celery is one of those unglamorous vegetables that’s more of a kitchen workhorse but seldom takes center stage. Thanks again!