BEST Cream of Celery Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Leave the canned stuff on the shelf because NOTHING compares to homemade! This homemade cream of celery soup recipe is made from scratch, is easy to make, and the flavor will absolutely “wow” you!
Fantastic as a stand-alone soup or used in any recipe calling for canned condensed cream of celery soup. Clean, pure, delicious!
Most of us appreciate and enjoy the luxury of convenience from time to time, but we all know there is NO comparison between store-bought canned “cream of” soups and homemade. No comparison in flavor. No comparison in the purity and healthiness of the ingredients. And I would never even consider eating the canned stuff as an actual soup. Mixing it together with a bunch of other ingredients as part of a recipe is one thing (and still only something I have done on very rare occasions while turning a blind eye to the ingredients list), but mixing it with milk, heating it up and eating it plain? *gag* I still can’t fathom how my husband thinks that canned cream of chicken soup tastes good. Again, a very rare indulgence, but still. Ugh! I asked Todd if it’s okay if I reveal this fact about him to the world. His response, [laughing] “Sure, go right ahead, I’m not ashamed of that!” *sigh*
This cream of celery soup is sublime. I whipped it up to use as the base for a Creamy Cabbage & Kielbasa Soup I was developing for dinner that evening (oh so good and recipe to come!) but it was so good that I was really tempted to eat it plain and just make something else for dinner.
For best results, be sure to use good quality celery that’s very fresh and full of flavor. When it comes to celery, organic really is best. Non-organic commercial celery usually just tastes like a crunchy stalk of water with a “hint” of celery. So get the good stuff from your local farmer’s market. And there have been many times when I’ve been surprised to find the organic celery selling for the same price as, or not much more than, non-organic.
This recipe also provides an excellent base for many other “cream of” vegetables soups. Substitute mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, etc, for the celery.
So without further ado, let’s get started!
Cream of Celery Soup Recipe
Very finely dice the onion and celery and mince the garlic.
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and cook the onion, celery and garlic over medium-high heat until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook for another minute.
Add the broth and milk. For even richer results substitute cream for some of the milk.
Stir immediately to prevent the flour from clumping. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add salt to taste.
The end result is a perfectly delicious cream of celery soup you can enjoy on its own or use in place of bought condensed soup for any recipe calling for it.
Enjoy!
Be sure to also try our Cream of Mushroom Soup!
What’s the Best Dutch Oven to Use?
For this recipe, I recommend using a Dutch oven because it seals in the flavors and heats evenly, ensuring consistent cooking results. I love this 6-quart, budget-friendly option from Lodge, which you can get on Amazon for around $80. Or, if you’re looking for a worthy splurge, I also have this one from Le Creuset, which sells for around $300.
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
BEST Cream of Celery Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 small yellow onion ,finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups very finely chopped good quality flavorful celery (about 5 large ribs, organic recommended for optimal flavor).
- 1 large clove garlic ,minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
- 1 1/2 cups good quality chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or use 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup cream for even tastier results)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium-high heat and cook the onions, celery and garlic until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another minute. Add the chicken broth and milk/cream and stir until the mixture is smooth. Increase the heat and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
- If using as a base for other recipes, this soup will keep in the fridge for at least 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Delish! I love celery. Not sure how many servings it was supposed to make but we only made it for 2 people. 1/3 for me and 2/3 for my husband. It’s all gone! Thanks
Thank you so much, Carma, I’m happy you both enjoyed it!
I do not like celery . But I got given some from foods teacher as it was spring break .
This is the best way to eat celery . It’s a 10 outta 10 .
Will definitely accidentally drop some in my grocery cart once in a while lol . It would probably be good baked with Chicken and topped with dried onions or cheese .
Fantastic, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Stacey, thank you! And YES, it would be fabulous baked with chicken!
hallo, am so glad i found this recipe. My dad keeps on buying celery but hardly uses them, echt wahnsinn! And i end up freezing so much for stock. And he ended up buying more over the weekend lols, so am going to make this tomorrow.
btw made your recipe for marzipan last year for our Christstollen (as it is so hard to find hereabouts where i live in asia), was so easy and super yummy!
Haha! I have this image in my mind of celery taking over the fridge and freezer over time :) This soup is the PERFECT way to make use of bulk celery and you freeze the soup too. I’m happy you enjoyed the marzipan! And I hope you enjoy the cream of celery soup – please let us know what you and your dad think when you’ve tried it!
Can you use almond milk?
Hi Jennifer, yes you can!
I am going to make this today.
Perfect recipe! Used half & half. Made broth with left over chicken wing tips. Used 3x the garlic and added 1/2 teas. paprika added after cooking. delicious!
That’s wonderful, Joan, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you very much!
Hi, I’m sure you’ve been asked this before, but here goes. I’m gluten intolerant. I love the simplicity of this recipe, but wonder if you’d done any experimenting with gluten free flours, of if some of your followers have. I’m eager to hear what you have to say! I’m ordering fresh celery my next grocery order!
Hi Johanna, you bet! A lot of GF flour options result in a grainy texture so I recommend using either cornstarch or arrowroot. You’ll use half the amount (just shy of 3 tablespoons) dissolved in 3 tablespoons of water and stir that into the soup at the very end, letting it simmer a minute or two until slightly thickened.
fabulous but i have to share, i made this with evaporated milk, it is next level, half the fat, triple the calcium (skim evaporated version is creamy too) and also using the leaves increases the celery flavor, and is just as edible and works well as a garnish. like my Great Grandma before me, white pepper over black is a must due to the flavours in pepper with a wee pinch of nutmeg in the onion frying. thanks for sharing, we in Australia always eat this too.
Thank you so much for that feedback, Marnie, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Can’t believe I’ve never made cream of celery soup before and been cooking for 50 years! Did, however, eat it out of a can as a kid. This is way better. Thanks for a great recipe. I’ve already made it twice in one week, once for a fundraiser called the Souper Bowl. Everyone makes 4 quarts of soup and sells it for $10 a quart. Believe me, there was no cream of celery but mine, but I think they are going to like it!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Susan, thank you so much! <3
I made this soup for my seniors where I work and it was delicious!! Great recipe. Thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Kimberly, thank you very much! <3
I have made this again and again! Excellent recipe!
Fantastic, thank you so much Jeanne!
Thank you, and God bless you for sharing this delicious recipe! I am 77 years old, and this was my first time to make cream of celery soup! My family has been missing out! The soup is excellent!! The only addition I made was to add some diced, cooked carrots. I will be making this on a regular basis from now on.
That’s wonderful! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it and really appreciate the feedback, thank you Arlene! <3
I made this last night and we ate it all! Very tasty! Biscuits on the side..mmm! I’m going t make it again soon, however, this time I’m going to use 1/4 C of flour and more milk/cream/chicken broth as I found the soup to be quite thick. It was delicious none the less…just going to try it a bit thinner next time! This recipe was easy and ready in no time!