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!
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.
Leave the canned stuff on the shelf because NOTHING compares to homemade!
- 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
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven 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.
One batch of this soup is roughly the equivalent (in quantity) of 2 cans prepared canned condensed cream of celery soup ("prepared" meaning 2 cans of added milk). Enjoy as a stand-alone soup or use in any recipe calling for prepared canned condensed cream of celery soup.
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Hari Chandana says
Healthy and amazing soup.. great clicks too!!
The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Hari! I’ve always loved “cream of” soups. But then I just love CREAM period! :)
Anonymous says
I made it today, and it was very good… perfect for a cold day
Jennifer Barlow Judd says
So if I wanted to make this not “prepared” what adjustments would I make?
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer! By “prepared” I just mean that the instructions for making canned cream of [] condensed soups is to add a can of milk. So this recipe is roughly the equivalent of 2 cans prepared soup.
bakeaffairs says
The soup looks delicious!
The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, bakeaffairs! I love creamy vegetable soups of any kind :)
Maria says
Amazing recipe! just made it yesterday and my husband requested more today! I used half and half instead of milk. Thank you for sharing !
The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Maria, I’m so happy you both enjoyed it!
Melissa says
Thank you for this recipe, I love it!
The Daring Gourmet says
You’re welcome, Melissa! Thank you for trying it and for your feedback!
Bunny says
Omg..this is so good.. I think I will try this base for carrots to..
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Bunny! Yes, this works wonderfully with just about any vegetable.
Anonymous says
Thank you for the hard work, This saves me having to do it for myself, There are so many recipes that call for canned cream of celery or mushroom soup, and they both have MSG in them which both my husband and I have allergy to. thanks again, Gin Bell
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’re very welcome, Gin Bell! What you said is very true. And all the junk in the canned stuff aside, homemade also just tastes a million times better!
Anonymous says
Thank you for delicious soup recipe!
Anonymous says
I made this recipe today – I doubled the recipe – my whole family loved it – thanks for sharing this recipe – I already put it in my keeper box!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful news, thanks so much for making it and for your feedback!
janelle says
Does this soup freeze well! I’m making double batch and I might have to freeze some!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Janelle, I’m always careful not to recommend something unless I’ve tried it myself and I have not tried freezing this before. It will keep for several days in the fridge though. If you do try freezing it, let us know how it goes!
Julie says
Yes, I would like to know if it freezes too. Such a healthy (organic celery is important), delicoius recipe would be comforting for sick or those grieving. I like to add whatever needs to be used up. Added some sour cream and plain yogurt. Unbelievably good! Hard to find “cream of” soups without MSG. And organic is expensive and not nearly as good as this!
GreenBayMom says
I froze a whole bunch in the fall. It separates and looks gross, but comes right back together and tastes fantastic when you re-heat it on the stovetop.
Unni says
Is it possible to make, and reheat later? I’ve got guests tonight, and would like to have this as starter, but need to save time……
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Sorry I’m only now responding, Unni. Our internet has been down and just started again. By now you will have already made a decision, but yes, it can be reheated.
Shirley says
Thank You so VERY much, Kimberly! You are right…a million times better than canned! Made this yesterday…. delicious! Am looking forward to using the leftovers as some base for potato soup today…IF I can resist eating the rest of it first! SO glad I ‘discovered’ you! Thanks again for saving me from the can! I’m also anxious to try your German recipes…I lived there for several years really liked the food (AND the people AND the country!)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup, Shirley, and really appreciate your feedback! I’m happy you found my blog, too, and am thrilled that you’re familiar with and enjoy German food. Welcome on board and I look forward to hearing from you again! Liebe Grüße, Kimberly
Leslie says
Have you ever tried freezing this soup? I have lots of celery left in the garden and was wanting to make cream of celery soup but didn’t know how it would cook up after being froze!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, Leslie! I have not tried freezing it before. If you give that a try, let us know how it went!
Wendy says
Looks like it could be frozen if you made it without the cream or milk, which tends to separate when frozen. I’m going to try it, then add the milk when it is reheated …what do you think?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds like a great plan, Wendy!
Diana says
Sounds so yummy. I’m going to try stopping at the add broth and freeze. Will let you know how it works.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Diana! Enjoy!
Bette says
I used heavy whipping cream, left out sugar and flour, pureed in my blender. It came out wonderful!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bette, so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Marion H Brown says
Bette – I did the same and it was sooo delicious!
melly says
could you use half & half instead of the milk?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You bet, Melly, and it will taste even better that way! :)
Ginger says
Yes u can,that is the way we make it, it comes out velvity smooth & tasty,!
melly says
thanks! :) we aren’t big milk drinkers but i’m a big coffee drinker and ALWAYS have half & half in my fridge.
Bridget says
My husband needs to be gluten free. Do you have any suggestions for using cornstarch instead of flour? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bridget! Yes, use half the amount of cornstarch and dissolve it in the broth or milk before adding it.
Anonymous says
Should have done this……had lumps!
TomR says
I have just made this soup and it is perfect, even though, in the spirit of being daring, I broke the rules. I used dried garlic and onion rather than fresh. I used 2% milk rather than whole. These are the things I have on hand. Perhaps next time I’ll do it the “right” way (having a Wusthof knife would help in that process ), but the beauty of this recipe is that (a) it is simple, and (b) it can handle my less-than-optimal substitutions.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Exactly, TomR! And in the end all that really matters is that it tastes good! And speaking of the knife, be sure to enter the giveaway on my chicken post for a chance to win it!
Lisa says
How long/well does it keep in the Fridge? I’d love to make a larger batch and had individual servings ready to go. Do you suggest freezing it as is or freezing the broth portion and adding the dairy after reheating it? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lisa, it will keep in the fridge for at least 3 days. And like you noted, you can freeze it without the the milk/cream and then add it later. Happy cooking!
Jennifer says
Hi Kimberly. To make mushroom soup, how would I do that using this base?
Do u suggest chicken bouillon or veg broth? Which one yields the most flavour?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer, you would simply substitute chopped fresh mushrooms in place of the celery and make it exactly the same way. You can use either chicken or vegetable broth, but I would probably go with chicken. And I would definitely use some heavy cream :)
Sharen Valentine says
I made the cream of celery soup today for my family and it was a huge hit. I used about 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup cream and it was heavenly!! Can’t wait to make it again. And it was super easy. I’ll never eat cream of celery soup out of a can again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
YES!!!! So glad it was hit, Sharen – thanks so much for the feedback!
jennifer says
Delicious! Added 1 chicken bouillon, 2 cups water, skipped the salt and used mostly cooking cream with a little milk. Thick, creamy, easy :) LOVE IT!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer, thank you!
jennifer says
Hi Kimberly, trying it with broccoli this time. Do i need to steam the broccoli first or just through them in (from frozen)?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer, you don’t need to steam it but do thaw and drain it first. Happy cooking!
Paula Weidner says
I like how the soup turned out. It’s very creamy. I froze some for those recipes that require canned. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, thanks for your feedback, Paula!
Nicole says
Curious if anyone has tried freezing this yet (with or without the milk added). We use Campbell’s Cream of Celery and Cream of Chicken condensed soups in EVERYTHING and I’ve just recently become aware of how many unhealthy and suspicious ingredients are in them….I’d love to make a big batch and keep on the freezer to use as needed.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Definitely, Nicole! Yes, you can freeze it. Freeze it without the milk/cream and then add the milk/creak when you reheat the soup. Happy soup-making!
Carol says
Thanks for the recipe. I made my version vegan by using garlic infused coconut oil, almond milk, organic veggie stock, carrots, baby bella mushrooms and hemp hearts. I also did not add salt or sugar. Your recipe didn’t need either. Again, thanks for inspiring me to create.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Carol, thanks for your feedback on your veganized version.
Anonymous says
I m in luv with ur recipes.. Ur thorough demo pics..god bless u..
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, I really appreciate that! :)
Anonymous says
Love the recipe. I would like to pressure can some for use later. Any thought or instructions?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hello and thank you! Unfortunately I have zero experience with pressure canning. If you end up trying it, please let us know how it went.
PeruvianMama says
Hi Kimberly, I had celery left overs from a party over the weekend that was still crisp and fresh, stuffed it with onions and garlic in my food processor, saved tons of chopping time, Oh my goodness! Even my non-celery lovers, loved it! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fabulous!! So glad it was a hit, PeruvianMama, and I appreciate the feedback!
sandy says
Hi Kimberly, this sounds delicious, but if I wanted to substitute this in a recipe that calls for CONDENSED soup, what changes would I have to make to the recipe? TIA
Sandy
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sandy, no changes necessary. Just use one batch of this recipe and proceed as usual (no additional milk like you would use if using the canned stuff).
Ailene Hert says
Tried this tonight, and it is delicious! The whole family loved it. Thanks! :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful! So glad it was a hit, Ailene, and thank you for the feedback!
Tracy says
Yum! Made this with 2% milk, no fat, low-sodium broth and 1/2 the salt. Still super creamy and delicious (without the extra fat, sodium and calories)! HEALTHY! Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, Tracy, glad it turned out for you! There’s nothing unhealthy about saturated fat or salt though. The FDA has finally come around to acknowledging the myth that saturated fat is linked to heart disease, something they’ve been telling us for decades that simply isn’t true. Check out this article by my husband, Dr. Killebrew: http://www.daringgourmet.com/2015/01/13/dr-killebrew-the-truth-about-full-fat-dairy/. Also a lot of research has come out that salt has little impact on blood pressure. Here’s Dr. Killebrew’s latest article on salt and blood pressure: http://www.daringgourmet.com/2015/04/30/the-truth-about-salt-and-blood-pressure/. There are just so many myths out there about saturated fat and salt that I asked my husband to publish both of these articles (and there will be more to come).
Tina says
I don’t like celery but wanted to make your soup to go in a recipe and I do believe I would have eaten all of your soup if I didn’t have to use it in the other recipe. It was THAT good! I used half the ingredients, 2% milk, and no sugar. It was a bit thick but I could have added more milk to loosen it up some. Come to think of it, I probably forgot to half the flour. haha Oh well. It was good! Thanks for the recipe. Looking forward to making cream of mushroom soup next. Do you have a particular type of mushroom you recommend?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Tina, so glad you enjoyed it! I use whatever mushrooms I have on hand – they’re all good. Most often I’ll just use white button or cremini mushrooms, but if you can get hold of a medley of wild mushrooms it will be even more amazing.
Anonymous says
Hi Kim, My husband mentioned the other day that he hadn’t had cream of celery soup for a long time. I googled cream of celery soup and found your recipe. I just finished making it this morning. I made it exactly as your recipe and it is absolutely delicious. I gave my hubby a small bowl to taste and he was thrilled with it. I guess Campbell’s is outmatched by your soup. No more cans for us. Thanks for this.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful! I’m thrilled you both enjoyed it so much and really appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Judi says
Love this recipe! Will be making a double batch today, omitting the dairy and using clear jel in place of flour (no gluten and clear jel is recommended for canning) and canning it up. Will simply add the dairy when comes time to use it. Also will do the same with mushrooms. Thank you so very much for taking the time to share your thoughts, Kimberly, and recipes with so many.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Judi, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’ve been starting to pressure can for the first time (previously only water bath conducive things) and would love to know how you do it. I made a batch of chili to pressure can, doing beef stew next, and read that you can’t use flour or cornstarch for thickening. I’ve never heard of clear jel. Thanks again!
Judi says
The Amish use it extensively in their cooking. It’s a very refined cornstarch, does not clump when canned.
Best to you … Canning (pressure) will open all kinds of new and exciting food avenues for you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fascinating! Thanks so much for the info, Judy, I’ll look into it!
Judi says
Also – because I canned the soup, I did not use butter … used refined organic coconut oil. FYI
In the canner now! ?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the info, Judi, I’m going to pressure can some as well very soon! :)
Gail Wolf says
I made this soup this afternoon to eat for dinner tonight with hot bread. It’s absolutely delicious! (Had to “taste test” a few times) Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s a keeper.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Gail, I’m happy to hear it was a hit! And no shame in “taste testing” – we have to make sure it’s “safe” before feeding our families, right? ;) Thanks for the feedback!
sherri says
Just made this I added a pinch of dried thyme and pinch celery salt instead of salt as my butter was salted,tasted wonderful!!!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Sherri, I’m happy you liked it, thank you!
Beverly DiBenedetti says
After planning a family reunion last summer and doing a lot of research to freeze breakfast casseroles I found out that by using canned milk will avoid curdling. I know that many restaurants use canned milk in their cream soups.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Beverly, that’s correct, canned condensed milk won’t curdle. Using whole dairy (whole milk, whole yogurt, cream, etc) is also at lower risk for curdling than low fat versions.
laura says
This is excellent. I used about 2 1/2 Tb. cornstarch instead of flour, and homemade vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. My vegetarian and gluten free family members will be so happy, as am I.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Laura, I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thank you!
Erin says
Used this to make a much loved casserole of my grandmother’s for my family Christmas, and since I really try and avoid using a ton of pre made ingredients in recipes, I decided to use this to replace the can of soup and I am so pleased with how much flavor it brings! Thanks for such a great staple recipe :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Erin, I’m so glad to hear that, thank you!
Brenda says
I just made this and its really good! I only cook for myself so I made half recipe and loved it. Thank you for the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, I’m so glad you liked it, Brenda! We really love this soup too and the basic process is very versatile – use mushrooms instead for a cream of mushroom soup or use broccoli for a cream of broccoli soup, etc. Thanks for the feedback!
Harley_gem says
I was looking for a simple cream of celery soup and I’m so glad I found your site. It is wonderful! Thank you for sharing and I love the way you post recipes with the pictures! Keep up the great work! ?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you! I’m happy you found my site as well and look forward to seeing you around! :)
Sarah S. says
Thank you so much! I love “cream of…” soups. I just made this recipe but also added carrots. It was so delicious. My kids loved it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s awesome, Sarah, I’m so happy to hear your kids enjoyed it as well, thank you!
Laurie Burke says
What a great recipe. I ended up making it the cream of everything soup. I added carrots, potatoes, scallions, a cup of kidney beans I had in the fridge,some sliced black olives and a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne! I enjoyed it thoroughly :) Laurie
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I like that, Laurie – “Cream of Everything Soup” :) It sounds wonderfully hearty and flavorful, thanks for sharing!
Nina says
I just made this and I’m eating it now. My inferior-quality celery and broth, this turned out creamy and scrumptious. My habit with soup is to cut a few pieces of cheddar into my hot bowl, which no doubt adds a lot of fat but I don’t care — it’s too satisfying to eat those blobs of melted cheese along with the soup. Anyway, thanks for posting this!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Nina, that’s awesome, so glad you enjoyed this! I couldn’t agree more about the blobs of cheese – bring ’em on! :)
Leah says
I was wondering if anyone has tried using a can of coconut milk instead of milk or cream and if so how it turned out.
Yvonne Bailey says
This is an amazing soup have made it lots of times for my family and friends and I always get told wow can they have the ingredients so that they can make it. It is a five star soup
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Yvonne, thanks so much!
Anonymous says
Love love love. A few alterations to “simmering” with milk and times, but otherwise, fabulous! 5 stars easy
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
douglas reibold says
I put this together tonite in about 30 minutes,it was excellent.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Douglas, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Kate says
THE best cream of celery soup EVER! I’ve made this three times already and it’s SO good!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Woohoo, Kate, that’s awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback!
Kate says
Made this tonight and it was soooo good, I can’t recommend this recipe more highly! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Kate, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Theresa says
Very good soup! I omitted the salt and sugar and it was fantastic! Thanks for the recipe! I just love Cream of Celery soup! 👍🏻😊
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So do I, Theresa, and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this, thank you!
Barb says
Absolutely fabulous – will be making again on Monday to start my daughters 1st anniversary dinner.(Yes they are coming to us to celebrate – go figure)
First attempt I nearly didn’t have enough as I couldn’t stop eating it:)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Haha, that’s awesome, Barb! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it and what a great choice for the special upcoming dinner – thank you!
Katie says
Very tasty! For everyone worried about freezing I’m sure it’s fine. I freeze cream based soups all the time and it’s never been a problem for me.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Katie, I’m glad to hear it and thanks for the feedback about freezing!
Paula says
Kimberly! Oh. My. Gosh! This recipe is AMAZING! We belong to a food co-op and for some reason had gotten so much celery from there that we had zero chance of eating it all before it became mushy. Searching for what to do with it all, I came across this gem of a recipe. I ended up quintupling (!) the recipe & then froze it in quart containers. At this week’s co-op we got a cabbage and I knew what had to be done. Last night was Cabbage & Kielbasa soup and we might have actually died and gone to heaven! I pureed the frozen cream of celery and then followed the C&K recipe and it turned out delightful with no cream-separating issues. Topped with homemade croutons, two (huge) bowls later and I was the happiest I’ve ever been. I’ve promised myself I’ll take an extra walk around the block today so I can do the whole thing again tonight! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yay, that’s awesome, Paula!! I’m super thrilled to hear that and really appreciate the feedback, thanks so much!
Jennifer says
Made this recipe today with celery from the garden…..absolutely amazing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad to hear that, Jennifer, thank you! :) And I’m jealous of your homegrown celery – our garden is bursting with a great variety of vegetables but we haven’t been successful with celery!
Renee says
Hi Kimberly! I love my cream soups also and I think i’m gonna try the celery recipe but sub. mushrooms for the celery cause my mom loves cream of mushroom soup but I use alot of cream of chicken soup in my chicken casserole that I make all the time in the fall and winter months. How would I adjust your celery soup to make it cream of chicken? Would I just sub. the chicken (finely diced) for the celery and of course use chicken broth? Thanks so much in advance for a quick response. Love your site.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Renee, thank you! :) Theoretically the process would be similar if making cream of chicken soup but I haven’t tried it yet myself and I’m sure I would make several alterations to the ingredients and ratios if I were making it. If you give it a go let us know how it turned out!
Sue Sanderson says
How did the canning process turn out? Did you omit milk and butter?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sue, I haven’t tried canning this but perhaps some of our other readers have so we’ll see if anyone chimes in…
Marlene Sevenko says
Great recipies I will try them all!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Marlene, thank you! I hope you enjoy everything you try – happy cooking! :)
Tilly says
I added 1/2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp fish sauce.
Charles M says
OMG! This soup is amazing! After a 40 year relationship, I am officially breaking up with Campbell’s… and I’m not even sad about it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Haha, that’s hilarious, Charles! Congrats on having the courage to make a clean break of it once and for all ;) So glad you found something better and thanks for the feedback!
Ann-Marie says
Love this, a big hit with the whole family, even using 2% milk. I’m wondering if you could add a little more info, like portion size and how many the recipe should feed. Our little daughter is Type 1 diabetic and I am always looking for the nutritional info and carb counts whenever trying a new recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ann-Marie, that’s wonderful, thank you! So this recipe makes roughly the equivalent of 2 cans of prepared condensed soup (meaning 2 cans soup plus the 2 cans of added milk). I looked up the condensed soup cans online and it says one can is 2.5 servings at 1/2 cup per serving. So this recipe would be roughly double that: Five 1/2 cup servings. 1/2 cup sure is a really small serving though :) For nutritional info there are several great sites like caloriecount.com and fitday.com that let you enter in all the ingredients and quantities in any recipe and they give you a complete nutritional breakdown. They’re great resources.
Mary Barry says
Hi Kim. I have made this amazing soup and it is sooo good. My husband couldn’t believe how different it is from canned soup. I forgot to write down the ingredients so I am back checking them out and have shared this with my friends on Facebook. You don’t need to change anything in this recipe. Perfect just the way it is. Hugs.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Mary, and thanks so much for sharing this with your friends! <3
Nicole says
Kim, I just made this and I had to blend it due to the suspicious minds of my children thinking I am feeding them veggies. I sprinkled Parmesan cheese and it is fabulous!! Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s so awesome, Nicole! Your kids sound like mine and I do the same thing :) Thanks so much!
Jim Bachman says
Thank you for the idea!!!
Where I went with it (see parentheses):
• ¼ cup butter (Half a stick)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) (2 to 1 ratio celery to onions, finely diced)
• 2 cups very finely chopped good quality, flavorful celery (about 5 large stalks, organic recommended for optimal flavor). (Fill to top of 2 cup measuring cup)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced (four, at least)
• ⅓ cup all-purpose unbleached flour (okay)
• 1½ cups good quality chicken broth (2 cups at least – watch how it is cooking)
• 1½ cups whole milk (or use ¾ cup milk and ¾ cup cream for even tastier results) (1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream)
• 1 teaspoon salt (artisan salt)
• ½ teaspoon sugar (okay)
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste
• (1 jalapeño all seeds and veins removed)
• 2 large carrots finely chopped (1 cup)
• (8 oz chopped mushrooms)
• (2 bay leaves)
Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms and garlic (with bay leaves) until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes (9 – 10 minutes until moisture is cut in half). 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 (15 minutes is too long). Add salt to taste.
2. AWESOME!!!!!!
Thank you for this recipe!!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad you enjoyed it, Jim, thank you! By the way, the 15 minute recommended cook time is based on if you’re using milk or a combination of milk and cream. You used all cream which thickens more quickly.
Paul Nee says
Thank you Kimberly, this was an awesome soup. I switched out the milk and cream for skim milk and it still came out very creamy. Great Recipe!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Paul, thanks for the feedback!
Deb says
I made the soup today, it is awesome! I added some minced carrots yummy. I too will not be using canned soups any more. This is so easy and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. I like the japaleno idea, however my husband doesn’t so I sprinkled some dry red pepper flakes in my bowl,
Thank you for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Deb, thanks so much!
Jill says
Hi. I’m just wondering if you really feel as though organic celery has better flavor than non-organic? I never heard anyone say organic is better flavored than non for any vegetables, etc. just curious, I will pay more attention in the future.
Celery soup, homemade, is one of my very favorites. I like to use about twice as much celery, after it is softened I take out about half and set aside. Then I take a stick blender and liquefy it right in the pan, add about a half cup of black olives, then blend again, then return the chunky celery to the pot, bring up temp and serve. (I also have a recipe for cream of black olive soup which is just fabulous)
Yum. Now I’m hungry. Thanks for your recipe, trying it tomorrow as my neighbor just gave me five “heads” of celery.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jill, that sounds delicious! I don’t buy most produce organic, generally only the few are the very heavily sprayed with pesticides (eg, kale, peaches, strawberries, etc) and in many cases no, the flavor is not better. When it comes to celery though yes, organic tends to have a more pronounced flavor. The stalks tend to be narrower with a more concentrated flavor. The good part too is that organic is often not much more than non-organic. I’ll often see organic celery for 99 cents a pound compared to 89 cents for regular.
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
I’ll be making some of this soon to freeze! I love using soup like this in other soups and in casseroles (just a little bit for flavor)! Homemade is so good too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Exactly, Angie, it’s so good using this as a base for so many things!
Eloïse says
I veagniased this recipe last night and it was amazing!! I used earth balance, soy milk and faux chicken broth. It was so good I want to make it again tonight lol
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Eloïse, I’m so glad!
Pat says
Just made this soup,was disappointed after all the rave reviews. Follow ed the recipe and it tasted like onion soup. Will use the rest in
Casseroles.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m sorry you were disappointed, Pat. Celery varies tremendously in quality and strength of flavor. Did you follow the recommendation to use organic celery?
Anonymous says
Yes, I used organic celery. Slender stalks and very crisp.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I don’t know what to say then other than I’m sorry it wasn’t to your liking.
carol bollard says
This is so delish. I even used a little non-fat milk instead of whole milk. And I used it as a base for a chicken pot pie because it is so thick and wonderful. My pot was outstanding! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Carol, thank you! And I’ll bet that pot pie was outstanding indeed!
GC says
EZ-PZ and tastes great. I did however need to double the chicken broth because I found it much too thick. I also added a diced chicken breast to include more protein. Excellent, and I will make this again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, GC! Alternatively, next time you can simply add less flour if you think it’s too thick.
Janet says
Good recipe but needs one addition while simmering…a bay keaf.
Janet Dobbelstein says
Has anyone ever tried adding lemon?
Brenda Boldt says
Hi Kimberly,
I am just finding you today through a google search for cream of celery soup. I made this recipe today, I doubled it as I had an over abundance of celery and had a big hankerin’ for a good feed of it! This is a fantastic recipe, and will be my go to recipe for cream of anything soup!! Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic recipe! Cheers!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Brenda, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Michelle says
Hi Kimberly, I LOVE cream of celery soup and can eat the canned Campbell’s stuff like it’s gourmet food – but stumbled upon your recipe and yours was SO SO much better! Consider me converted! I’m not a skilled cook, so I love that your recipe was easy to follow (pics are super helpful and amazing!) and even I couldn’t mess it up! I basically ended up eating 90% of my first batch immediately, so going to make me another batch tomorrow and then trying it out with mushrooms after that. Thanks for this fabulous recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yayyy, I’m thrilled to hear that, Michelle! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Bronya says
I used ciconut milk and I made a paste with cashew nuts instead of flour so it was dairy free and gluten free. It tourned out really good. Thanks for the recipe and hope u didn’t mi d me modifi g it! namaste Bronya
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bronya, that’s awesome! Thanks for your tips on making this dairy and gluten free!
Tracy Waters says
I was raised on cream soups 50’s.I won’t eat can soups anymore after reading on the cans that GMO is used in a lot of ingredients I even wrote them about the use of GMO they answered saying buy there all natural can soups, yea twice the price. Your cream of celery soup sounds delicious! My weekends will be busy making a lot of homemade soups. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Tracy! Yeah, great response from the manufacturer :( Their loss – we’ll make it ourselves, thank you very much, and it’s not only cheaper, it’s MUCH better tasting! :)
David says
Have looked for months and months for this recipe. It is comfort food from my youth. My mother used to make it and this recipe is quite similar in flavor. Unfortunately, she died before I could get this and many other recipes. I did remember, however, that she used half and half instead of milk/cream. Thank you so much for putting me in touch with my lost youth.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi David, I’m so glad you found this and hope you enjoy your walk down memory lane. Kind regards, Kimberly
Felicia says
Great recipe! I made it gluten free by using between rice flour instead of all purpose flour.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Felicia, thank you!
Katelyn Tracy says
Is celery fresh from the garden good for this recipe? I know that garden grown celery can be more bitter tasting.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Katelyn, I would think garden fresh celery would have an advantage because it has much more flavor. I think any bitterness will be tempered through the cooking process and addition of other ingredients.
Alexandra Federov says
I just made this recipe exactly as the recipe calls with the exception of adding some chopped celery leaves toward the end of simmer for more celery flavor. it is an excellent replacement for store-bought cream of celery soup. After the third cup flour it was nearly condensed. Could be thinned out with more broth if you cut back on the salt. thank you for this simply awesome recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Alexandra, thank you!
Lorna says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I loathe celery but got a big head of it in my CSA box this week and seemed to remember from childhood that I find cream of celery soup bearable – I was not wrong! Can’t stop going back for sneaky spoonfuls. Still have half a head of the evil vegetable left so I’m going to make a batch without the milk, as others have suggested, for freezing. Can’t wait to try this with some other veggies too – if I love it this much with celery, it’s going to be AMAZING with mushrooms. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol, Lorna! I’m glad you enjoyed this, thank you!
Jenny says
Great recipe! Had some kinda wilty, non-organic, celery i wanted to use up, and used 1% milk as didn’t have any cream, but the result is still very tasty, indeed. Will make again! Thanks! 🙂
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Jenny, thanks!
Kara says
This is absolutely fantastic!! I added one potato and at the end puréed the whole pot. I will make this recipe again and again…,thank you!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Kara, thanks so much!
Connie says
One person said that they used evaporated milk and you came back and said, yes it would be ok to use condensed milk. Are evaporated and condensed milk the same? Soup really sounds great will be sure and try it. Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Connie, that was a typo – condensed milk is “sweetened condensed milk” with lots of sugar and would NOT be a good substitute :) Evaporated milk is the correct one.
Vicky T says
Made this yummy celery soup last night with very old celery I had lingering in our fridge for over a month! It was easy and very very tasty. I did blend all ingredients at the end to make it very smooth.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Vicky, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Ann says
The recipes that I use “cream of soups” in don’t call for any additional liquid. To make this the same consistency as a canned soup…would I reduce the amount of liquid to make it thick like the canned versions?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a great question, Ann. That’s what I would do – start with half or less of the chicken broth and milk and add more if needed.
Doris Dallaire says
This soup was so easy to make and so delicious to eat. I used milk and ended up adding some more as it cooked because it just got too thick. But the result was great, it’s just very flexible that way – adjust to your liking. It’s one I’ll make again and again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Doris, thank you!
Bunny Van says
Absolutely delicious! Fantastic recipe! Although I did add a couple of our favorite flavorings… but just small shakes. That was Madras curry powder and Cavenders Greek seasoning. Love this recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Bunny, thank you!
John smith says
Adding the milk broke my Dutch oven! Cold milk on hot oven caused it to crack! Be advised when using this recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi John, I’m sorry to hear about your Dutch oven. That problem isn’t specific to this recipe (which doesn’t call for cold milk by the way), that’s a common problem specific to cast iron cookware in general and applies to any recipe.
Shirley miller says
Great recipe! How about making cream of clam chowder from it?? Any ideas friends??
Jules says
when I couldn’t buy just 2 celery sticks for my sons risotto and had to buy a whole bunch I Decided to google cream of celery soup and came across your recipe! Absolutely delicious! Although I did find it very, very thick and needed more milk but perhaps that’s just my preference? I’ll try again with less flour and see how it goes!
Was wondering if you could let me know how I would go about making this into a cream of chicken soup? Would I make it up as normal and then add a few skinless chicken thighs and simmer until cooked through, then shred the chicken? Or would I poach it first and add in?
Thanks you x
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jules, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! Yes, the first way you described is basically how I would make a cream of chicken soup as well (cooking the bone-in chicken with the other ingredients will create a nice rich broth) and I’d probably cut back a little on the celery.
Becca says
Absolutely incredible, everyone LOVED it! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Tammy Worden says
Absolutely deeeeelicious, thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Tammy!
Jasmine says
It’s amazing. I pureed mine at the and just used milk no cream and 4 stalks of celery. It’s perfect!! Thank You!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Jasmine, thank you!
Cori Landon says
EXCELLENT SOUP, thanks so much for sharing this!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Cori!
Annette says
Just made your celery soup recipe and it’s perfect to be my base for tuna noodle casserole… no more cans of cream of celery soup for me!! Thanks again!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Annette, thanks so much!
Kimberly J Birdsall says
After looking at many many recipes this one caught my interest the most. I will be making it tomorrow and I’m so excited… I will follow the instructions/ingredients to a T..
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Kimberly, please let us know what you think!
Roger Arango says
Thanks for the recipe–as a bachelor I go for easy–usually crock pot recipes–and I think something like cream of celery soup is wonderful: so I can put a tin of canned chicken or even canned clams–put it on when I leave, come back and thicken it–there’s very little you can’t do to add on–but it is good all by itself. Oh: a secret some one told me: NOTHING is not made better by adding a half pint of heavy cream. (did I mention I am a bachelor and live alone?)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I couldn’t agree more, Roger, heavy cream and bacon both make the world go round! :)
Sheri Davis says
The best soup ever. Have made it with mushrooms-celery- broccoli- carrots and just random veggies. All turned out amazing!!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Sheri, I’m so glad, thank you!
Jan Jacobs says
Hi made this soup but personally I think there is a mistake in the recipy. It calls for 1/3 cup of flour and this is way too much for this small amount of liquid.
I guess 2 table spoons is more than sufficient
lyn says
high,made this soup today and if I calculated the flour into ounces correctly as two ounces believe it was too thick.I had to add double the liquid. Please advise
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jan, there’s no mistake. That’s the standard recommendation for the ratio of flour to liquid for thickening: 1.5-2 tablespoons of flour for every cup of liquid.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lyn, that’s the standard ratio of flour to liquid in order to thicken. I’m not sure what happened either.