Apple & Celery Root (Celeriac) Soup
This Apple & Celery Root (aka Celeriac) Soup is deliciously rich and creamy. It’s a vegetarian soup that is a one-pot meal, freezes well and is perfect for those days when you are craving something comforting and warm. 
Creamy soups are one of my favorite things, but I struggle to order them in restaurants due to the amount of milk, cream, and butter often used to achieve that creamy texture. My intense love of celery root brought me to create this recipe that is so rich and creamy without all the dairy, and I am so pleased with the results of this Apple and Celery Root (aka Celeriac) Soup. There is no rigorous process to this delicious recipe. This soup is incredibly simple to make with diced apples and celery root simmered in vegetable stock until soft and then pureed until smooth. It’s amazing how only a handful of ingredients can create such a rich and luxurious flavor. I love to top each bowl with a mix of finely chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut of choice) and fresh thyme leaves, and of course, don’t forget the slice of crusty bread.
Why You Will Love This Apple and Celery Root Soup
- This delicious hot soup is such an easy way to have a creamy soup without dairy during soup season.
- You can easily modify this sweet and savory soup by adding crispy bacon if you don’t need it to be vegetarian.
- Meal preppers rejoice! This silky smooth soup is perfect to make days ahead or to freeze for later.
- This will be one of your new favorite soups on a chilly day because it’s so quick and easy to make in less than 30 minutes.
- If you have dietary restrictions, this apple and celeriac soup is so great because it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal, Keto, and Whole30.
Ingredients You Will Need For This Apple and Celery Root Soup
- Onion: I prefer using yellow onion for a delicious onion flavor, but if you prefer a sweeter onion, white onion is an excellent option.
- Olive oil: Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a great neutral oil option for this soup, but avocado oil or refined coconut oil can also be used. You can also use ghee for a more bold flavor option.
- Apples: I think the perfect apple is a sweet apple, like a gala or fuji, but if a tart apple like Granny Smith or Pink Lady is your thing, then go for it! I would definitely recommend fresh apples and not substituting them for apple juice or apple sauce.
- Celeriac Root: Look for celeriac that is medium to large in size. Avoid an overly large celery root, as they can be woody and tough. You’ll want to peel them and cube them into about 2-inch cubes to make them easy to blend.
- Seasonings: Dried thyme and kosher salt make a simple seasoning combination. You can also use fresh thyme if you prefer. It’s the perfect earthy addition to this soup.
- Vegetable stock: If you want to use vegetable broth, you definitely can, or if you aren’t vegetarian, you can use chicken broth or chicken stock.
- Almond milk: I prefer almond milk for this dairy-free soup because it is mild in flavor, but you can use something like cashew cream or any other milk alternative.
- Garnishes: Roughly chopped walnuts and fresh thyme sprigs are all this deliciously creamy soup needs. The nuts give a delicious earthy crunch; you can use whichever nut your taste buds prefer. You could also add a dash of parmesan cheese if you can do dairy.
Kitchen Tools You Need
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Vegetable Peeler or Paring Knife
- Large Pot or Large Dutch Oven
- High-Speed Blender, Immersion Blender (aka stick blender), or Food Processor
- Small Bowl
- Soup Bowls
- Ladle
What Is Celeriac
Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a variety of celery that’s grown for its large, knobby, edible root rather than its stalks and leaves. It has a strong, earthy flavor that’s a bit milder than celery, with a subtle hint of parsley and a slight nuttiness. Celeriac is a flavorful root vegetable that adds depth to savory dishes and is known for its unique flavor and versatility in recipes. When cooked, celeriac becomes tender and has a creamy texture. You should be able to find these at major supermarkets or your local Farmer’s Market, depending on the time of year. It is usually in season late Fall and early Winter.
How To Make This Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add in the onion and saute until soft. Add in the cubed apple, celeriac, thyme, salt, and 2 cups of the vegetable stock and let simmer for 20 minutes until the celeriac is soft.
- Transfer everything from the pot into a blender and blend, or alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree everything in the pot.
- Once smooth return the mixture to the pot and add in the remaining 1 cup vegetable stock and almond milk. Stir and bring to a boil.
- In a bowl, combine the chopped walnuts and thyme and mix. Serve this delicious soup topped with the walnuts and thyme.
You can find the recipe card below for full instructions
Ways To Modify This Apple and Celery Root Soup
- If you want to exchange the apples for pears for this hearty soup, that would be a delicious substitute. It would be sweet and earthy in a totally different way.
- If you want a hint of heat for this easy recipe, you can add in fresh ginger, white pepper, or black pepper for an extra kick.
- Try using other fresh herbs instead of Thyme, like Rosemary or Sage, for delicious earthy flavors.
- Add a burst of protein to this silky soup, like ground chicken, ground turkey, bacon, or ham.
- If you aren’t concerned about dairy, try using heavy cream or sour cream instead of the non-dairy alternatives.
- Along with the onions, saute other whole vegetables like chopped leeks, chopped carrots, or white sweet potatoes and puree along with everything else.
- Garnish this apple and celeriac soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a great addition at the end, along with fresh parsley if you want to mix it up.
Dietary Customizations
If you are on a special diet for medical reasons or for your own personal nutrition decisions, try these options for any health condition you may have:
- If you have a nut allergy, swap the almond milk for coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
- Instead of onions, try fennel if you have an allergy to this comforting soup.
- Can’t do nuts as a garnish? Try sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a delicious crunch.
Can I Make This Apple and Celery Root Soup in Advance
Yes! This is a great recipe to make in advance on meal prep day. This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container or in the freezer for 2-3 months when stored in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. After cooking, be sure to bring it to room temperature before storing it to prevent condensation for bacteria to grow in.
Can I Make This Soup In the Slow Cooker
Making This Celery Root and Apple Soup in a slow cooker is a great way to enjoy this with minimal effort! I recommend sauteeing the onion in a large pan before adding it to the crock pot, but you can skip this step if you choose to. Chop celery root and apple and add them and the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. After cooking, blend the Apple & Celeriac Soup in a blender or use an immersion blender until smooth. Top with garnishes in individual servings and enjoy!
Can I Make This Soup In the Instant Pot
This Apple & Celeriac Soup is an excellent recipe to make in the instant pot. Using the saute option, add oil and saute onion for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. After dicing celery root and apples, add them and the remaining ingredients to the instant pot and close the lid. Cook on High for 8 minutes. After the cooking time is up, do a natural release for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully switch the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. Transfer to a regular blender to puree or use an immersion blender to enjoy a rich and creamy dairy-free soup!
What About Leftovers
The leftovers of this simple soup may actually be better after a day or two for the next time you want a bowl of soup. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container after cooling completely to room temperature. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan over medium heat. You can store in the freezer for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge for a day before reheating.
Here are a few more vegetarian soups that you will enjoy…
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Thai Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower & Garlic Soup
- Chunky Onion Soup
- Creamy (or not) Tomato Soup
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Apple & Celery Root Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 small apples or 2 large, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
- 1 medium celeriac peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup almond milk or other milk alternative
Garnish
- 2 tbsp walnuts roughly chopped
- 1/2 tbsp thyme
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add in the onion and cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften.
- Add in the cubed apple, celeriac, thyme, salt and 2 cups of the vegetable stock and let simmer for 20 minutes until the celeriac is soft.
- Transfer everything from the pot into a blender and blend or alternatively use a hand emulsifier to puree everything in the pot. Once smooth return the mixture to the pot and add in the remaining 1 cup vegetable stock and almond milk. Stir and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, thyme or vegetable stock if too thick.
- In a bowl combine the chopped walnuts and thyme and mix
- Serve the soup topped with the walnuts and thyme.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 12, 2018 and updated with new copy on March 20, 2025.
What’s the drizzle along with the crushed walnuts & thyme garnish?
Delicious – different, easy, sweet. I really enjoyed this, and loved how easy it was to make. I added a bit of garlic to the recipe and also used red onion.
Nice change to my usual soups, which I’ve been getting a bit bored of.
Made this last night with celeriac and apples that both came in my CSA last week – so easy and tasty! A perfect bowl of cozy on a cold winter night. I topped with some crisped prosciutto and toasted walnuts and it was delicious. Thank you!
It wasn’t as creamy as I had wished, but I feel like that’s because I used too much celeriac.
I used half soy cream half almond milk, but next time I think I’ll use one cup soy cream!
Really easy, healthy, and good!