Creamy Celeriac with Crispy Bacon (Printable)

Velvety celeriac blended with cream and garnished with crispy bacon for savory contrast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large celeriac (about 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

# Method:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
02 - Add celeriac and potato to the pot. Stir to coat evenly with butter and cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Pour in stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
04 - Place bacon slices in a cold, dry skillet. Cook over medium heat until crispy, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels and crumble or leave whole.
05 - Remove soup from heat. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, or carefully blend in batches if using a standard blender.
06 - Stir in cream and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently reheat if needed, but do not boil.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy bacon and a sprinkle of chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually pull this off on a weeknight without stress.
  • The crispy bacon topping transforms something delicate into something craveable, giving you that textural contrast that makes every spoonful interesting.
02 -
  • Never let cream boil after it's added or you'll end up with tiny separated flakes instead of silk—gentle reheating is the only way.
  • The potato and celeriac need to be genuinely tender before blending, because rushing this step means a gritty soup instead of a velvet one, which changes everything.
03 -
  • Buy your celeriac from a place with good turnover because an old one will be fibrous and disappointing—ask the vendor how fresh it is if you're uncertain.
  • Toast your chives or parsley in your hands just before sprinkling them on so their oils release and add an extra dimension of flavor.
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