Celery Soup

Celery stalks often play a supporting (albeit crucial) role in comforting soups and holiday sides, but their sharp herbal flavor takes center stage in this cream of celery soup recipe. To coax the most flavor out of the veg, sauté the chopped celery with a potato and onion in plenty of butter until soft and tender. (No need for a perfect dice here—you’ll blend the veggies together in the end.) From there, simply add the chicken broth—or make it vegetarian, by swapping in vegetable stock or bouillon—and simmer until the potatoes have cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Fresh dill plays up the herbal quality of the celery, while a swirl of heavy cream (cashew cream works if you want to go vegan) contributes body and heft. Blending the creamy vegetable soup in a high-powered blender (such as a Vitamix) will yield the most velvety texture, but you may have to work in batches; you could also use an immersion blender to blend right in the soup pot. (Working with a less-powerful machine? Strain the soup though a fine-mesh strainer after blending.)

Requiring minimal cook time and even less prep time, this quick-cooking celery soup would make an excellent dinner party starter or simple weeknight dinner. Plus, it’s flexible as can be: Feel free to swap onion for leeks or dill for tarragon. Swirl in a dollop of sour cream or chili oil. Is your celery missing its leaves? Fresh parsley works just as well for the garnish. Ladle your soup into bowls and top however you wish, even if that’s just a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.