Easy Leek and Celeriac Soup
Celeriac is perhaps one of the most underrated vegetables and it needs to be celebrated more. Of course this is entirely my own opinion but if you haven’t really cooked with this root vegetable before, I highly recommend getting involved. It’s also a great source of fibre and a variety of vitamins and minerals, as are leeks, which are a particularly good source of antioxidants and vitamin K which is well known for its benefits in promoting blood clotting and healthy bones.
Celeriac season in the UK runs from September to April so, combined with the leeks, this is very much a wintery dish. It somehow manages to taste quite light and fresh while also being deliciously creamy.
It’s the perfect soup to make after a trip to a farmer’s market at the weekend, using fresh, organic produce, and a few ingredients goes a long way. Depending on your preferred portion size, you might even manage to get 5 week-day lunches from this recipe.
It’s vegetarian but can easily be vegan if you remove the dairy products. If you don’t have access to nutritional yeast, I recommend using a couple of tablespoons of fresh parmesan/cheddar instead. There’s nothing more warm and satisfying than homemade soup on a cold day. I recommend enjoying with a couple of slices of cheese or an egg (potentially with some toast too) to increase the protein content in your meal. If you’re a vegan you might want to try adding some edamame beans into the mix.
SERVES: 4-6 portions (depending on size)
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 40 minutes
SEASON: UK Winter
INGREDIENTS:
2 small onions
350g celeriac (half of one)
350g leeks
150g potatoes (1 medium)
Butter
½ tsp ground nutmeg
3 cloves garlic
1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
750ml boiling water
500ml almond milk/normal milk
2 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast (sub for grated cheddar or parmesan)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
METHOD:
1. Chop the onions, fry gently in butter on a low heat until soft.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic, slice the leeks, peel and chop the celeriac and potatoes into small chunks and add them all to the pan, mixing thoroughly.
3. Allow to fry for a couple more minutes before adding the boiling water, almond milk, and Dijon mustard, mix thoroughly.
4. Mix in the nutmeg, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, put the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for about half an hour, stirring occasionally.
5. After 30 minutes, use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender/food processor if you don’t have one) to purée the contents of the pan until you get a velvety, thick soup. Add a little more water or milk if too thick for your liking.
6. Serve hot with some tangy greens to garnish.
