I get asked a lot.
What is your most used kitchen appliance?
It used to be my juicer.
But for sure nowadays it is my blender.
I just got my hands on the A2500 from the Vitamix Ascent Series (thanks, Vitamix!). And I love it a lot. And it is quickly replacing my other blender beloveds. Soup is a staple in my home. And if you’re a regular reader of With Food + Love, you already know this about me.
As a child, I only preferred soups with a lot of texture. Smooth and creamy soups felt like a waste of time. But now, as an adult creamy soups, especially when topped well, are the ones I crave the most. This vegan cream of celery soup is a simple, humble bowl of unassuming flavor and impact. And my favorite thing to eat right now.
Making this vegan cream of celery soup
This soup combines a little bit of zip from the lemon and a whole lot of comfort from the cashew cream. Raw cashews are used here as the base, and I’m really happy about a new process I developed to skip the soaking step.
Essentially, you make this vegan cream of celery soup by first sautéing the onion, garlic and celery. Then, you add in parsley, raw cashews and water. Let the mixture simmer for five minutes and then blend everything together.
The resulting soup is ultra creamy. If you don’t like cashews or are allergic, I’ve made a note of substitutions you can make in the recipe.
A few more quick things!
I am hosting a brunch pop-up this weekend with my friend Alex Caspero, local yoga instructor and registered dietician. There will be a restorative yoga class, led by Alex. A three-course meal, prepared by me. If you’re local, click here to get more information and buy your tickets.
I know we just wrapped up Valentine’s Day yesterday, but I’m hooked on this rose-infused chocolate bark I made for FEAST Magazine this month.
And, I’m over on Olio City sharing some of my favorite spots in St. Louis. Have a read. If you’d like.
Cream of Celery Soup with Olive Oil and Watercress
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onions diced small
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cups celery diced small
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup raw cashews {see notes}
- 3 cups filtered water
- watercress to garnish {see notes}
Instructions
- Heat the oil over low in a large saucepan, and sweat the onions for 2 minutes. Then add in the lemon juice and stir.
- Next turn the heat up to low-medium and add in the celery, salt, pepper and garlic. Continue to cook and stir occasionally for 8 minutes more.
- Then turn the heat up to high and add in the parsley, cashews and water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Then pour the soup into a blender and process until completely smooth.
- Serve with a swirl of olive oil, fresh watercress and black pepper.
Notes
This post is in partnership with Vitamix; all opinions are my own.
Julia says
I still prefer soups where I can see the actual vegetables in it. I’ve been making the creamy ones since last year and the more I experiment the more I like them. Yours is on my to-make-soon list already!
Sarah | Well and Full says
I got a Vitamix for Christmas and it is the best blender to make soups with. I’ve been looking for new recipes, so I’m happy I stumbled on this post.
Arthur says
Yummy!
Julia Gartland says
Love the sound of this recipe! I too, have always loved super textured soups, but ever since getting a Vitamix, I can’t stop blending. Gorgeous images, as always! xx
Alexandra Caspero says
You are a total food goddess. This soup looks incredible. I’m with you – I used to hate creamy soups but now love them (especially with texture toppings). Bookmarking this one to try soon. xo
Kristan says
You are a master of soup! This looks unbelievably creamy, and sounds like it has so much flavor packed into each bite. Hope you had fun at your brunch! xoxo
Catina says
Would almonds work?
Sherrie says
Hi Catina – unfortunately almonds wouldn’t work. They don’t have the right creaminess and consistency. I would try raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead.
Lily | Kale & Caramel says
I am so, so, so excited to make this soup, Sherrie! And I can’t wait to hear how your brunch pop-up went. Sending big hugs.
T says
This is absolutely delicious. It’s my new favorite thing. Well, soup anyway! Thank you.
Sherrie says
You are so welcome. I’m happy it’s a part of your life!
Melissa Novotny says
Lovely recipe! I’ve made it twice now and everyone has loved it, even the non-celery lovers.
Sherrie says
Yay! I love that so much.
Terra says
I just made this. So good! I don’t have a great blender so it wasn’t as smooth as I would have liked. And being from Buffalo, celery clearly only goes with wings. So I topped it off with blue cheese and drizzled on wing sauce. It was the best!
Christy says
This sounds amazing! I can’t do cashews, any recommendations for an alternative? Walnuts? Almonds?
Sherrie says
Hi Christy – the cashews work here because they’re extra creamy and they have a really mellow taste. Walnuts and almonds would not give you the right texture and consistency but raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds could. They would have a stronger and more defined taste than cashews though. If you can do soy, you could lower the water to 2 cups and add in 1 cup cubed tofu instead. I hope this helps!
Marci Liroff says
I just made this for the first time. Oh so good! I finished it off with a little truffle salt sprinkled on top. Thanks!
Sherrie says
Hi Marci – I’m so glad this was a hit!