Creamy Celery Soup

This soup uses up a whole bunch of celery and turns it into something that tastes way more refined than you’d expect. It’s thick, creamy, and the kind of soup you can make when you need to clean out the produce drawer.

June Arthurs

March 18, 2026

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Ingredients (~8 servings)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
1 lb yellow potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 bunches celery, chopped into 1-inch segments
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups water (or extra broth)
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 tsp finely diced fresh rosemary (or to taste)
1/2 tsp rubbed sage (or to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)

Sweat the Onions in Butter and Oil

Add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot set over medium heat.

Once the butter melts, add the diced onion and sprinkle 1 tsp of the kosher salt over top.

Saute for ~3-4 minutes until the onion softens and turns golden at the edges.

Add the Celery and Potatoes

Add the 1 1/2 bunches of chopped celery and 1 lb of chopped potatoes to the pot; season with the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt.

Saute for ~8-9 minutes – the celery will start to soften and the potatoes will pick up some color on the edges.

Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and saute for 1 more minute until fragrant.

Deglaze and Add the Broth

Pour in a bit of the broth to deglaze the pan; scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Add the rest of the 6 cups broth, 3 cups water, and the bay leaf.

Raise the heat to bring everything to a boil.

Simmer Until the Potatoes Soften

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for ~20 minutes.

You’ll know the potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork – they should break apart with minimal pressure.

Remove the Bay Leaf and Prep for Blending

Once the potatoes have softened, pull the bay leaf out and take the pot off the heat.

Ladle out about 1 cup of the broth and add it to a small bowl; set this aside.

This is what you’ll use to temper the yogurt so it doesn’t curdle when you add it to the hot soup.

Puree the Soup Until Smooth

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, very carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender in batches – don’t fill the blender more than halfway or the hot liquid will spray out when you turn it on.

Temper the Yogurt and Finish the Soup

Set the pureed soup back on the stovetop over low heat.

Add the 3/4 cup Greek yogurt to the small bowl of broth you set aside earlier; whisk well until smooth and totally combined.

Whisk the yogurt mixture into the soup – this prevents the yogurt from curdling.

Stir in the 3/4 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp rubbed sage, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Taste and adjust the salt or herbs if needed, then serve.