So one day this Spring-- a chilly day-- our resident son came home from town with an ugly bulbus "root vegetable" that I remembered from the days with my German mother-in-law as "celery root" or celeriac.  It is not the Root of the celery most of us are familiar with, the stalks we use in our morning juice, but a root vegetable on its own with a wimpier version of stalks that can grow from it.

I looked up some recipes and we innovated. We love this root vegetable. It has a mild celery-like flavor and combines creamily and harmoniously with many other vegetables and flavours. He brought home a few more of these roots and the following soup recipes evolved. 

The recipes are:

Creamy Mushroom and Celery Root Soup

Celery Root and Sauerkraut Soup

Root Vegetable and Celery Root Soup

Classic French Onion and Celery Root Soup

1.Creamy Mushroom and Celery Root Soup

• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups soy milk
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh thyme for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until softened.
2. Add diced celery root and sliced shiitake mushrooms, cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until celery root is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
5. Stir in soy milk, season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh thyme if desired.

2. Sauerkraut and Celery Root Soup

• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until translucent.
2. Add diced celery root and sauerkraut, cook for 5 minutes.
3. Pour in vegetable broth, add caraway seeds, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.

3. Root Vegetable and Celery Root Soup

• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until softened.
2. Add diced celery root, carrots, and parsnips, cook for 5 minutes.
3. Pour in vegetable broth, add ground cumin, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Classic French Onion and Celery Root Soup

• 1 celery root, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
•  4 cups vegetable broth
• 2+  tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Gruyere cheese for topping (vegan shreds if you are vegan)
• Crusty bread slices for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cook  (stir) until caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.
2. Add thinly sliced celery root and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
3. Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Preheat broiler. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top with crusty bread slices and cheese shreds.
6. Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
7. Serve hot, with additional crusty bread on the side.

Enjoy these flavorful and comforting soup recipes!