Skillet Cream Of Celery Soup
A Small-Batch, Cozy Soup Made Right in One Skillet
This Skillet Cream of Celery Soup is a simple, old-fashioned soup made with fresh celery, onions, butter, chicken broth, milk, and a touch of tarragon. Everything cooks in one deep skillet, and the finished soup is creamy and comforting without being overly heavy.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it only makes about four servings. Sometimes you want homemade soup without making a gigantic pot that you have to eat for the next seven days. This is the perfect amount for two people who want dinner with a little leftover for lunch, or for a small family.
You can also decide exactly how smooth you want your soup. I gave mine a quick blend with an immersion blender to make the broth a little creamier while still leaving some pieces of celery and onion. If you prefer a chunky celery soup, you can skip that step altogether.
A Small Batch Soup For When You Don’t Need A Giant Pot
I love making soup, but sometimes the problem with soup is that you end up making enough to feed an entire neighborhood.
This recipe is purposely different.
You make the whole thing in a deep skillet, and it yields approximately four servings. It is just enough to feel like you made a cozy pot of homemade soup without filling every leftover container in your refrigerator.
For two people, this makes a great dinner with some good bread and leaves enough for lunch the next day. For a smaller family, you can serve it with sandwiches, a salad, or toasted bread and have a really easy meal.
Celery Gets To Be The Star
Celery is usually one of those ingredients that gets thrown into everything but rarely gets to be the main event. Here, you slowly cook plenty of sliced celery with onion in butter until everything becomes tender, sweet, and flavorful.
I also like to use some of the celery leaves if my celery has them. They have tons of celery flavor and are perfect in soup.
Celery seed adds another layer of flavor without overwhelming the soup, while white pepper, garlic, onion powder, and tarragon round everything out.
Why I Use Tarragon
You will sometimes see thyme in cream of celery soup, but I really liked tarragon here.
Tarragon has a slightly sweet, delicate flavor that works beautifully with celery and creamy soups. You don’t need much because it can become overpowering. I start with 1/4 teaspoon of dried tarragon and add a little more at the end if I think it needs it.
Smooth Or Chunky Celery Soup
This soup is delicious either way.
After the celery was completely tender, I used my immersion blender right in the skillet and gave the soup just a few pulses. I wasn’t trying to puree it into a completely smooth soup. I just wanted to break down some of the celery and onion and give the broth a creamier texture.
You can do this before or after adding the milk. Just be careful if you’re blending hot soup and keep the head of the immersion blender completely submerged.
If you like the texture of the celery and onions as they are, don’t blend it at all. I tasted it before blending, and it was just as delicious chunky.
A Few Tips For The Best Celery Soup
Cook the celery and onion slowly. You aren’t looking to deeply brown them. Giving them 12 to 15 minutes in the butter allows them to soften and become sweeter.
Don’t skip the celery seed. It reinforces the celery flavor and makes the soup taste like celery rather than simply a generic cream soup.
Add the tarragon conservatively. You can always add another pinch, but once there’s too much tarragon in something, there isn’t much you can do about it.
And finally, don’t boil the soup aggressively after adding the milk. Keep it at a gentle heat until everything is hot and creamy.
What To Serve With Skillet Celery Soup
This is one of those soups that begs for something buttery and toasted alongside it.
Serve it with toasted sourdough, French bread, crackers, a grilled cheese sandwich, or a simple half sandwich for an easy lunch or dinner.
You could also make little homemade croutons by cubing white bread and toasting it in butter with a sprinkle of celery salt and dried parsley. Scatter those right over the skillet before serving.
Sandwiches To Serve With Skillet Celery Soup
A warm bowl of creamy celery soup practically begs for a good sandwich on the side. Since this is a smaller-batch soup, I especially like pairing it with one of my easy sandwiches for a simple lunch or cozy dinner.
A crispy grilled sandwich is always delicious for dipping, but this soup also works well alongside my baked ham and cheese sliders, roast beef sandwiches, or one of my easy chicken sandwiches.
You can make the sandwich the star and serve a smaller cup of soup alongside it, or do the opposite and keep things simple with half a sandwich and a big bowl of soup. Here are a few of my favorite sandwich recipes that would be especially good with this creamy skillet celery soup. Just click each image to get the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make celery soup without an immersion blender?
Absolutely. The soup is delicious completely chunky. The immersion blender simply breaks down some of the vegetables and gives the soup a smoother, creamier consistency.
Can I completely puree this soup?
Yes. If you prefer a smooth cream of celery soup, blend it until it reaches the consistency you like. You may need to add a splash of broth or milk if it becomes thicker than you want.
Why do you use tarragon in celery soup?
Tarragon has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor that complements celery, butter, and cream especially well. A little goes a long way, so I recommend starting with 1/4 teaspoon.
Can I use thyme instead of tarragon?
Yes. If you prefer a more traditional herb flavor, substitute approximately 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme for the tarragon.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes. Use vegetable broth and vegetable Better Than Bouillon instead of chicken broth and chicken base.
How many people does this recipe serve?
This is intentionally a small-batch soup and makes approximately four servings. It is especially nice for two people because you can have it for dinner and still have a little left for lunch without eating soup all week.
How do I store leftover celery soup?
Let the soup cool and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat it gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk or broth if it has thickened in the refrigerator.
More Cozy Soups To Try
If you are in the mood for soup, I have plenty more cozy recipes to keep you warm. I love having a few different kinds of soup in my back pocket because some days call for something creamy and comforting, while other days you want a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs bowl that can be dinner all on its own. Below are some of my favorite soup recipes from The Tipsy Housewife. Click any of the buttons to find your next bowl of comfort.
Skillet Cream of Celery Soup Recipe
This easy Skillet Celery Soup is a cozy small-batch soup made with fresh celery, onion, butter, chicken broth, milk, cream, and tarragon. It makes about four servings, so it's perfect when you want homemade soup without making a giant pot of leftovers. Make it chunky or give it a quick blend for a creamy texture.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 6 to 8 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- Celery leaves from the stalks, chopped, if available
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base or Vegetable Base
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley or finely minced fresh parsley
- Optional squeeze of fresh lemon
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the diced onion and sliced celery along with a small pinch of salt. Cook slowly for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender. You want them soft and buttery rather than deeply browned.
- Add the garlic, celery seed, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried tarragon. Cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir well so that the flour is incorporated into the butter and vegetables. Cook for approximately 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring. Add the Better Than Bouillon and stir until dissolved.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the celery is completely tender and the broth has started to thicken.
- For a slightly smoother soup, use an immersion blender directly in the skillet and pulse the soup a few times. You do not need to puree it completely. Leave some pieces of celery and onion for texture. You can also skip this step entirely for a chunkier soup.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the whole milk and heavy cream. Warm the soup gently without bringing it to a hard boil.
- Taste and add salt as needed. Add additional tarragon or white pepper if desired.
- Stir in the parsley. If you would like a little brightness, add a small squeeze of fresh lemon just before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread, crackers, croutons, or sandwiches.
- Tipsy Tip
If you prefer, you can add the milk and cream before using the immersion blender. Either method works. Just keep the blender submerged and use short pulses because hot soup can splash.
Notes
- Smooth or chunky: This soup is delicious either way. Leave it completely chunky, or use an immersion blender for a few quick pulses to make it creamier while still leaving some pieces of celery and onion.
- When to blend: You can use the immersion blender before or after adding the milk and cream. Keep the blender head submerged and use short pulses when blending hot soup.
- Go easy on the tarragon: Tarragon can become strong quickly. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, taste the finished soup, and add another pinch if you want more.
- Don't rush the celery: Let the celery and onion cook slowly in the butter until very soft. This is where a lot of the flavor of this simple soup develops.
- Don't boil the dairy: Once you add the milk and cream, keep the soup over low heat and warm it gently rather than bringing it to a hard boil.
- Adjust the thickness: If the soup gets thicker than you like, add a splash of chicken broth or milk until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Use those celery leaves: If your celery has nice leafy tops, chop some and add them to the soup. They have lots of celery flavor.
- Small-batch recipe: This makes approximately four servings, which is perfect for two people with leftovers or a small family. Double the recipe if you need a larger pot.
- For serving: Buttered toast, crackers, grilled cheese, or homemade croutons seasoned with a little celery salt are especially good with this soup.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container and reheat gently on the stovetop. Add a splash of milk or broth if it thickens after chilling.