Cream of celery soup from scratch is way better than the condensed kind from a can! Simple ingredients like butter, celery, milk, flour, and seasonings combine for a rich, creamy soup perfect for casseroles or on its own.
Growing up my family attended many potluck dinners typically held at our church after Sunday services. I loved to socialize with all my friends and of course sample each of the many desserts – after all, I was a kid and was NOT thinking about moderation or healthy real food choices!
I think I would still enjoy a church potluck… but it might have to be minus the food! And not because I am worried about my waistline, but thinking back to those potlucks, nearly every dish was a casserole.
What is so wrong with a casserole?
NOTHING. I love creamy dishes and layered bakes! But let’s be honest. The casseroles most people are serving start with canned cream of soups – Yikes!!
On our journey to eating real food, canned cream soup had to go away PERMANENTLY! And so many people think that when you toss these cans that are full of preservatives and chemicals, you have to say goodbye to casseroles.
I have good news for you.
This cream of celery soup recipe is a perfect replacement for canned condensed cream of celery soup.
You can have any casserole with cream of celery soup you desire, and it will taste a million times better. And it will only take a few extra minutes, I promise!
CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
Not only is this celery soup recipe a perfect base for all your casserole favorites, it’s also:
- Quick. This recipe comes together in just a few minutes.
- Easy. Using simple, real food ingredients with real flavor, it doesn’t get any easier.
- Versatile. Use it as a replacement for most other canned cream soups or eat it as is for a rich creamy meal.
- Better for you. Skip the additives, high sodium, and preservatives in the canned version.
- Simple to substitute. Whether you’re dairy-free, gluten free, or vegan, you can make a few simple swaps to fit with what you need.
HOMEMADE CREAM OF CELERY SOUP RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Here’s what you need for the homemade cream of celery soup recipe.
- Butter. Making a creamy celery soup is kind of like making a roux, and you need some fat to start with. Butter gives you a rich, creamy finished soup.
- Celery. You want it tiny, diced into the size of rice grains (you can use a grating disc in your food processor for this or mince it by hand). Save the celery leaves for making chicken broth!
- Flour. All-purpose flour helps to thicken the celery soup recipe.
- Seasonings: Salt + black pepper + celery salt. Celery salt is a mixture of ground celery seeds and salt. If you want a low-sodium cream of celery soup, skip the celery salt and use crushed celery seeds instead.
- Milk. The higher the percentage of fat in your milk, the thicker and creamier your creamy celery soup will turn out. I like using whole milk in mine but use whatever you have on hand. Heavy cream or dairy-free milk works too!
- Stock. I typically use Chicken Stock for my cream soup replacements, but vegetable broth works too.
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)
This recipe of celery soup can be adapted to fit your dietary needs and preferences.
- Dairy Free: Use olive oil instead of butter and dairy-free milk like Homemade Almond Milk.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour or cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour. You’ll only need 3 Tablespoons of either instead of the full ¼ cup.
- Vegan: Use vegetable stock along with the dairy-free substitutions for a completely vegan option.
HOW TO MAKE CREAM OF CELERY SOUPS RECIPES
Step 1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed stock pan over medium heat. Add diced celery stalks, salt, celery salt, and pepper. Sauté until the celery begins to soften, stirring occasionally – about 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 2. Add flour to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for 1 additional minute.
Step 3. Add milk and broth, whisking to incorporate the flour into the liquid. Bring to a boil and whisk well until the mixture is quite thick – anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and enjoy it as is or use it in your favorite celery soups recipes!
If you like, you can blend the soup using an immersion blender or blender (be careful when blending hot liquids!) for a smooth and creamy celery soup.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You can also put this soup in the freezer for up to three months. I like to use these bags. Pulling a bag of cream soup from the freezer is just about as easy as pulling a can from the pantry!
This recipe makes the equivalent of one 10.5 oz can of cream of celery soup.
HOMEMADE CREAM OF CELERY RECIPES
You can use this celery soup recipe as a base in all your favorite recipes using cream of celery soup.
Plus, it would be delicious served alone for lunch with a slice of Homemade Bread for dipping!
FITTING CREAM OF CELERY RECIPES INTO A REAL FOOD LIFESTYLE
Does a real foodie even eat recipes with cream of celery soup like casseroles?
Sure!
Eating real food is a lifestyle. We’re not on a diet here, folks!
What we can do is make sure that our creamy celery soup recipes and casseroles are made with real food ingredients, AND that we’re accurately tracking what we eat so that we can stay in line with our nutrition goals.
I’ve got you covered with the real food ingredients.
As for tracking, figure out what’s in your favorite casserole and what portion you’re actually eating. A free app like My Fitness Pal can help with this.
Look at the macro data – do you need to add more protein to your plate? Take a smaller serving to lower the total carbohydrates? Keep the fat where it is but fill your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables so that you actually feel satisfied with the amount of food you’re eating?
You have plenty of options for including your favorite casseroles in your real food lifestyle.
Want to learn more about macros, nutrition goals, and accurately tracking what you eat? Grab my free guide here to start achieving your real body goals by eating the foods you love.
CELERY FOR SOUP FAQS
Can I make cream of celery soup gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is easily made gluten-free! Just swap out the all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour or cornstarch. Use 1 Tablespoon less (so just 3 Tablespoons total instead of ¼ cup). You may notice a slight difference in texture.
Is there a difference between condensed soup and cream of celery soup?
The word ‘condensed’ means it is a soup that is made with a minimal amount of liquid and generally has a thick texture. This recipe is rich and creamy but isn’t really a ‘condensed’ soup like the canned version. Consider it more of the “condensed soup plus some of the liquid you would add to it” version.
What is a good substitute for cream of celery soup?
MORE HOMEMADE SOUP RECIPES
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Cream of Celery Soup
Cream of celery soup from scratch is way better than the condensed kind from a can! Simple ingredients like butter, celery, milk, flour, and seasonings combine for a rich, creamy soup perfect for casseroles or on its own.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 “can” (10.5 oz) 1x
- Category: Soup & Salad
- Method: Stovetop / Whisk
- Cuisine: American
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed stock pan over medium heat. Add the diced celery, celery salt, sea salt, and pepper. Sauté until the celery begins to soften, stirring occasionally — about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for 1 additional minute.
- Add milk and broth, whisking to incorporate the flour into the liquid. Bring to a boil and whisk well until the mixture is quite thick – anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and enjoy it as is, or use it in your favorite recipes!
Notes
- Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
- You can put this soup in the freezer for up to three months. I like to use these bags.
- This recipe of celery soup can be adapted to fit your dietary needs and preferences.
- Dairy Free: Use olive oil instead of butter and dairy-free milk like Homemade Almond Milk.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour or cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour. You’ll only need 3 Tablespoons of either instead of the full ¼ cup.
- Vegan: Use vegetable stock along with the dairy-free substitutions for a completely vegan option.
