Chard Stalk, Celeriac and Leek Soup
Updated April 29, 2024
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 60 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¾ pound leeks (2 large), white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped (about 2 cups)
Salt to taste
¾ pound Swiss chard stems, diced (about 2 ½ cups)
¾ pound celeriac, peeled and diced (about 2 cups
1 large yellow or russet potato (10 to 12 ounces), peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
5 to 6 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley or celery leaves for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
26 grams carbs; 175 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1261 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven and add leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender but not colored, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and add chard stems, celeriac, potato and water or stock. Stir together and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon per quart of water to start when making soup).
- Step 2
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
- Step 3
Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender, cover top of jar with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid. Return to pot and heat through, stirring. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, thin out with a little more water or stock. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley or celery leaves.
Advance preparation: The soup keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator and can be frozen. Blend again if freezing before heating.
Private Notes
Comments
This makes a fine, wholesome soup for a fall day. I made it to clear out the crisper before a trip, so substituted chopped celery stalks for the chard I didn't have. But all the other ingredients were on hand, so followed the recipe, with excellent results. My yield was 7 portions of 8 ounces each.
Was the most delicious soup ever. Used onions instead of leeks. My finished product was white and liquid and I wonder if you have posted the correct photograph with this recipe. But thanks for the inspiration...I just couldn't bring myself to throw away the chard stalks and now i have a new favourite soup.
Made per recipe, using homemade chicken stock I had in fridge. Soup needs acidity and a bit of bite. Used red wine vinegar plus lemon juice for acidity, jalapeno pepper for bite. Still a bit bland, so I served it over chopped apple, chopped parsley, plus crumbled cotija cheese. The apple & cheese provided a needed boost to flavor and texture. Would not want to serve this soup without the spruce-up. Next time I will use water instead of chicken stock, because celeriac flavor was lost.
Right after I added the olive oil, I have used: 1 tsp dried thyme a finely diced white or purple sweet potato (instead of the russet potato later). I followed the rest of the recipe and it it has been amazing.
Very straightforward recipe that yielded a pleasurable and healthy soup. Per the other notes about it being a tad bland, I sautéed a mixture of 4x chopped garlic cloves and 4x anchovy filets, then tossed them in the soup pot for the final 10 min of the simmer. All in all, I found the soup to be delicate and complex. I may even add more anchovies next time!
I'm now making soup from stems of everything, thanks to this recipe. The advice to "blend again if freezing before heating" is a gem. I forgot that the first time, remembered--and did it--the second time (and thereafter), and there is a major boost of smoothness in the texture.