Creamy Watercress Celeriac Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons
Silky blended watercress and celeriac soup with soft leeks, finished with warm goat cheese toasts and fresh watercress sprigs. The peppery greens and earthy root vegetable create a vibrant, elegant first course that freezes beautifully for advance preparation.
Ingredients
- 4 leeks, washed and sliced
- 3 ½ tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 celeriac, peeled and diced
- 6 ½ cups vegetable stockchicken stock1:1conf:4Full guide →
- 2 x bags watercress
- 6 slices toasted baguettegluten-free bread1:1conf:4Full guide →
- 1 cups soft vegetarian goat's cheesericotta1:1creamier topping
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- watercress sprigs, to serve(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Cook leeks gently in butter and olive oil until soft but not colored.
- 2
Add diced celeriac and vegetable stock, bring to boil and simmer until celeriac is soft.
- 3
Add watercress bags and blend until smooth.
- 4
Season the soup to taste.
- 5
Cool completely.
- 6
To serve, defrost soup in refrigerator overnight.
- 7
Transfer soup to saucepan and reheat.
- 8
Top each toasted baguette slice with goat's cheese.
- 9
Place one slice in each bowl and garnish with watercress sprig.
Tips
Defrost soup overnight in refrigerator rather than at room temperature for food safety.
Do not allow leeks to color to maintain the soup's bright green hue.
Blend thoroughly for completely smooth texture without gritty bits.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
Soup can be made 1 day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Assemble croutons just before serving.
Ladle into bowls, add one goat cheese crouton per bowl, top with fresh watercress sprig.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip overnight refrigerator defrosting to avoid food safety risks.
Do not boil the leeks initially to avoid browning and bitter flavor.
Do not under-blend the mixture to avoid grainy texture.