Celery Pasta Soup

Ingredients

• 2celery stalks
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 2shallots, minced
• 4 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
• 6cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
• 1/2daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1.3 cm-thick slices
• 2 mediumcarrots, peeled and cut into 1.3 cm-thick slices
• 4 mediumwhite potatoes, peeled
• 1.9 litres (8 cups)water
• 2 tbspsugar
• 1 and 3/4 tspsalt, or to taste
• 1/4 tspground black pepper
• 85 g (1 cup)uncooked pasta of your choice; adjust the amount to suit the pasta
• 4 tbspfried onions
• 60 ml (1/4 cup), optionalchopped spring onions

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the celery

   Rinse the celery stalks under cold water and pat dry. Cut the stalks into 2.5 cm slices and the leaves into 10 cm lengths, then set them aside.

2. 2

   Sauté the aromatics

   Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until golden.

3. 3

   Cook the mushrooms

   Add the mushrooms and sauté for a further 3–4 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the vegetables

   Add the sliced daikon, carrots, celery stalks (not the leaves) and potatoes. Pour in the water and season with the sugar, salt and ground black pepper.

5. 5

   Simmer the soup

   Simmer with the pot partially covered for 30–40 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

6. 6

   Add celery leaves

   Stir in the celery leaves and simmer for another 3–5 minutes.

7. 7

   Adjust the seasoning

   Taste the soup and adjust the salt and sweetness to your liking.

8. 8

   Cook and serve

   Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, then drain and divide it between serving bowls. Ladle in the broth and vegetables, top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of fried onions, and sprinkle with chopped spring onions or parsley. Serve immediately.

9. 9

   Store the soup

   Refrigerate any leftover soup for up to 4 days.

What is celery pasta soup?

This is a hearty vegetable soup served with pasta, drawing on the French tradition of making a meal from vegetables simmered in a simple broth. Celery, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and daikon give it a mix of savoury, sweet and earthy flavours.

Here, the pasta is cooked separately and added to the bowls, while fried onions bring a crisp, savoury finish. That approach also makes it easier to keep the pasta from soaking up all the broth.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 330 calories, 8g protein, 64g carbs, 8g fat.

The potatoes and pasta provide most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil and fried onions contribute much of the fat. The mushrooms and vegetables add some protein, but the bowl is mainly a vegetable-and-starch-based meal; serve it with a protein-rich side, such as beans, if you want a more balanced plate.

Build a savoury base

Aromatics: Give the shallots and garlic 3–4 minutes in the oil, until golden, before adding the mushrooms. This short sauté helps establish flavour before the water goes in.

Mushrooms: Sauté them for another 3–4 minutes so they are warmed through and their flavour joins the base of the soup.

Cut the vegetables evenly

Root vegetables: Cut the daikon and carrots into slices about 1.3 cm thick so they cook at a similar pace. The potatoes are left whole, so check them with a fork during the simmer.

Celery: Add the stalks with the other vegetables, but hold back the leaves until near the end. Their shorter cooking time preserves their fresher flavour.

Use the simmer to judge doneness

Timing: Simmer the soup, partially covered, for 30–40 minutes. The potatoes and carrots are ready when a fork slips into them without much resistance.

Seasoning: Taste after the vegetables are tender, then adjust the salt and sweetness. The recipe includes sugar for a slightly sweet broth, so change it gradually to suit your preference.

Cook the pasta separately

Pasta: Boil it in a separate pot and drain it when tender, following the timing suited to your chosen shape. The recipe’s 1-cup quantity is a starting point and may need adjusting for the type of pasta.

Serving: Divide the pasta among bowls, then ladle over the vegetables and broth. This keeps the pasta from continuing to soften in the soup pot.

Finish each bowl with a topping

Fried onions: Add 1 tablespoon to each bowl just before serving for a crisp, savoury contrast to the soft vegetables.

Spring onions: Sprinkle over the chopped spring onions if using; parsley is also suggested as an alternative in the method. Serve promptly for the best contrast between the toppings and the broth.

Recipe notes & tips

• Slice the carrots and daikon to a similar thickness so they cook at roughly the same pace.
• Keep the celery leaves aside until the final few minutes, as directed.
• Check the potatoes and carrots with a fork rather than relying only on the simmer time.
• Cook the pasta separately and drain it before dividing it among the bowls.
• Add the fried onions at the table to keep their texture crisp.
• Adjust the salt and sugar a little at a time after tasting the finished broth.

Variations

• Change the pasta: Choose a small shape that is easy to eat with the vegetables and adjust the quantity as needed.
• Add parsley: Use chopped parsley as the method suggests instead of spring onions.
• Make it less sweet: Reduce the sugar, then taste and adjust the broth before serving.
• Add more celery: Include extra stalks if you want its flavour to stand out more.
• Serve with bread: Offer crusty bread alongside the soup to mop up the broth.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding the leaves too soon: They cook quickly, so add them only for the final 3–5 minutes.
• Guessing doneness by time alone: Check that the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender before finishing the soup.
• Cooking pasta in the soup: It can keep absorbing broth, so boil and drain it separately as directed.
• Overseasoning early: Taste after simmering and adjust the salt and sweetness gradually.
• Adding fried onions too early: They lose their crispness in the broth, so top each bowl just before serving.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container for up to 4 days. For the best texture, store cooked pasta separately if possible; reheat the soup until hot and add the pasta to the bowls.

Frequently asked questions