Description
This comforting Celeriac Leek Soup with Thyme & Gruyère Toasts is a creamy, flavorful bowl perfect for chilly days. Elegantly blending celeriac, potatoes, and leeks with fragrant thyme, it’s finished with rich Gruyère cheese toasts that add a satisfying crunch and depth of flavor. It’s a French-inspired vegetarian soup, hearty yet light enough to serve as a starter or light main dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large leeks (white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 medium celeriac (about 1.5 pounds, peeled and diced)
- 1 large russet potato (peeled and diced)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole milk or cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)
Gruyère Toast Ingredients
- 1 small baguette (sliced)
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and chopped onion, sautéing for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. This builds the flavor base for the soup.
- Add Garlic and Vegetables: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute to release its aroma. Then add the diced celeriac, peeled potato, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Simmer Soup: Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, or until the celeriac and potato are very tender. This slow cooking softens the vegetables and deepens the flavors.
- Blend Soup: Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy; alternatively, blend in batches in a blender. Stir in the whole milk or cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Keep the soup warm on low heat.
- Prepare Gruyère Toasts: Preheat your broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush each slice lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle grated Gruyère cheese and fresh thyme leaves evenly on top.
- Broil Toasts: Place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls, garnish with fresh thyme sprigs if desired, and serve with Gruyère toasts either on the side or floating atop the soup. Enjoy immediately for best texture.
Notes
- This soup freezes well if you omit adding the milk or cream before freezing. Add these after thawing and reheating for best texture.
- For a deeper, nuttier flavor, try roasting the celeriac cubes in the oven before adding them to the soup.
- If Gruyère cheese is unavailable, Parmesan makes a good substitute for the toasts.
- The recipe is gluten-free if you skip the toasts or use gluten-free bread options.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with 2 toasts
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
