Creamy Celery Soup

Turning crunchy, fresh celery into a warm and creamy soup allows kids to experience celery in a whole new way! Cut the potato and celery into sticks and have your little chef chop the veggies into chunks and carefully add them to the pot. When chopping, don't forget to include the leaves attached to the celery; they add so much celery flavor to the dish. While the soup is simmering, taste-test some raw celery with a dip or make little ants-on-a-log bites with celery, nut butter, and dried cranberries or raisins.

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This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 6 and 4, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Creamy Celery Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium-sized Russet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 6 to 8 stalks celery (leaves included), trimmed and chopped (about 3 cups)
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, optional

Instructions

1. Add oil to a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add potato, celery, broth, and salt. Stir together then bring pot to a simmer. Simmer until all the vegetables are very soft, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly. Blend soup with a hand blender or use a traditional blender to make soup smooth and creamy. (Use caution when blending hot soup!).
4. Taste soup and add lemon juice and/or additional salt as needed. Enjoy warm.

Want some great products that teach kids to learn to love veggies?
Check out our shop for kid-safe knives, interactive placements, and veggie-themed activity boxes!