I’ve been making variations on this soup since I was a dirt-poor missionary in Germany and root vegetables were the only things my sad little budget could afford. It’s cheap to make, and it makes a decent sized pot full!
The key to root soup is celery root, which can be hard to find in the US. I scored some at my local Earth Fare last week and quickly started planning to make another batch of root soup. Celery root, also known as celeriac, is pretty hideous, but oh so tasty! (It tastes nothing like celery) It’s rich in fiber and B vitamins, and has a more sponge-like texture than potato. It requires a bit of preparation before you can cook it, but I’ll cover that below. Combine it with antioxidant rich beets and inflammation fighting turmeric in this soup and you’ve got yourself a veritable tonic!
I got the ingredients for this soup without really realizing that Hurricane Florence would be barreling toward us. When we made the decision for me and the baby to leave and stay with my parents while my husband stayed behind and manned the RV, I didn’t really want to leave without cooking up as much as I could so he would have some meals when he came home after a long shift.
I don’t know how else to describe the flavor of this soup other than amazing, creamy, comforting, and smooth! I brought a mason jar of it to my parent’s house and my mom was hooked!
If you manage to find a bulb of this delicious but hideous veggie, be sure to pick some up and try this recipe!
Root Bisque
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
3 T butter
3 T coconut oil
1 medium sized celery root (skinned with head and root bits removed)
1 large Yukon gold potato (leave skin on)
½ small beet (skinned)
3 medium sized parsnips (skinned)
3-4 medium sized carrots
½ small white onion
small thumb of turmeric (skinned)
small thumb of ginger (skinned)
1 bay leaf
½ t. dried rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 t. salt
pepper to taste
2 cans organic coconut milk (Thai Kitchen is my go-to brand)
½ cup PLAIN coconut milk yogurt (So delicious is the best brand for this)
1 ½ Cups vegetable stock
Cut all your veggies into small, half inch pieces, skinning the celery root (use a knife, not a peeler), the parsnips, the beet, the turmeric, and the ginger. Celery root is seriously “rooty” and you may find yourself cutting a lot of the bottom off so you’re not eating literal dirt.
In a large skillet, heat butter and coconut oil. Ordinarily I’d say to just do coconut oil, but there’s something about the way butter and celery root play together that’s a little too magical to ignore. Add half of your salt, pepper, and all the rosemary and parsley.
Add ALL your roots (celeriac, potato, beet, parsnip, carrot, ginger, turmeric, onion). Sauté on high heat, stirring constantly until soft (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat.
Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large pot on medium heat and add vegetable stock, coconut milk, bay leaf, and the rest of your salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and remove the bay leaf. Add coconut milk yogurt then blend with an immersion blender until all the vegetables have been just blended.
Serve hot and enjoy!
