Hearty Celery Soup(Dupree)

This celery soup builds flavor from the bottom up. Vegetables sauté in bacon drippings, simmer in chicken stock until tender, then get pureed smooth and stirred back into the broth with milk, celery seeds, and fresh thyme. Crumbled peppered bacon, grated cheddar, and celery leaves go on top of each bowl.

Sautéing in bacon fat instead of butter or oil is what gives this soup its backbone. That rendered fat carries smoky, savory flavor into every spoonful, even after the vegetables are pureed.

Cook the onions until they’re genuinely golden brown, not just soft. That’s 10 minutes of patient cooking that adds sweetness and a toasty depth you won’t get from translucent onions.

Chef Tips

• Use thick-sliced, country-style peppered bacon for the best flavor and crumble texture. Thin deli bacon crisps too hard and doesn’t render enough fat.
• Strain and puree the solids separately from the broth, then combine. This gives you control over the final consistency. Want it thicker? Hold back some broth.
• Celery seeds reinforce the celery flavor without adding more bulk. They’re small but potent, so start with one teaspoon.
• Don’t skip the celery leaf garnish. The leaves have a brighter, more concentrated celery flavor than the stalks and add a fresh contrast to the rich soup.

Variations

• Swap cheddar for blue cheese crumbles for a sharper, funkier topping.
• Add a peeled potato to the pot with the vegetables for a thicker, starchier body without cream.
• Stir in a splash of dry sherry right before serving for a warm, nutty undertone.