This creamy root vegetable soup is a twist on baked potato soup using any starchy winter root vegetables you have on hand. It's hearty, creamy, a little chunky, and super delicious. It also comes together in no time and you don't even need a blender!
1mediumcarrotpeeled & diced small, about ~1/4-inch
1stalkcelerydiced small, about ~1/4-inch
1/2smallonionpeeled & diced small, about ~1/4-inch
4clovesgarlicminced
2lbsmixed root vegetablespeeled & roughly diced into ~½-inch pieces; see note below
4cupschicken or vegetable stock
1tspdried thyme
4tbspbutter
¼cupall-purpose flour
½cuphalf & half
2scallionssliced for garnish
salt & pepperto taste
Instructions
Add diced bacon to a medium Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Cook, rendering the bacon fat until the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain. Remove all but about 1 tbsp of bacon fat from the pan.
Add the carrot, celery, and onion to the pan with a large pinch of salt. Sweat over medium heat until the vegetables start to soften and the onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes.Add the garlic and thyme. Cook for a minute longer. Then add your root vegetables and stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 30-minutes until the vegetables are very soft.
While your vegetables are simmering, make a roux. Add the butter to a small pot over medium heat. Let the butter melt and then brown it. To brown butter, just keep cooking after it's melted until the milk solids start to turn a golden brown color. The butter will foam a bit, so just swirl it around to see what color is beneath the foam. You're looking for a medium golden color for this recipe; it will look like the color of peanut butter.Once the butter has browned, whisk in the flour. Once the flour is well incorporated and the roux is smooth, let it cook for about another minute. Set aside.
Once the vegetables are very soft, whisk the roux into the soup. Stir well to fully incorporate the roux. The soup should thicken quickly. Then use a potato masher to roughly mash the vegetables until the largest chunks are about pea-sized.
Taste your soup and add salt and pepper as needed. Turn off the heat and add the half & half, stirring to fully incorporate. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with scallions and the bacon bits you made earlier.
Notes
Use your favorite mix of starchy root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, turnip, or celeriac for this recipe.