Root Vegetable

Soup
By Melissa Clark
Total Time 1 hour

Rating (1,517)

Here's a simple, robust, cold-weather soup that you can make with almost any mixture of root
vegetables you have to hand: carrots, parsnips, celery root, turnips, rutabaga, sweet or regular
potato. Flavored with garlic, rosemary and bay leaves on top of a saute of onions and celery, it's an
earthy, sweet, and warming meal for days where the air has some bite. Top with a drizzle of olive
oil and lemon juice, some grated cheese, flaky salt and a shower of black pepper.

INGREDIENTS PREPARATION

Yield: 6 to 8 servings Step 1

Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in onion and
celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender,
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, rosemary and bay leaves; cook
1 large onion or 2 leeks (white 1 minute more. Add root vegetables, 8 cups water, salt and
and light green part only),
pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer,
chopped
covered, until vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
2 to 3 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Step 2
3 rosemary or thyme branches
Remove and discard rosemary branches and bay leaves. Using
2 bay leaves an immersion blender, purée soup until smooth. (Alternatively,
3½ pounds mixed root vegetables you can purée the soup in batches in a blender or food
(carrot, parsnip, celery root, processor.) If the soup is too thick, add a little water. Season
turnip, rutabaga, sweet or regular with lemon juice and more salt to taste.
potato), peeled and cut into 1-inch
chunks
Step 3
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, more as
To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive
needed
oil, a few drops of lemon juice, flaky salt and crushed chile or
½ teaspoon black pepper, more grated cheese, if desired.
as needed
Juice of ½ lemon, more for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt
Crushed Aleppo, Urfa or other
chile flakes, optional
Grated Parmesan or pecorino,
optional