Celery Pasta Soup
Forget about soups that leave you hungry! This hearty celery pasta soup features nutritious vegetables like carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, daikon radish, and celery. The broth is savory with a slight sweetness, and it all comes together in one pot for a simple yet satisfying dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 shallots minced
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 6 cremini mushrooms sliced or quartered
- 1/2 daikon radish peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thick slices
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thick slices
- 4 medium white potatoes peeled
- 8 cups (1900 ml) water
- 2 tbsp (24 g) sugar
- 1 and 3/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For serving
- 1 cup uncooked pasta of your choice (adjust depending on the type of pasta)
- 4 tbsp (44 g) fried onions
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the celery. Start by rinsing the celery stalks under cold water. Pat them dry, then slice the stalks into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick slices. Slice the leaves into 4-inch (10cm) long pieces. Set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Add the mushrooms. Next, add the mushrooms and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the remaining vegetables. Add the sliced white radish, carrots, celery stalks (don't add the leaves yet), and potatoes. Pour in the water and season with the sugar, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Simmer. Let simmer, partially covered, for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.
- Add the celery leaves. Finally, add the celery leaves and let them simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. Taste the soup and adjust the saltiness and sweetness to your liking.
- To serve: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender. Drain and transfer to serving bowls. Use a ladle to pour the broth and vegetables into each bowl. Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon of fried onions and sprinkle chopped green onions or parsley. Serve immediately.
- You can store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Cook the pasta separately. Do not cook the pasta directly in the broth. Pasta absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks, which would leave you with less soup than you need.
Use the right amount of pasta. This soup is already packed with vegetables, and adding too much pasta will leave you short on broth. We usually cook about 1/3 cup of small macaroni for two servings or 1/2 cup of penne.
Pick good carrots and radish. Skip the packaged carrots. Those are usually bland. Instead, pick good-quality carrots at a farmer's market. For the radishes, try picking shorter ones. Long radishes tend to be more fibrous and less sweet.
Want to add extra greens? Leafy greens like pak choi, kale, or spinach cook very quickly. Add them near the end of cooking so they don't overcook and stay vibrant green.
Season the broth generously. Don't be shy with the salt. The broth should taste slightly more seasoned than usual. Once combined with pasta, the saltiness will be balanced perfectly.
