This hearty vegan cream of celery soup tastes just like the classic version, but without dairy.  It’s rich, creamy, and pure vegan comfort food!  Using a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen, this easy soup is a family favorite!  Rich creamy classic comfort food like mom used to make… only made vegan!

A white bowl filled with vegan cream of celery soup with croutons on top and another bowl of soup behind it.

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Why make this soup

This vegan cream of celery soup is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and can be made soy-free too. This is probably the most frequently made soup in my house. It’s creamy, comforting, and can be made in about 20 minutes with just a few simple ingredients. My whole family loves it, and it’s just one of those things that you never get sick of eating.

This recipe, for me, nailed what cream of celery soup should be. Easy to make too. This is just like the Campbell’s Cream of Celery soup out of a can that I used to have as a child, only significantly better. My non-vegan husband had seconds and thirds of this. Thanks for this great recipe!

—Olivia

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Broth – I like to use the Not Chick’n broth cubes because my family likes that flavor, but any vegetable broth will work.
  • Celery – You’ll need a bunch of fresh Because it’s cream of celery soup.
  • Garlic powder – for flavor. You can also use onion powder or fresh garlic.
  • Nutritional Yeast – For a savory, slightly cheesy flavor (optional). You can learn more about nutritional yeast in this detailed post.
  • Salt and Pepper – to season the soup. I like to add a dash of red pepper flakes for more flavor and a little heat.
  • Turmeric – For color and nutritional benefits.
  • Plant-Based Milk – Any plain-flavored plant-based milk will make it creamy. You also may want to use unsweetened milk if you don’t want it too sweet.  I like to use soy milk or oat milk in this soup since they are thick and creamy, but you can also use almond milk or any other milk you prefer.
  • Fat – Any neutral-flavored oil, vegan butter, or margarine will work to make a vegan roux.
  • Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works well for making a vegan roux to thicken the soup. If you need it to be gluten-free, I find Trader Joe’s gluten-free flour mix works best for making a gluten-free roux.  You can also omit the roux method and make your soup fat-free and gluten-free by using corn or potato starch to thicken it.

Helpful tools

  • 2 Soup Pots – One for making the broth and 1 for making the roux.
  • A ladle – For scooping up the broth.
  • Whisk – For stirring the roux.
Two bowls filled with creamy vegan celery soup with croutons on the top and a tea towel on the side.

How to make vegan cream of celery soup

Step 1 – Heat the broth and some spices in a soup pot.

Step 2 – Add chopped celery stalks to the pot and simmer.

Step 3 – Once the celery is soft, add the plant-based milk of choice.

Thicken the soup by making a roux.

Step 4 – Heat oil or soy margarine in a separate soup pot.

Step 5 – Add the flour to the oil and whisk the mixture until smooth.  It will start to bubble, thicken slightly, and look like the picture below.

Step 6 – Skim ladlefuls of broth from your soup, leaving behind large pieces of celery.

A collage of 4 images showing how to make a vegan roux for making cream soups and adding broth.

Step 7 – Add the hot broth from the celery soup one ladle at a time, stirring well between each scoop.

Step 8 – Add the remaining soup with the celery once most of the broth has been incorporated into the roux.

Pro Tips

  • When you first add the broth to the oil and flour mixture, it will become very thick at first and look like a paste. (Like the picture below).  Don’t worry, it will thin out and be the right consistency once you add all the broth.
  • Be sure to stir it well between each ladle of broth to keep it smooth.
  • Use a spoon to scrape the bottom corners of the pan to get any roux that has stuck there.

Frequently asked questions

How can I make a gluten-free cream of celery soup?

You can make a roux using gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour.  Just be sure to use a gluten-free flour mix that does not contain sorghum flour.  When I tried it with any mix containing sorghum flour, it had a weird, slimy texture.  I usually use Trader Joe’s general gluten-free flour mix, and it works well for me every time.

Can I make fat-free cream of celery soup?

If you want this soup to be fat-free, simply thicken it with cornstarch (or potato starch) and water. (Use ¼ cup cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup cold water, and then add it to the hot broth at the end once all other ingredients have been added.  Then heat it until it bubbles and thickens.) This is still a delicious soup made this way, just not quite as rich and creamy as the roux method.

A pot of cream of celery soup being scooped up with a wooden ladel.

I haven’t found a person yet who doesn’t love this soup!  It tastes great the next day, so make a big pot and enjoy it for lunches!

How to serve vegan cream of celery soup

Serve it with some vegan Caesar salad, vegan drop biscuits, vegan cheddar bay biscuits, vegan focaccia, or gluten-free vegan breadsticks, to make it a meal!

Storage and reheating

Refrigerator: The vegan cream of celery soup will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in a sealed container.

Freezing: This soup can be stored in the freezer for later; just be sure to use an airtight container or freezer bag, and it will keep well for up to 3 months!

Defrosting: Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat one serving at a time in the microwave for 3-4 minutes or in a pot on the stovetop until warm. If reheating on the stovetop, you may want to add a few tablespoons of water to account for evaporation.

A white bowl filled with vegan cream of celery soup with croutons on top of it.

More vegan cream-based soups

Vegan cream of celery soup recipe

A top view of a a bowl of cream of celery soup with some celery leaves on the side and croutons on top.
Diet
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5 from 15 rating

Vegan Cream of Celery Soup

Yield: 10 cups
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A rich and creamy vegan cream of celery soup that tastes just like the classic, without dairy.
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Ingredients

  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cubes Not Chick’n Broth, Or other veggie bullion or use vegetable broth instead of water
  • 4 cups celery, chopped (2 large celery hearts)
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 1/2 cup plain soy milk, or other plain plant-based milk

For the roux

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter, or oil
  • 1/2 cup white flour, or GF flour mix without sorghum flour

Instructions
 

  • Bring the water or broth and spices (turmeric, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, nutritional yeast)  to a slow boil in a medium-sized soup pot.
  • Add the chopped celery and simmer at a slow boil for about 8 minutes until the celery is tender.  
  • Add the plant-based milk of choice and turn the heat to low to just keep warm.

To make the roux

  • Heat the margarine or oil over medium-low heat and sprinkle in the flour.
  • Stir with a whisk until it mixes completely and starts to bubble.
  • Add celery soup one ladle at a time, stirring well with the whisk between each ladleful.  (Carefully scoop out the broth, leaving the chunks of celery in the original pot until most of the broth has been removed and the thickened broth is smooth and creamy).
  • Continue ladling small amounts of the soup into the roux, stirring well between each scoop until all the soup is in the pot with the roux.

Notes

  • To make this fat-free, you can also use 1/4 cup of cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup of cold water and add it to the soup at the end of cooking. 
  • The roux method is a little labor-intensive but well worth it for the richness and flavor of the soup.
  • Do not try this with gluten-free flour mixes that contain sorghum flour.  For some reason, it gets a slimy consistency.
  • To make this lower fat, you can reduce the oil in the roux to 1/4 cup.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 81kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 356mg, Potassium: 185mg, Fiber: 1g, Vitamin A: 475IU, Vitamin C: 1.2mg, Calcium: 66mg, Iron: 0.6mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

*This recipe was originally published on May 16, 2018.  It was updated on February 25, 2022, to include new images and more detailed information. 

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