Celery root, also called celeriac, is one of winter's best vegetables. This velvety celery root bisque is a perfect first course of a special dinner with optional broiled lobster lumps.
Best of all, it can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 days.
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This soup has two personalities. It's a bowl of comfort, but can also get all dressed up with a few lumps of lobster for a special occasion. If you have a special dinner (Valentine's Day, a birthday, or Christmas Eve), this is a fabulous soup for the first course.
🤷♀️ What is a bisque?
A bisque is a soup that traditionally used a serious amount of cream, and added it early to the soup as a thickening agent. The result was a thickened, creamy velvety soup that usually included ground up seafood (and sometimes even some shells).
These days, the label bisque is used much more broadly, and usually just indicates a creamy, puréed soup that keeps the same velvet texture. And the cream is often in lesser quantities and added towards the end.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Yellow onion
- Yukon potato - a russet potato will be too fluffy for this recipe. Yukons are a better bet.
- Celery
- Shallot
- Serrano pepper - optional, for just a touch of heat.
- Garlic
- White wine
- Celery root
- Vegetable broth - or Better Than Bouillon Roasted Vegetable Paste
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Half and half
- 2% milk
- Chervil leaves
- Lobster meat (optional)
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🔪 Recommended Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot
- Medium sauté pan
- Counter top blender or immersion blender
- Kitchen scissors
- Broiler pan
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
Make this bisque ahead and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 - 3 days in a sealed container.
There's a lot of prep involved in this recipe. Some can be done advance, such as dicing the celery, onion and mincing the shallot. I don't recommend peeling and chopping either the potatoes or celery root in advance.
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Celery Root Bisque (with optional Lobster)
Ingredients
Celery Root Bisque
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup diced Yukon potato
- ½ cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- ½ Serrano pepper seeded and minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- ¼ cup white wine
- 5 cups peeled and chopped celery root
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning or more, according to taste
- ⅔ cup half-and-half
- ⅓ cup 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped chervil leaves for garnish
Broiled Lobster Tails (for the meat eaters)
- 2 frozen lobster tails
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon Creole seasoning
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Celery Root Bisque
- Set a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and once melted, sauté the onion, potato, celery, shallot, Serrano, and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until the wine is completely absorbed, about 7 - 10 minutes.
- Add the celery root, broth, salt, and Old Bay Seasoning in the saucepan and simmer until the celery root is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and puree the soup using a countertop blender or an immersion blender until smooth.Stir in the half-and-half and milk. Taste, and re-season the soup if necessary and garnish with the chervil.
- Serve with 3 tablespoons of the sauteed lobster per soup bowl for the meat eaters at the table.
Broiled Lobster Tails
- Using kitchen scissors, cut the lobster shells in half, and firmly open up to butterfly the tails. Gently slice through the lobster meat just enough to open it up. Be careful not to cut all the way through the meat.
- Melt the butter and stir in the seasoning and salt.
- Turn the tails upside down on a broiler pan, and broil for 7 minutes. Flip over and baste with the seasoned butter. Slip back under the broiler for another 4 minutes or until done. Baste again with the season butter.
- The lobster tails can be served as is with additional butter alongside the soup, or gently remove the meat from the shells, coarsely chop, and top each bowl of bisque with the meat of one tail.
Manu
Such an elegant dish! And your pictures too... very elegant!!! Amazing job!
Liz
I love your elegant bisque...from the delicious, spicy celery root base to the decadent addition of lobster! Sounds amazing, Susan!
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom
I want this right away! It's one of those soups where you absolutely feel indulgent, but not so guilty that you can't thoroughly enjoy a bowl. Can't wait to try it!
Nichole C
Ha, yea so I didn't know much about the meaning behind Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, either. I am all about the yummy cuisine, though...and this bisque!
Family Foodie
Is it wrong that I am over here drooling... literally. I have got to make this beautiful recipe.
Tara
I love celery root and have to try this soup. With lobster that just ups it to a whole new level, gorgeous!!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers
Your bisque looks just incredible!! I love everything you have in it!! perfect for a before dinner appetizer or a main dish!!
Heather // girlichef
I'm pretty positive that with a bowl of this bisque, a lobster tail, a loaf of crusty bread, and a bottle of wine in front of me, I'd be in utter bliss. Gorgeous Susan!
Mary @ Fit and Fed
This looks to die for, you are such an accomplished chef! I make celery root soup and enjoy it but it's definitely not this sophisticated. An aside-- I've never seen chervil leaves for sale either in the supermarket or in our farmer's market. Do you grow your own?
Shaina
Haha, I had no idea that's what Mardi Gras meant either! Your soup sounds fantastic and so decadent with lobster...yum!
lizthechef
Beautiful soup - and I love the elegant touch of lobster.
apuginthekitchen
What a wonderful bisque and adding the lobster is a very delicious and elegant touch. Carnivorous Maximus, LOL!
Carnivorous Maximus
Gotta say, this bisque stuff is good (might even be edible without the lobster, but downright tasty with it). Who would have thought celery root could have such a unique taste ...it looks like a softball !
C.Max
miss messy
That is a gorgeous photo! You had me at lobster!
Jennifer Miller
This looks like heaven! Oh my! Celery root and lobster -- it sounds yummy!!!!
Laura
I was just talking to someone about how it has been years since I had lobster. I have been told there is a place down at the coast where I can get some fresh lobster so when the weather is nicer I think we are going to take a trip down to get some.
Viviana@bonheurcuisine
I love the balance in your soup Susan. This bisque is both rich and healthy, a combination only found in great food. I could have it all!
Katie
What a wonderful meal! Serve up some lobster, please!
cheri
Hi Susan, this looks incredible, even carnivorous maximus commented.
Erika
Haha oh embarrassing...I'd never thought about that either! My one year of French lessons is embarrassed. I love the idea of topping this soup with lobster--Erik would normally not be very excited about celery soup but with lobster?? He would be very excited 🙂
(Almost as excited as I would be to have five batches of brownies to taste!!)
Nicole @ Daily Dish Recipes
That lobster just totally made this delicious recipe. I love everything about it!!
cathy
Oh Susan -- you are teasing us with a "healthy" celery root bisque paired with decadent lobster.... yum!
Jane's Adventures in Dinner
So pretty, a seafood recipe is just perfect to represent New Orleans.
Hezzi-D
Awesome! We get celery root in our CSA and I never know what to do with it! Totally making this recipe!
Cindys Recipes and Writings
So smooth and creamy! Love the sound of lobster with this!
Kim Beaulieu
I've never seen a more beautiful photo of bisque in my life. This looks absolutely divine.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Lol, I too used to think Mardi Gras meant "Let’s Party Wildly With Colorful Makeup and Glitter"! I've never had celery root (crazy, right?!) but your soup looks deliciously creamy and I'm in LOVE with the lobster on top.
Sarah
I need to try celery root again, it's been a long time!
Renee
Oh my what a heavenly dish! I love celeriac and everything else in it. And the lobsters is pure delight. I'll take two bowls please and thank you.