Home > Winter soup recipes > Celeriac, bacon and barley soup

Celeriac, bacon and barley soup

Name: Celeriac, bacon and barley soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp butter; 6 rashers British free-range smoked streaky bacon, finely sliced (see tip); 6 fresh rosemary sprigs; 2 onions, finely chopped; 600g celeriac, peeled and chopped into 0.5-1cm chunks; 125g pearl barley; 1.75 litres good quality vegetable stock; 4 heaped tbsp crème fraîche; Whole nutmeg for grating

By: Georgina Hayden

Published: 22 Feb 19
Updated: 18 Mar 24

This warming winter soup by Georgina Hayden is filled with the comforting aromas of smoky bacon, sweet onions and rosemary. Make double and freeze for another day. And make sure you serve each bowlful with extra crispy bacon bits and a dollop of crème fraîche for creamy richness.

For a vegetarian celeriac soup, take a look at our spiced celeriac soup recipe.

Easy
January 2019

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 25 min, simmering time 40 min

For a vegetarian celeriac soup, take a look at our spiced celeriac soup recipe.

Freezable

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 385kcals
Fat: 19.2g (10.1g saturated)
Protein: 11.5g
Carbohydrates: 37g (8.2g sugars)
Fibre: 9.1g
Salt: 1.8g

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
6 rashers British free-range smoked streaky bacon, finely sliced (see tip)
6 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 onions, finely chopped
600g celeriac, peeled and chopped into 0.5-1cm chunks
125g pearl barley
1.75 litres good quality vegetable stock
4 heaped tbsp crème fraîche
Whole nutmeg for grating

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

Heat the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, then fry the bacon and the leaves from 1 rosemary sprig for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Set aside some of the bacon and rosemary to garnish, then add the chopped veg and reduce the heat. Cook gently for 15 minutes until softened. Finely chop the rest of the rosemary leaves and add to the pan for the last 2 minutes.
Stir in the pearl barley and stock, then bring to the boil. Season, then simmer for 40 minutes or until the barley is soft and the soup is thick (see Make Ahead). Taste and season.
Ladle into bowls, add crème fraîche, grate nutmeg over and finish with the reserved bacon and rosemary.

Recipe from January 2019 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 385kcals
Fat: 19.2g (10.1g saturated)
Protein: 11.5g
Carbohydrates: 37g (8.2g sugars)
Fibre: 9.1g
Salt: 1.8g

delicious. tips

For a vegetarian soup, omit the bacon and, 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in a large handful of shredded winter greens. Top with grated vegetarian hard cheese.
Don’t reserve any bacon and rosemary in step 1. At the end of step 2, let the soup cool, then cover and chill for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot, then add the nutmeg and crème fraîche to finish.
A simple, refreshing Italian white like soave.