Did you know that celeriac, sometimes called celery root, is one of the most economical and best-loved vegetables in Turkish cuisine?

Once the hard, bumpy exterior is disgarded, its firm, white inner flesh and delicate celery aroma make it a favorite vegetable for salads and traditional cooked vegetable dishes in olive oil. It's also a favorite ingredient in Turkish soups and stews.

Creamy, flavorful Turkish-style celeriac soup is easy to prepare with only a few simple ingredients. It's important to find fresh, young celeriac and peel and cook them promptly. I prefer to use several small celeriac in place of a single, oversized root.

Kids love this soup's mild flavor, so it's a great choice for the family. Depending upon how you serve and garnish it, it's fancy and exotic enough for company, too.

Celeriac soup is perfect to start off any menu featuring poultry. Try it during winter holidays like Thanksgiving in place of pumpkin soup. It goes very well with turkey and stuffing.

If you enjoy soup for lunch, try a steaming bowl of celeriac soup, a salad and some fresh bread for a nutritious and satisfying meal.

If you’re ready to try this delicious soup at home, use this basic recipe to begin. As Turkish cooks do, you can change the flavor and texture by adding different vegetables and spices until you have your own version of celeriac soup.