celery - 3 sticks sliced

ProducePeak season is autumn through spring (September to April in the Northern Hemisphere), though celery is cultivated year-round in many regions and is generally available throughout the year in most markets.

Celery is low in calories (approximately 14 calories per stalk) and is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin K, and potassium, with notable antioxidant compounds including luteolin and 3-n-butylphthalide.

About

Celery (Apium graveolens) is a biennial herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family, cultivated worldwide for its edible stalks, leaves, and seeds. Native to the Mediterranean region, celery is characterized by its pale green to medium green, crisp, fibrous stalks that grow in bundled clusters from a central base. The flavor profile is distinctly aromatic and slightly peppery, with a crisp, refreshing bite. Common cultivars include Pascal celery (the most widely cultivated green variety), Golden or self-blanching celery (milder and more tender), and Celeriac or celery root (cultivated for its bulbous root rather than stalks). The plant contains volatile oils that give it its characteristic aroma and subtle herbal notes.

Culinary Uses

Celery is a fundamental aromatic vegetable used as a base for stocks, broths, soups, and braises across many cuisines. It features prominently in the French mirepoix (celery, onion, carrot) and is essential to traditional cooking foundations in European, American, and Asian cuisines. The sliced or diced stalks are consumed raw in salads, vegetable platters, and as a vehicle for dips. Celery leaves add herbaceous notes to salads, stocks, and garnishes, while celery seeds are used as a spice in pickling, seasoning blends, and condiments like celery salt. The vegetable's crispness makes it valuable for both raw preparations and cooked applications.

Forms & Preparations

  • Sliced or chopped stalks — Fresh celery cut into rounds or dice for use in salads, soups, stews, and cooked vegetables.
  • Whole stalks — Intact celery stalks used in stocks, broths, and as a vehicle for dips or spreads.
  • Leaves — Tender inner leaves used as garnish, in salads, or added to stocks and soups for herbaceous notes.
  • Celery seeds — Dried seeds used as a spice in pickling, seasoning blends, and condiments.
  • Celery salt — Ground celery seeds mixed with salt, used as a seasoning and in Bloody Mary cocktails.
  • Celery juice or powder — Processed forms used in beverages, health drinks, and as a culinary ingredient in modern cooking.

Substitutes

  • Unknown — Similar crisp texture and aromatic quality; use in equal quantities for raw applications, though fennel has a more pronounced anise flavor suited to Mediterranean dishes.
  • Unknown — Milder and sweeter than celery; use in soups and braises at a 1:1 ratio, though the aromatic profile differs.
  • Unknown — Adds sweetness rather than the herbal quality; use in equal quantities for texture but adjust seasonings to compensate for flavor difference.
  • Unknown — Related plant with earthier flavor; use diced in stocks and soups at a 1:1 ratio, though it requires longer cooking times.
  • Unknown — Use primarily in stocks and broths where the herbal quality is valued; substitute at a 1:1 ratio for flavor but lacks the structural crispness of celery stalks.