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each celery

ProducePeak season in North America and Europe is late summer through autumn, though celery is available year-round in most markets due to global cultivation and cold storage.

Low in calories and rich in dietary fiber, celery is a good source of vitamin K and potassium. It contains antioxidant compounds including luteolin and 3-n-butylphthalide.

About

Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) is a herbaceous biennial plant of the Apiaceae family, native to the Mediterranean region and now cultivated worldwide. The edible portion consists of the pale green to white leaf stalks (petioles) that form a compact bundle or "head," topped with feathery green leaves. Celery possesses a distinctly fresh, slightly peppery, and herbaceous flavor with subtle notes of anise. The stalks are crisp and fibrous when raw, becoming tender when cooked. Common cultivars include Pascal celery (pale green, mild flavor) and Chinese celery (darker green, more pronounced flavor).

Culinary Uses

Celery serves as a foundational aromatic vegetable in numerous cuisines, particularly in Western cooking. It is a primary component of mirepoix (alongside onions and carrots) in French cuisine and of soffritto in Italian cooking, providing an umami base for soups, stocks, and braises. Raw celery is valued as a crudités vegetable, often paired with dips, and as a salad ingredient. The leaves are used as a garnish and flavoring agent. Celery is also featured in Asian cuisines, where it is stir-fried, pickled, or used in broths. Both stalks and seeds are employed in charcuterie and food preservation.

Forms & Preparations

Fresh stalks — Whole or halved stalks, raw or cooked, used in salads, as crudités, or as an aromatic base for soups and stocks.
Chopped or diced — Cut into small pieces for incorporation into mirepoix, soffritto, stuffings, and braised dishes.
Celery seeds — Dried seeds from mature plants, used as a spice in seasoning blends, pickles, and charcuterie.
Celery salt — Ground celery seeds blended with salt, used as a seasoning for soups, bloody marys, and savory dishes.
Celery powder — Dried and ground celery (stalks or seeds), used as a concentrated flavoring agent and curing agent in processed meats.
Celery juice — Pressed from fresh stalks, used in modern wellness beverages and as a liquid flavoring component.