10+ Celery Recipes to Keep Your Meals Fresh and Crunchy

Celery is such a simple, crunchy veggie, but it can really bring a lot of flavor and texture to your meals. Most people just snack on it or toss it on the side, but honestly, celery deserves a little more love.

You can throw celery into soups, salads, or sautés to make healthy, tasty dishes. Whether you’re just cooking for yourself or feeding a bunch of people, celery is easy to prep and plays well with all kinds of flavors.

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Ingredients

• Celery stalks
• Other basic ingredients depending on the recipe

Cooking Instructions

1. Wash and trim celery stalks.
2. Prep the celery however you like—chop, slice, or sauté.
3. Mix with other ingredients as your recipe calls for.

1) Creamy Celery Soup

Creamy celery soup is about as comforting as it gets. It’s smooth, cozy, and still has that fresh celery flavor. You can go rich with cream or keep it lighter with a dairy-free swap.

Start by sautéing celery, onions, and garlic in a bit of oil or butter. Pour in some veggie stock and let it all simmer away.

Blend until it’s velvety. It’s a solid choice for a quick lunch or a dinner starter.

Check out this creamy celery soup recipe if you want a version without cream.

Ingredients

• 6 cups celery, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup cream or non-dairy substitute
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Toss in celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Blend it all until smooth.
5. Stir in the cream. Warm it gently—don’t let it boil.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Celery and Potato Hash

Celery and potato hash is one of those dishes that just works for breakfast or dinner. Start by cooking diced potatoes until they get that golden edge.

Add chopped celery for a fresh, crunchy bite, and cook a bit longer. If you’ve got onions or mushrooms, toss those in too.

Use a little oil or butter in the skillet. The textures come together—soft potatoes, crisp celery.

Season it up with salt, pepper, and maybe a dash of cayenne if you’re feeling bold.

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons oil or butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add potatoes and cook until golden and tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in celery and onion, cook 5 more minutes.
4. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne if you want.
5. Serve warm.

For more ideas, peek at this potato and celery hash recipe.

3) Sautéed Celery with Garlic and Soy Sauce

Sautéed celery with garlic and soy sauce is a quick way to punch up your side dish game. Garlic brings a great aroma, and soy sauce does its savory magic.

Heat up a pan with a little oil. Stir-fry celery until it’s just tender but still has a bite.

It’s simple, but the flavor is way bigger than you’d expect. You can get this on the table in about 20 minutes, which is honestly pretty great.

Ingredients

• 4 cups celery, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat (about 350°F / 175°C).
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, maybe 30 seconds.
3. Toss in celery and sauté for 5-7 minutes until it’s crisp-tender.
4. Stir in soy sauce and rice vinegar. Cook another 1-2 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

If you want more details, search for sautéed celery with garlic, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

4) Braised Celery with Butter and Broth

Braised celery is a sneaky-good way to make celery shine. Sauté the celery in butter so it softens up and gets that rich flavor.

Add chicken broth, cover, and let it simmer until tender. Five minutes is usually enough.

If you want it a bit richer, take the lid off and cook a minute more to reduce the liquid. This side is super mild but still brings a fresh touch to your plate.

Ingredients

• 6 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add celery, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until it softens a bit.
3. Pour in chicken broth, turn heat to low.
4. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until celery is tender.
5. Take off the lid and cook a minute more if you want less liquid.
6. Serve warm.

For the nitty-gritty, see this braised celery recipe.

5) Celery Gratin

Celery gratin is a creamy, cheesy upgrade for celery. Boil celery until it’s tender, then mix it into a cheesy sauce.

Bake until the top turns golden and bubbly. Butter, cream, and cheese make this dish pretty rich, so it works as a side or a warm veggie dish by itself.

It comes together quickly but feels a bit fancy. You can always tweak the seasoning to match your mood.

Ingredients

• 1 head of celery
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk (2%)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Chop celery into bite-sized pieces and boil until tender.
3. In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour for a roux.
4. Slowly add milk and cream, stirring until thick.
5. Mix in cheese, salt, and pepper, then add celery.
6. Pour into a baking dish.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Here’s a celery gratin recipe for more details.

6) Celery Stir-Fry with Chili Oil

Celery stir-fried with chili oil is a fast, spicy way to use up celery. The chili oil brings heat, and the celery stays crisp.

You can toss in some crushed peanuts for crunch or just stick with salt and soy sauce. It’s good as a side or even a snack.

Just make sure your pan is hot before you start. Stir-fry quickly to keep the celery fresh.

Ingredients

• 4 ribs of celery, cut into matchsticks
• 3 tablespoons Chinese chili oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts (optional)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.
2. Add chili oil and let it warm for 30 seconds.
3. Toss in celery and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add salt and soy sauce, stir to coat.
5. Take off the heat and sprinkle with peanuts if you want.
6. Serve right away for max crunch.

7) Spicy Celery Stir-Fry with Sesame Oil

Spicy celery stir-fry with sesame oil is quick and packs a punch. Heat sesame oil in a hot pan for that nutty aroma, then add crushed red pepper for a little fire.

Stir-fry the sliced celery just until it’s tender but still has some crunch. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of soy sauce.

You can eat this as a side or a light snack. It’s also pretty good over rice or noodles if you want a simple meal.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced celery
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat sesame oil in a skillet over high heat.
2. Add crushed red pepper and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add celery and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
5. Cook another 1-2 minutes, then serve.

You’ll find more tips at Spicy Celery Stir Fry – The Defined Dish.

8) Chicken Salad with Celery and Grapes

Chicken salad with celery and grapes is a classic for a reason. The celery brings crunch, and the grapes add a sweet pop.

Use cooked chicken breast or canned chicken—whatever you’ve got. Mix in chopped celery, halved grapes, and a creamy dressing like mayo.

A bit of salt and pepper rounds it out. Serve it on bread, crackers, or over lettuce.

It’s simple, super fresh, and you can tweak the ingredients however you want.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or canned, drained
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 ½ cups red seedless grapes, halved
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix chicken, celery, and grapes.
2. Add mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
3. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Serve on bread, crackers, or lettuce.

9) One-Pot Beef Brisket with Braised Celery

Here’s a cozy one-pot meal: beef brisket and celery, cooked together until everything’s just right. The celery gets braised with the meat, so it picks up all those savory flavors but still keeps a little crunch.

Red wine (or any bold wine you like) brings out the best in both the beef and the veggies. Honestly, this is a dish that begs for a slow afternoon.

Brisket softens up beautifully as it cooks, and the celery soaks up the juices. If you’ve only ever had celery in salads, this might change your mind.

You don’t need a laundry list of ingredients or fancy equipment. Just one pot, a handful of basics, and you’re set.

Try it with mashed potatoes or a hunk of crusty bread. It’s the kind of meal that feels a little special but doesn’t ask much from you.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds beef brisket
• 6 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups red wine (Barolo or any full-bodied red)
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup beef broth

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat.
3. Brown the brisket on all sides, then set it aside.
4. Add onion, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook until they soften, about 5 minutes.
5. Pour in the wine and beef broth, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom.
6. Put the brisket back in. Cover the pot and move it to the oven.
7. Let it cook for about 3 hours, until the brisket is fork-tender.
8. Take out the brisket, slice it up, and serve with the braised celery and all those good juices.

10) Celery Juice

Celery juice is about as straightforward as it gets—just fresh celery, blended and strained. It’s crisp, a little grassy, and surprisingly refreshing.

Chop up celery, toss it in a blender with a splash of water, and strain it if you want it smooth. That’s really it.

If you want to jazz it up, add a bit of green apple, some lemon, or a chunk of ginger. Those extras make the flavor pop.

You can also toss in a pinch of turmeric or a slice of green chili if you’re feeling bold. It comes together in minutes and is totally dairy-free.

Ingredients

• 4-5 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/4 cup water (optional)
• 1/2 green apple (optional)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)
• 1 small piece of ginger (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Wash the celery.

2. Chop it into small pieces.

3. Toss the celery into a blender.

4. If it looks too thick, pour in a little water.

5. Blend everything until it looks smooth.

6. Grab a fine sieve or cheesecloth and strain the juice.

7. Want to mix things up? Add apple, a splash of lemon juice, or a bit of ginger.

8. Give it a good stir.

9. Serve it chilled.