Celery is a magical ingredient that offers a unique and delicious flavor in a recipe/dish. There are some people who don’t like its taste as well as texture. There is a solution for this type of people. They can use Celery substitutes instead of the orginal ingredient. These substitutes works perfectly as the original one and give an almost similar texture and flavor to the recipe. You must know about Celery so that you can choose the best substitutes from the list.
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What is Celery?
Celery belongs to the Apiaceae plant family, has low calories but lots of water content. It is related to parsley, parsnips, and carrot. Celery is mainly used in salad, soups, stews, meats, etc. Some people add Celery to their salad to lose weight. Losing weight is not the only benefit of Celery. It contains lots of nutrients that give so many health benefits. You can check its nutrient profile as well as its health benefits listed down here.
Nutrient Profile of Celery:
- Serving size: 2 medium stalks (110 grams/3.9 oz)
- Calories: 15 (Calories from fat 0)
- Amount per serving (and %DV*) *Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
- Total fat: 0 grams (0%)
- Total carbohydrate: 4 grams (1%)
- Dietary fiber: 2 grams (8%)
- Sugars: 2 grams
- Sodium: 115 milligrams (5%)
- Potassium: 260 milligrams (7%)
- Protein: 0 grams
- Vitamin A: (10%)
- Vitamin C: (15%)
- Calcium: (4%)
- Iron: (2%)
Health Benefits of Celery:
- Celery reduces inflammation.
- It’s a great source of antioxidants.
- Celery supports digestion.
- It has cancer-fighting properties.
What can I Substitute for Celery?
Celery is used in many different cuisines. It’s the essential ingredient in soups and stews. Sometimes, it happens to forget the main ingredient or run out of it. In that case, you can use another ingredient that is similar to the original one so that your recipe would taste the same without being ruined. That’s why we have listed the best substitute for Celery here for you. You can choose accordingly what you have in your kitchen/refrigerator/pantry.
1. Bok Choy:
Bok Choy is known as Chinese Cabbage. It is mostly used in Asian cuisines. The great crunchy texture and almost similar looks make it a perfect Celery substitute in soup, salad, and stir-fries. This amazing vegetable contains lots of vitamins and minerals It means that using Bok Choy in a recipe not only gives the flavor but also some health benefits.
2. Cabbage:
Cabbage is a good substitute you can use in soups and risotto. Chopped Cabbage gives you a similar crunch that you get from Celery. Cabbage reduces inflammation and has some cancer-fighting properties.
3. Water Chestnut:
Water Chestnut is another substitute for Celery that you can use in a recipe/dish. The perfect texture and flavor of Water Chestnut make it a good Celery alternative. It is a well-known ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Water Chestnuts are low in sodium and give a crunch when used in salad and stir-fries.
4. Carrot:
If you are looking for a Celery replacement in the salad, Carrots will be a great option. There are so many Italian dishes where you can replace Celery with carrots. It offers several nutrients such as beta-carotene, potassium, and calcium. Potassium helps to maintain blood pressure and calcium gives strength to the bones.
5. Fennel:
Using Fennel as a sub for Celery goes pretty well. Both have a similar texture but not a similar flavor. Fennel belongs to the same plant family as carrots and parsley. The aromatic property of Fennel mimics the anise aroma. You may get the pungent flavor but after cooking for some time it becomes milder. So, don’t worry about its pungency.
6. Green Onion:
Green Onion has a mild onion or garlic flavor which is not similar to the Celery flavor. It gives a solid crunch to the dishes like potato salad, tuna salad, or egg salad. You should take half quantity of Green Onions to replace Celery in your salad.
7. Cucumber or Green Apple (Raw in Salad):
Celery is used in the salad to give a crunchiness as well as a nice flavor. If you don’t have Celery, you can use cucumber or green apple to mimic the same crunchiness in your salad. These ingredients don’t taste like Celery but give a good crunch.
8. Celeriac (Celery Root):
Celeriac is a root vegetable close to celery. The intensity of its stronger earthy flavor is higher than the Celery. It can be used in recipes such as soups, stews, and sauces. You can also use raw, but it would be more flavorful when you use its extra-thin slices.
9. Jicama:
Jicama is a Mexican vegetable with a mild nutty and crispy texture. Jicama is also known as Yam Bean. Jicama is mostly used as a snack or in the salad to give a crunchiness. If you want to cook it for soup or stews, it may lose its crunchiness so it’s better not to cook it for long period. The root is the only edible thing but the leaves, stems, and flowers are toxic to the human body.
10. Cardoon:
Cardoon is a leaf-stem vegetable. It has a nutty bitter taste whereas Celery has a slightly salty taste. The appearance of Cardoon is similar to Celery but with bigger leaves. Cardoon takes more time to cook that’s why it’s essential to soak it in salty water before cooking.
11. Parsley:
Parsley is also a similar alternative to Celery. It has a stronger taste that is different from Celery. So, it’s better to use it in a small amount to resemble the same taste. Parsley is a perfect Celery alternative that you can use in soups, sauces, vegetables, and ground meat.
12. Bell Peppers:
Bell Peppers are a very good Celery replacement in a salad, meat stews, and other cuisines that used saute onions and carrots. Not all Bell Peppers resemble the taste of Celery. Only Green Bell Pepper has the closes flavor to Celery.
13. Broccoli Stems:
Many people use the broccoli stem’s upper part (florets) and throw away the rest. But they don’t know how much beneficial is the Broccoli stems. They can replace Celery in many recipes because Broccolo Stems have the same crunchiness as Celery. You can use its chopped and sliced form in a recipe.
14. Asparagus:
Asparagus is a very common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. It works as a great Celery alternative in soup. You can make some stir-fry recipes with this one because it has a similar texture to the Celery that adds lots of crunchiness to your food.
FAQ:-
What is the difference between Celery and Celery Salt?
Celery is a vegetable that contains more water content with a hint of saltiness whereas Celery Salt is made with crushed Celery Seeds and salt. It's also a common food seasoning.
Why does Celery taste like soap sometimes?
Celery has a similar taste and aroma to anise. The genetic-recessive trait causes it to taste like soap to those who have the trait.
Now, you know the best Celery Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
