For a long time, celery has been a well-known ingredient in cooking due to its particular taste and many health benefits. However, it might be challenging to procure the green stalk in the nearby supermarket or your local grocery from time to time.
That is when I provide a back plan with eight joint replacements for the celery. They include carrots, jicama, fennel, bok choy, bell peppers, water chestnuts, celery seeds, and green onions.
8 Best Celery Substitutes- Finding A Good Celery Substitute for 2022
1. Fennel
The first name on this list that can replace well the celery is fennel.
The vegetable has a unique bulbous look with stringy green leaves and long stalks.
Concerning its taste, it features a sweet and robust flavor, which is quite similar to licorice and subtler anise. Some might worry if the sweetness of fennel can overpower their meal’s taste. The tip is to use the right amount, and its taste would lightly mellow out after cooking.
Furthermore, you can use the stalk, seeds, and bulb of the vegetable for various functions and dishes. For example, suppose you do not have the celery for salads, take the fennel’s crisp stalks instead.
Besides, the texture of fennel’s bulb and celery is pretty similar. Both are silky and soft, making them be the substitute for each other well.
Given that you have to make a stew or a soup and there is no celery in the pantry chop a few fennel stalks would help. The flavor might not be the exact cause. The fennel tends to be sweet rather than subtly bitter like the celery. However, that does not adversely affect the result.
2. Jicama
The following substitute for celery is jicama, a well-known globe-like vegetable in most Asian countries. It originates in Mexico, then spreads around the world due to the exceptional nutty and sweet taste, combined with crunchy and juicy flesh.
Jicama has a white interior and papery brown skin. And it replaces the celery best in salads due to a mild taste and a crunchy texture.
Of course, it can be the alternative for cooked celery alike. However, keep in mind that do not overcook the jicama, or it might get mushy instead of crunchy than usual.
When using the jicama, remember that a cup of jicama after being grated can replace a cup of celery.
That means, instead of using around eight average celery’s stalks, you only need a little bit of grated jicama. One pound of the vegetable occupies about four cups after being shredded down.
3. Bok Choy
Another famous Asian ingredient that can replace celery is bok choy. Both have white bulbs and soft green leaves.
Plus, as you notice, the bok choy’s stalks are also crunchy like its peer. The vegetable’s taste is crisp and subtly peppery, slightly similar to spinach.
When it comes to its function, bok choy is perfect to be used in stir-fries and soups instead of celery for the familiar flavor and a crunchy texture.
However, if you prefer a sweeter taste, pick up the baby bok choy and avoid the mature one. Baby leaves tend to be less bitter than their old counterpart.
4. Bell Peppers
In lieu of celery, you can opt for red, yellow, or green bell peppers.
However, there might be a slight difference between those types. The green ones are said to own an earthy flavor, which is more similar to the celery than their siblings. Meanwhile, the yellow or red bell peppers are sweeter.
Hence, it depends on your needs to pick up the correct type.
In most meat dishes, diced bell peppers can take over from celery, especially green ones. Plus, with Thanksgiving meals, you should slice and then stuff those peppers for a better flavor.
Besides, you can use the bell peppers as a decoration for many dishes for their stunning color.
5. Green Onions
Never forget the green onions as an excellent substitute for celery. First, they are easy to find in any market or local grocery. Also, they own a similar crunchy texture as their peer.
Green onions have two parts for more details, the white one at the bottom and the greener section above. The previous has a lightly sweet flavor like onions, while the latter tends to be earthy and fresh.
Although green onions are pretty crunchy, they might soon become mushy when cooking. As a result, I suggest you only use the ingredient in uncooked dishes to replace the celery.
Regarding the ratio when substituting, consider using only ½ cup of green onions to replace one cup of celery. That ensures the condiment does not overpower the meal.
6. Water Chestnuts
Water chestnuts are a kind of sedge, mainly found in Oceania, tropical Africa, and Asia. The versatile plant is expected to add a fantastic flavor into dishes requiring celery.
For more details, the aquatic chestnuts have a crisp white flesh like the celery, and their texture might remind you of crunchy pears.
The plant has a unique taste that is fruity, sweet, tart, and nutty.
When using water chestnuts as a substitute for celery, remember to use the fresh ones instead of those in cans.
7. Celery Seeds
Unlike ordinary celery, celery seeds come from the wild celery, making their taste more robust, lightly earthier, and bitter.
However, using the celery seeds, you might not see some problems met in the celery stalks, like the occasionally mushy chunk or stringy texture.
They can be used well in many dishes to replace the stalks, namely pickles, meats, soups, etc.
8. Carrots
Suppose you are not satisfied with my suggestions above, consider the carrots as the last great substitute.
The long and crisp vegetable has an earthy flavor coming with a crunchy texture when raw. After cooking, you can see them become lightly sweeter and softer.
For the features, carrots are often used instead of celery in many soups or soup broth cause its rich in minerals and vitamins.
Substitute for Celery – These are the best celery substitutions
FAQs About Celery Substitutes
Does Celery Give Extra Flavor?
Of course, it does add flavor to many dishes. For example, when using it in mirepoix, the food’s taste tends to be more profound with the ingredient’s natural bitterness and saltiness. Also, some Western sauces and soups get more aromatic with celery.
What Is Part Of Celery Used For Soups?
The tender, petite, and innermost celery leaves are needed to garnish the soups or deviled eggs. For their crunchy texture and the right size, nothing can make stews more flavorful and colorful than them.
Which Food Contain Celery?
There are a wide variety of dishes having celery. Some of them are stock cubes, pre-prepared sandwiches, salads, canned soups, and crisps. Moreover, they also add the ingredient in spice mixes, cured bacon, marmite, and frozen foods in some areas.
What Happens When You Drink Celery Juice Every Morning?
Conclusion
To sum up, above are the eight best substitutes for celery.
In a nutshell, fennel is the first vegetable you can think about when lacking celery. Not only is it a versatile condiment, but it also has a similar flavor and texture to its counterpart.
Besides, the jicama is worth considering for its popularity in many Asian countries and its mild taste.