What can I substitute for celery?

Running low on celery? Here are the best verified substitutes, including how to adjust your measurements.

celery — ingredient substitution guide — Photo by Michael Burrows on Pexels

About celery

Celery is a crisp, fibrous vegetable with a distinctive savoury, slightly bitter flavour and high water content. It forms one third of the classic French mirepoix and soffritto base, lending aromatic depth to soups, stews, stocks, and braises. Its crunchy texture also makes it popular raw in salads and as a snack vehicle for dips.

Best substitute

Celeriac

Celeriac (celery root) delivers a very similar celery-like flavour and works well cooked in soups, stews, and braises. Peel and dice before use; it is denser than celery so it holds its shape better when slow-cooked.

Use 1 cup diced celeriac for every 1 cup chopped celery

soupsstewsbraisesstocksraw snackingsalads

Alternative

Fennel

Fennel stalks have a similar crisp texture and aromatic, savoury quality, though with a mild anise note. Use the stalks rather than the bulb for the closest textural match; the anise flavour mellows significantly when cooked.

Use 1 cup chopped fennel stalks for every 1 cup chopped celery

soupsstewsmirepoixraw saladsneutral-flavoured dishes

Alternative

What is celery called in other countries?

Country	Name
Australia	celery
Canada	celery
New Zealand	celery
United Kingdom	celery
United States	celery

Common names for celery

pascal celerystalk celerygarden celery

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Leeks provide a mild, savoury aromatic base that can stand in for celery in cooked dishes where you want depth without strong celery flavour. Use the white and light-green parts only; slice thinly and sauté as you would celery.

Use 1 cup sliced leek for every 1 cup chopped celery

soupsstewsbraisessautéingraw snackingcrudités

Alternative

Green capsicum

Green capsicum (green bell pepper) offers a similar crunch and mild bitterness to celery and is used as a substitute in Cajun and Creole cooking, where it forms part of the 'holy trinity' alongside onion and celery. It does not replicate the celery flavour but provides comparable texture and aromatic body.

Use 1 cup diced green capsicum for every 1 cup chopped celery

soupsstewssautéingcasserolesdishes requiring celery flavour

Alternative

Celery seed

Celery seed provides concentrated celery flavour and is best used as a flavour substitute rather than a textural one. It is ideal for dressings, marinades, soups, and spice rubs where the crunch of celery stalks is not critical.

Use ¼ tsp celery seed for every 1 large stalk of celery called for

dressingsmarinadessoupsspice rubsraw applicationsdishes needing texture