Cooking
Before you cook your celery root, you’ll need to prep it. Peeling and paring is usually best done with a sharp chef’s knife. This how-to video with Melissa Clark of The New York Times will set first-timers off on the right foot.
Celery root can be used in a variety of ways: raw, roasted, braised, you name it. One classic French preparation is a slaw dressed with a remoulade sauce, most commonly known as celeri remoulade. Southern chef Virginia Willis offers a similar preparation: grated celery root with a dressing of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, capers, tarragon and parsley, plus the zest and juice of a lemon. Celery root soup is another favorite — try this recipe from Greek culinary authority Diane Kochilas, who adds fennel, figs and feta.
For a mash with a twist, use one part celery root and two parts potatoes, along with a few whole cloves of garlic. Boil, with a half-teaspoon of salt per pound of vegetables, until fork tender, about 25 minutes. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid, then ladle it in as necessary while mashing to loosen the texture a bit. Add butter, salt, black pepper and fresh parsley to taste.
Nutrition
Although far from a superfood, celery root has some nutritional value. One cup, raw, contains around 65 calories, has two to three grams of both fiber and protein, and mild amounts of calcium and potassium.
FAQs
Celeriac is celery root, the bottom part of the crunchy green vegetable you already know. Nothing more, nothing less. It's simply a different part of the celery plant (Apium graveolens)—celeriac is the root, while celery is the stem.
Is celeriac the actual root of celery? ›
Celeriac, also known as celery root, is the bulb of a celery plant – but a different variety than the celery we're used to, with its bright, crispy stalks so necessary for soups, stocks, and salads. Though their flavors are similar, celery and celeriac are not interchangeable.
What is celeriac called in America? ›
Celeriac, also known as celery root, turnip-rooted celery, or knob celery, is a large, bumpy, brown vegetable that's harvested in the wintertime.
Does celeriac count as celery? ›
Celery and celeriac are basically the same plant, Apium graveolens, with celeriac being a variety cultivated for its root rather than for its stalks (var. rapaceum). They both have the taste of celery, although many people find celeriac to be earthier and more intense.
Why is my celeriac not swollen? ›
Celeriac likes cool, moist soil, and needs a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. This is a hungry crop and needs plenty of nutrition for the knobbly stem to swell up, so enrich the soil where you plan to grow it with compost, sheep pellets and aged manure before planting.
Why do chefs use celeriac? ›
Its pale, fine-grained flesh is firm and crunchy when raw, creamy and slightly fibrous when cooked. One of the reasons it's such a popular soup and stew ingredient is because it simultaneously lends its taste to cooking liquids and absorbs the flavors of other ingredients.
Can you eat celeriac raw? ›
Celeriac can be eaten raw or cooked and prepared as a side dish. Here are a few serving tips: Try it raw — sliced or grated — in salads, coleslaw or French celeriac remoulade. Boil and mash the vegetable as an alternative to potatoes or other root vegetables.
Is celeriac healthier than potato? ›
Celeriac can also serve as an alternative to potatoes for people who are trying to reduce their calorie or carbohydrate intake. According to the USDA, one cup of boiled celeriac pieces contains 42 calories and 9.14 g of carbohydrate. The same amount of boiled potatoes provides 134 calories and 31.2 g of carbohydrate.
Is rutabaga the same as celeriac? ›
Celeriac is one of my favorite roots. It's sweet, savory, and has a slight flavor of celery. Rutabaga is a cross between a potato and a turnip; it has a great texture and a sweet edge that is wonderful roasted.
What does celeriac taste like to eat? ›
What does celeriac taste like? Celeriac has a mild celery flavor with a refreshing crunch and a little bitterness when raw, and a subtle undertone of sweetness when cooked. If you like radishes and turnips, you will love celeriac raw, and if you enjoy potatoes, you will like the cooked version.
To your meals, celeriac brings:
✔️ Dietary fibres – which improve gut microbiota diversity and digestive health. ✔️ Potassium – which is involved in many essential functions, like the maintenance of normal blood pressure. ✔️ Flavonoids such as apigenin and kaempferol.
Can celeriac upset your stomach? ›
Celery root is high in fiber, which can sometimes be tough on your stomach and cause gas. If you're not used to eating high-fiber foods, start with a small amount of celeriac before you serve it as a side dish or substitute it for potatoes.
Can you be allergic to celeriac but not celery? ›
Celery and celeriac are likely to contain very similar allergens and although our Factsheet is entitled Celery Allergy, you must assume that you should also avoid celeriac. Allergic reactions to celeriac are often more severe and happen more frequently in Europe where celeriac is a more commonly eaten food.
What is the disease of celeriac? ›
They can easily be controlled by available insecticides. Celeriac is susceptible to injury by several diseases including late blight, early blight, phoma root rot, black heart and root knot. Late blight is caused by Septoria apii and this organism attacks only celeriac and celery.
How to know when celeriac is bad? ›
Celeriac should be quite hard, dense and heavy for its size, with crisp green stem pieces. A bad-quality celeriac will be woody, tough and hollow, with wilted leaves and stem.
Why is my celeriac so small? ›
As the roots need lots of water to develop, they need constant moisture and a lack of water can cause it to stop growing. You will need to keep a very close eye on the pots to water plants in containers - and celeriac in pots will also need fertilizing every one or two weeks.
Can I substitute celeriac for celery? ›
Whether blending or roasting, replace three stalks of celery with half a large head of celeriac. What Is Celery Salt? The most important thing to know when substituting celery is that there's no perfect swap. The end result will taste slightly different and that's okay.
Is celery grown from celeriac? ›
Celeriac is a type of celery grown for its edible large root used to flavor soups. *Carrot rust fly maggots will burrow into the heart and stunt or kill the plant.
Can you eat the root of regular celery? ›
Celeriac, or celery root, is one of the unsung heroes of the root vegetable world. It can be eaten raw or cooked, is a terrific substitution for potatoes in many applications and is wonderfully healthful!
