How to Store Celery: 6 Ways to Use Celery in Your Cooking

A part of the Apiaceae family, celery is a nutritious root vegetable characterized by its crunchy stalks and green leaves. With its notably earthy flavor, celery enhances the taste and texture of a variety of dishes. While you can eat celery raw as a side dish, you can also use it as a spice for soups, stir-fries, salads, and slaws.

A single stalk of celery contains more than twelve different antioxidants, including vitamin C, flavonoids, and lunularin. The nutrient-rich veggie contains numerous anti-inflammatory properties, including phytonutrients and compounds that support organ and digestive functions.

Celery is a versatile vegetable that you can use as a base ingredient or seasoning for extra flavor. The next time you purchase a bag of celery at the grocery store, consider using the following methods for cooking the veggie:

1. 1. Add it to casseroles: Add thawed or fresh celery directly to the pot when sautéing onions and aromatics to build a flavorful foundation for a chicken casserole or moussaka, a popular Greek eggplant casserole.
2. 2. Make a mirepoix: Mirepoix is the aromatic flavor base made by lightly cooking onions, celery, and carrots in butter or oil to coax out the flavors without browning or caramelization. Pros and home chefs typically strain the vegetables out or remove them from the final dish before the end of the cooking process. Learn how to make a mirepoix base at home.
3. 3. Add it to a stir-fry: Celery is a great addition to stir-fries because it adds a crunchy texture and sweet, aromatic flavor. Sauté chopped celery with carrots, broccoli, and baby corn in a frying pan until the veggies are slightly golden brown around the edges. Add in rice or noodles along with your choice of sauce before serving. Learn how to make a vegetable stir-fry.
4. 4. Add it to soups and stews: Celery adds body and a crispy texture to veggie soups such as minestrone, celery soup, chicken noodle, or cabbage soup.
5. 5. Make a stock: Celery also adds a subtle sweetness to vegetable or meat stock. Add the veggie to a large stockpot along with other chopped produce, and simmer for a few hours until the stock has reduced. Stock is also a great vehicle for frozen celery leaves, which are full of bright flavor.
6. 6. Use it in a cocktail base: Use celery to create a refreshing cocktail base or garnish. Celery’s earthy flavor blends nicely with citrus or savory drinks. Muddle chopped celery with sugar for a Gin and Tonic, or add a celery stalk to a Bloody Mary for a final touch.

To store cut celery in water, fill a plastic container with fresh water, submerge your celery sticks, seal the lid, and place it in the refrigerator. The cold water in the container will help lock in moisture, hydrating and preserving the chopped celery.

Cut celery stalks lose moisture faster than a whole bunch of celery, spoiling more easily. Thus, if left on the countertops at room temperature, the once-crisp celery slices will become wilted and limp.

Celery keeps its freshness and crispness for up to four weeks in the refrigerator. Here’s how to store whole stalks in the fridge:

• Remove the celery from the plastic produce bag. For storing whole celery stalks, remove the celery bunch from the plastic bag. As celery ripens, it releases ethylene gas, which can lead to early spoilage. The plastic wrap from the grocery store locks in the ethylene gas, speeding up the ripening process, resulting in limp celery.
• Wrap the celery in foil and paper towels. To preserve your celery sticks and increase the shelf life, place a damp paper towel on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap your celery in it.
• Store the wrapped celery in the crisper drawer. After wrapping the celery, store it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. The damp paper towel will add extra moisture to the wrapped celery, keeping the celery crisp and hydrated in the fridge.

Freezing is a great long-term storage option that keeps celery fresh and reduces food waste. Here’s a guide to freezing celery:

• Clean the celery: For best results, clean and chop the celery while it’s fresh so the frozen pieces will be ready to use straight from the freezer.
• Blanch the celery (optional): Blanching is an optional step, but if you’re storing celery for longer than a few months, it will help lock in flavor and eradicate bacteria. To blanch fresh celery, prepare a large bowl of ice water, then bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped celery to the boiling water, cook it for 30 seconds, remove it with a slotted spoon, and transfer it to the ice bath. Once the celery is cool, drain it into a colander and dry it with paper towels.
• Flash freeze the celery: Flash freezing—the practice of freezing individual pieces separately before storing them in a bag or container—allows you to use as much celery as you need rather than having to defrost a large block. Arrange the cut celery in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer to flash freeze it.
• Storing the celery in the freezer: Transfer the frozen pieces to a freezer bag, individual pouches, or an airtight container. Finally, remove as much air as possible from the bag, then seal it.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.