Natural form

A whole celery head with pale ivory base, ribbed green stalks, and leafy tops.

Shows the complete plant structure readers need to recognize celery at point of purchase.

Produce

Celery

Crisp, aromatic stalks for stocks, mirepoix, and snacking

Crunchy and faintly bitter, celery is a cornerstone of stocks and mirepoix and a fresh raw snack. Keep the stalks cold and crisp; revive limp ones in ice water.

Celery is the crisp, aromatic stalk that quietly underpins more cooking than it gets credit for — one third of the mirepoix and sofrito bases that start countless soups, stocks, and braises, and a clean, watery crunch eaten raw. Its faintly bitter, savory, herbal flavor is subtle on its own but essential as backbone seasoning. Snack on the ribs, build flavor with the base, and don't overlook the fragrant leaves.

Measured in: piece
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 14 days

Allergens

Celery

Find it in

Produce

Types & varieties

Pascal (common) celery

The standard green bunch sold everywhere

Celery heart

The tender, pale inner ribs; mildest and best raw

Leaf celery (cutting celery)

Thin stalks, intense leaves; used as an herb

Celeriac (celery root)

A related variety grown for its knobby root, not stalks

How to choose

Want a tight, upright bunch of firm, glossy ribs that snap crisply, with fresh green leaves at the top. Limp, rubbery stalks that bend without breaking, or yellowing, wilted leaves, signal age. The inner heart should be pale and tightly packed.

How to store and revive

Keep celery cold and humid — loosely bagged in the crisper, or stood upright in a little water — and it stays crisp for weeks — far longer than in its original plastic bag. If it goes limp, trim the base and stand the stalks in a glass of cold water, or soak cut ribs in ice water, and they'll firm right back up.

Wrap in foil for the longest life
Revive limp stalks in ice water
Save the base and leaves

How to use all of it

The outer ribs are sturdier and more savory — dice them fine for soffritto and stocks. The pale inner heart and the leaves are tender and aromatic — eat raw, or use the leaves like a fresh herb in salads, stocks, and as a garnish. The stringy outer ribs can be peeled lightly for raw eating if the strings bother you.

Common uses

Mirepoix / sofrito baseStocks and brothsAnts on a log and cruditésWaldorf saladCelery in tuna and chicken saladBloody MarysBraised celerySoups and stews

Tips & pitfalls

Wrap in foil, not the plastic bag, to keep it crisp for weeks
Don't toss the leaves — they're an aromatic free herb
Dice it into mirepoix early to build savory depth
Peel the stringy outer ribs for smoother raw snacking
Save trimmings and the base in the freezer for stock

Nutrition

14kcal

Energy

59 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 17%Carbs 73%Fat 9%

Protein

0.7g

1% DV

Carbs

1% DV

Fat

0.2g

0% DV

Fiber

1.6g

6% DV

Sugars

1.3g

of which

Sodium

80mg

3% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin K24% DV

Folate9% DV

Potassium6% DV

Riboflavin (B2)4% DV

Vitamin B64% DV

Vitamin C3% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Celery, raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Green Celery
660 g · Mercadona
€1.32
Cut and Washed Celery
210 g · Mercadona
€1.15
Organic Celery in Bag
kg · Bonpreu
€2.19
Celery Sticks 200g bag
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€1.15
LA COLLITA Celery Km0 1 unit
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€1.89
Cut Celery Km0 in a 400g Bag
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€1.95

Good to know

Peak season: Late summer through fall; available year-round
Flavor: Crisp, savory, faintly bitter and herbal; aromatic
Origin: Mediterranean wetlands; bred from wild celery (smallage)
Nutrition: ~16 kcal/100g; very low calorie; vitamin K, potassium, mostly water
How to buy: Firm, tight, upright stalks that snap; crisp leaves; no rubbery bend

Substitutes