Natural form

Chinese celery: thin hollow stalks and abundant leafy tops, harvested whole.

Shows the defining physical difference from Western celery — slender hollow stems and profuse leaves — so readers can identify it at a market.

Produce

Chinese Celery

Slender, intensely aromatic celery used as a herb-like flavoring in stir-fries and soups.

Chinese celery has thin, hollow stalks and abundant leaves with a much stronger, more peppery aroma than Western celery. It is used more as a herb than a vegetable, chopped into stir-fries, soups, and noodle dishes across East and Southeast Asia. Because of its potent flavor it is added in smaller amounts and often included leaves and all.

Chinese celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum) is a slender, intensely aromatic plant that functions quite differently from its Western counterpart. While regular celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) serves as a primary vegetable or crunch element, Chinese celery is used more like an herb—a finishing aromatic that delivers concentrated flavor in small amounts. The stalks are thin (5–10 mm), hollow, and more fibrous than Western celery, but the true powerhouse is the leaf: abundant, vibrant, and carrying the plant's most potent aroma.

In Chinese and Southeast Asian kitchens, the entire plant is used—stalks and leaves together. The flavor profile is distinctly bitter-salty and vegetal, with a fragrance that hits the nose immediately when cut. This intensity means a little goes a very long way. When a recipe calls for Chinese celery in a stir-fry or soup, it is almost always added at the very end, raw or barely cooked, precisely because the delicate fragrance evaporates quickly under heat.

The plant grows quickly to 30–50 cm and is harvested young, when both stalks and leaves remain tender enough to eat together. Its primary role is as an aromatic base and finishing herb—much like how flat-leaf parsley operates in Italian cooking. You will find it in stir-fries, soups, dumplings, noodle bowls, and poaching liquids, where it contributes brightness rather than bulk or texture.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Green Chinese Celery

Standard variety; vibrant green leaves and slender green stalks with the strongest flavor

White/Light Green Chinese Celery

Stalks blanched naturally or by hilling soil around the stems; milder, more tender; common in markets when plants are covered while growing

Japanese Seri

Smaller, rounder leaves; particularly prized for its fragrance in Japanese cuisine; used in shōjin ryōri (temple cooking) and as a garnish for nimono

Stalks vs. Leaves: Knowing What to Use When

The stalks and leaves of Chinese celery serve different purposes. The thin, hollow stalks hold up reasonably well to brief cooking—30 to 60 seconds in a hot wok—and contribute a mild celery character with a pleasant bitterness. The leaves, however, are where the concentrated aroma lives. This is why recipes almost always call for adding leaves at the very end of cooking, or using them raw as a finishing garnish.

Use stalks when you want the vegetable-like texture and a background celery note
Use leaves for raw aromatic finishing power—a small pinch delivers significant fragrance
When a recipe simply says 'Chinese celery,' it typically means the whole plant, both stalks and leaves included
The tender inner heart is the most delicate; save it for raw applications where its fragility is an asset, not a liability

Chinese Celery vs. Regular Celery: A Fundamental Difference

These two vegetables share a name and a family, but they operate differently in the kitchen. Regular celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) is a bulk ingredient—you might use several stalks to build a mirepoix or eat celery sticks with peanut butter. Chinese celery is an aromatic, used in quantities similar to herbs: a small handful, or just the leaves scattered at the end.

Western celery: primary vegetable, mild crunch, needs cooking
Chinese celery: finishing aromatic, intense fragrance, needs minimal heat
When a recipe developed for Chinese celery uses regular celery instead, increase the quantity by 50% and add flat-leaf parsley leaves to approximate the aromatic punch
Chinese celery roots are not typically used, unlike regular celery where the root (celeriac) is a distinct ingredient

Common uses

Finishing garnish for stir-fries (added in the final 30 seconds of cooking)Aromatic addition to soups and broths (added in the last 30–60 seconds)Stuffing for dumplings, wontons, and potstickersRaw garnish for noodle bowls, pho, and congeeWok-fried with garlic as a standalone side dish (serves 2–3)Component in fresh spring rolls and summer rollsInfused in poaching liquids for fish, shrimp, or chickenFinishing element in fried rice (added off-heat)Aromatic layer in braised dishes (added in last 10 minutes only)

Tips & pitfalls

Add the leaves in the last 30 seconds of cooking, or use them raw—they lose fragrance quickly and turn olive-brown if overcooked.
The leaves carry the most concentrated flavor. Always use them; never discard them as you might with regular celery leaves.
For stir-fries, briefly fry the stalks alone first (about 30 seconds), then add leaves and remove from heat immediately—the residual heat is enough.
Raw leaves work beautifully as a finishing garnish. A small amount delivers significant aroma, so start with less than you think you need.
When substituting for regular celery in Western recipes, use about half the quantity—the flavor is far more concentrated.
Store Chinese celery stem-side down in a glass of water, like a bouquet, with leaves wrapped in a damp towel. This extends freshness by a day or two.
If unavailable, the best substitute is regular celery stalks (use 1.5× the amount) with flat-leaf parsley leaves added for the missing aromatic intensity.

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

Scientific name: Apium graveolens var. secalinum
Origin: China and Southeast Asia
Primary growing regions: Southern China, Vietnam (rau cần), Japan (seri), Philippines (kintsay)
Season: Year-round in warm climates; spring through fall in temperate zones
Stalk width: 5–10 mm (thinner than Western celery)
Plant height: 30–50 cm (entire plant harvested for use)
Flavor: Intensely aromatic, slightly bitter, saline; leaves are more potent than stalks
Key distinction: Thinner stalks, larger leaves, stronger aromatic punch; functions as a finishing herb, not a primary vegetable
Storage: Wrap in damp paper towel, store in perforated bag in crisper drawer; 3–5 days maximum
Yield: Nearly 100% usable—stalks and leaves both consumed

Substitutes

Regular celery stalks — Milder flavor; use 1.5× the amount; add leaves from a bunch of flat-leaf parsley for the aromatic punch you are missing
Celery leaves only (from regular celery) — Useful when you need only the leafy aromatic quality; discard the stems. Does not replicate the stalk texture, only the aromatic component
Flat-leaf parsley — Closest raw aromatic substitute; different flavor but similar intensity and visual appearance. Use leaves only. Good for finishing, not for cooking.

Pairs with

Garlic Ginger Soy sauce Oyster sauce Rice PorkSeafood

Also called

Kintsai · Leaf Celery