Of all the vegetables we grow, celeriac definitely gets the weirdest looks and most “what is this?” questions from market goers and CSA members. It is often hard for people to understand as a cooking vegetable, but once you get more familiar with it, you will learn that it is delicious, really easy to cook with, and the basis for a wide spectrum of European dishes. 

Celeriac, also called celery root, is literally the root cousin of the celery plant. It was bred to have a large, round edible root as opposed to having large stalks and leaves. It therefore has a flavor comparable to celery (though milder) and is a great winter substitute in soups, stews and other dishes where you would usually use celery. The flavor is unique and aromatic, and it has a much lower glycemic index than potatoes which makes it popular with people following many different diets. Also, because of its thick skin, celeriac makes a great storage vegetable.

CSA members can expect to receive celeriac once in the regular season (usually very late in the season) and 1-2 times in fall shares. We start to bring it to market in September and continue to provide it through Thanksgiving (or after if we have enough).

What we grow & how to prep it

We like to grow medium to large celeriac because it requires peeling, and if they are too small, there just isn’t enough usable substance left after peeling to warrant the effort. We usually remove the tops and just give the root, but if the greens look especially good, we will sometimes leave them on. The tops look just like a small head of celery and can be used as such.

To use the celeriac, you will start by removing the brown bumpy skin. You could technically do this with a vegetable peeler, but it is rather thick so we usually use a knife. Here’s a guided, step-by-step tutorial if you feel overwhelmed by the process – honestly, it is rather daunting the first time you try.

After peeling, you will reveal a whiter/light yellow colored flesh much like a potato. Sometimes you will find a hole within the celeriac or a section that looks like the funny brown skin. This is not a quality issue, but rather something that happens when the celeriac is growing too fast. It doesn’t affect the flavor and doesn’t need to be removed, but you can trim it if you prefer. The inside flesh can be sliced, cubed, diced, or cut into matchsticks- depending on how you plan to use it.

Storage tips 

Celeriac is a great easy storage vegetable. You should not wash it before storage and keep it in the crisper drawer of your fridge (or in a plastic bag in the regular part of your fridge). This will help it stay hydrated and not get soggy. It can store for weeks, if not months, like this. 

If at some point, you do receive celeriac with the green tops on them, be sure to separate before storing. The greens need to be used within a week, and do best in a plastic bag to retain moisture.

Long-term storage

If you are interested in long-term storage of celeriac because you have limited space in your fridge or root cellar, it does freeze very well. Wash, peel and cut into cubes. Freeze on a baking sheet and then transfer into freezer proof containers or bags for an easy addition to any cooked preparation.

How to use celeriac – some easy ideas & recipes!

Celeriac is a wonderfully versatile vegetable. With a texture similar to a potato and a flavor of mild celery, it can be substituted into most any dish that calls for either vegetable. It can be used as a soup or stew base with onion and carrot for a rich flavor (like celery) or boiled and mashed (like a potato). You can roast it with other root vegetables, grate it into slaws (or to top winter salads), turn it into fritters (or burgers?!), puree it into a creamy mixture, and so much more. 

Here are some of our favorite, simple ways to use celeriac.

Celeriac & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Recipe by: Taste of Home

Yield: 6 servings
Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large celery root, peeled and chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon minced chives

PREPARATION:

1. Place the potatoes, celery root and garlic in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook just until tender, 15 minutes. Drain; cool slightly.
2. Mash vegetables with butter, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in chives.

Celeriac Soup

Recipe by: Recipe Tin Eats

Yield: 5 servings
Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS: 

1 bay leaf, fresh

2 thyme sprigs

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

4 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 onion, diced

1/2 leek (white part only), diced (~ 3/4 cup)

3 celery stems, diced (~1 1/2 cups)

2 large celeriac roots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (~2 pounds after peeling)

1 large (about 1/2 pound) potatoes , peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes 

6 cups water, or stock if you prefer

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 cup heavy cream 

Croutons

Olive oil, for drizzling

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

PREPARATION:

1. Bundle the bay leaf, thyme, black peppercorns and coriander seeds loosely in a small piece of cheesecloth to create a sachet. Tie with cooking twine to secure.
2. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, leek, celery and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes until onion is soft but not golden. Don’t rush this part – this creates an important flavor base so we can make this soup using water not stock.
3. Add celeriac and potato. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the outside of the celeriac and potato starts to soften. Be careful to not color the celeriac – we’re going for a white soup here!
4. Add salt, pepper, sachet of spices and herbs, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes (no lid) until the celeriac is very soft.
5. Add cream, simmer for another 3 minutes.
6. Remove sachet, then blitz until fully smooth using your method of choice: Stick blender (~ 3 mins), or cool slightly and do in a blender in batches. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
7. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with croutons and chives, drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crusty bread for dunking!

Celeriac Remoulade

Recipe by: Pinch and Swirl 

Yield: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice, ideally fresh

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped

2 cornichon pickles, coarsely chopped, ~1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

1 ½ pounds celeriac, peeled and shredded

PREPARATION:

1. Stir together the first 6 ingredients (mayonnaise through fresh parsley) until smooth, in a bowl large enough to hold the shredded celeriac. Add celeriac and toss to coat evenly. Serve.

Classic Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

Recipe by: Simple Bites

Yield: 8 servings
Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

2 pounds beef stew meat

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Fine sea salt

Black pepper freshly ground

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons salted butter

3 cups beef stock, divided

1/3 cup red wine or beer, optional

6 French shallots, peeled and halved

2 small onions, peeled and cut into 8 pieces

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon, dried

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound celeriac, rutabaga or parsnip, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into coins

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Adjust oven rack to bottom third so that your pot and lid fit easily. Have your vegetables prepped and ready to go.
2. Place the beef on a tray. Pat the beef dry with a clean kitchen rag or paper towel. In a small bowl, combine flour with 1 teaspoon each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of seasoned flour over the beef. Using clean hands or tongs, toss the beef thoroughly in the flour, making sure it is well-coated.
3. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter together in a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. When the butter is bubbling, add half the beef and brown the meat all over, turning each piece with tongs. It should sizzle when added.
4. When the beef is browned on all sides, transfer it to a clean bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup of beef stock into the pan to deglaze; scrape the bottom with a firm rubber spatula to get up all the browned bits. Pour this gravy over the browned beef.
5. Set the pan back over medium heat. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining beef, this time, deglazing with the red wine. Transfer to a bowl.
6. Over medium heat, melt together the final teaspoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in the pot. Tumble in the shallots and onion. Sauté for 2 minutes. Sprinkle over the dried herbs and garlic; add the rutabaga, carrots as well. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables have softened around the edges. Sprinkle remaining seasoned flour over the vegetables (about 2 Tablespoons) and stir well to coat. Cook for about a minute, then pour in the remaining beef stock. Scrape the bottom well.
7. Return the beef and all juices to the pot. Add Dijon and Worchestershire. Stir well. The stock should just barely cover the meat and vegetables. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven.
8. Slow braise the stew for 3 hours. Remove the lid and cook for an additional hour. Allow the stew to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. It will thicken slightly as it cools. Season generously with additional salt and pepper, tasting each time.
9. Serve with crusty bread and butter or a mountain of mashed potatoes.

Selleriesalat – German Celeriac Salad

Recipe by: We Eat at Last!

Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

1 medium-sized celeriac (approximately 1lb)

4-6 cups water (or just enough to cover much of the celeriac in a pot)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Dressing:

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

3 tablespoon neutral cooking oil (such as sunflower oil, olive oil, or maize oil)

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of black pepper

1 small onion, sliced

PREPARATION:

1. Using a brush, clean the celeriac under clean running water.
2. Transfer the celeriac to a pot, add water, vinegar (2 Tbsp), and salt, and allow it to boil for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into it can go in easily. Prepare the dressing while it is boiling.
3. To make the dressing, add the white wine vinegar, cooking oil, sugar, sour cream, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
4. Once boiled, remove the celeriac from the pot, allow it to cool slightly so it does not burn when touched, peel it using a serrated knife, then cut it into small slices.
5. Transfer the sliced warm celeriac to a bowl, top it with the dressing, add the sliced onions, and mix. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary, then carefully combine.
6. Allow the salad to rest in the fridge for at least one hour (or overnight for best results) before serving.