Celery salt

What is celery salt used for?

With its complex distinct tangy, bitter flavour, celery salt enhances a range of both raw and cooked dishes, and is commonly used to add savoury depth to soups and stews, and pep up salads.

Celery seed has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and fungi. One of these naturally occurring antimicrobial properties is sodium nitrate, which is used as a food preservative. Celery seed’s chemical properties make celery salt a popular preservative for pickling vegetables, such as cucumbers, onions and peppers.

What can I substitute for celery salt?

Substitute celery salt with other spices mixed with salt, such as ground fennel seed, ground lovage seed or ground black pepper, which all have similar flavour profiles to celery seed. Dried dill seed, also has something of a celery-like flavour, and can be mixed with salt as a celery salt alternative.

Celery leaves, especially when dried, ground and mixed with salt, make an effective substitute for celery salt. Preserve leftover celery leaves by dehydrating them in a low oven, grinding with a pestle and mortar, and storing mixed with salt in an air-tight container.

If you happen to have celery seed or ground celery seed, then you can make your own homemade celery salt by mixing one part ground celery seed to four parts salt. This ratio will give you a stronger flavour than commercial versions of celery salt (made with one part celery seed to nine parts salt), and means you can use a lot less for the same result.

Pressure-infused celery mise en place. Bundle of celery. Ingredients infusion liquid in field of view are discarded celery seeds in sieve and citric acid. Wooden board. Colourful surface.

Where to buy celery salt

Major UK supermarkets sell celery salt, as well as many independent grocery shops. Online spice retailers offer a broader range with organic versions and products with a higher percentage of ground celery seed.

Ways to use celery salt

Sprinkling celery salt into dishes that already have celery, such as those with a mirepoix or sofrito base, will intensify the vegetal flavour and add earthy bitterness. Try adding celery salt to vegetarian cottage pie, big-batch bolognese or pasta with tomato & hidden veg sauce.

Celery salt is an effective flavour enhancer for recipes that don’t have celery but benefit from a mild bitter lift, including classic potato salad, tangy cabbage slaw, sliced tomatoes and savoury popcorn. Experiment by replacing salt with celery salt when seasoning meat, fish, potatoes or vegetables for an extra layer of herbal savoury flavour.

Celery salt is a key ingredient in both Cajun and Creole spice mixes. A traditional Cajun spice mix includes cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic and onion powder and celery salt. While in Creole cuisine, celery salt is blended with cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder, as well as oregano, thyme and basil.

The iconic bloody mary cocktail relies on celery salt’s bitterness for the overall flavour balance. Take your bloody mary to the next level and add an extra hit of flavour by moistening the rim of the serving glass with lemon or lime juice and dipping in celery salt.