• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Seasonal guide
  • All produce
  • About
  • Subscribe

Ask the Food Geek logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Seasonal guide
  • All produce
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Seasonal guide
  • All produce
  • About
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Seasonal Guides » Celery root (celeriac)

Modified: Mar 10, 2020 by Vee

Celery root (celeriac)

When is celery root in season? How to pick the best ones and store them.

When celery root is in season, its delicate potato-celery flavor is a perfect addition to soups, mashed with potatoes, or added to gratins.

Jump to:
  • When is celery root (celeriac) in season?
  • How to pick
  • How to store
  • How to peel celery root
  • Is celery root healthier than potatoes?
  • Other common questions
  • Seasonal recipes
  • Let's hear from you

When is celery root (celeriac) in season?

Celery root is in season during cooler months, from September through April. See what else is in season at the same time: January, February, March, April, and in September, October, November, and December.

How to pick

Look for ones that are hard and heavy for their size (indicating they are fresher and not dried out). You can estimate that up to 25% of its weight will be discarded when peeling and trimming.

Small celeriac are often more flavorful, making them a better option for salads and recipes that rely on their crisp, clean flavor. For stews and soups, the larger ones will work out great, as the stronger flavor would be muted anyway.

If the center is soft or spongy after you cut into it, just cut that part out, the rest is fine to use.

How to store

The root should keep for one week, or more, in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer. They like cold, dark places.

As you cut it, it will start to brown (like potatoes). You can submerge it in a bowl of water as you cut it.

How to peel celery root

Cut the bottom off to make a stable base. Then use a knife to cut off the outside skin. Everyday Food has a helpful video:

Now what should I make?
That's a good question! I scour the internet to find recipes that use fresh, seasonal ingredients, often with a fun twist. Follow Ask The Food Geek on Pinterest or Facebook to get access to the recipes I find every day.

Is celery root healthier than potatoes?

I look at all vegetables and healthy and eat them all. However, there are differences between the two worth knowing if you are focusing on a specific dietary constraint. Below is a chart comparing equal portions of the two (about 1 cup raw).

Celery rootPotato
Calories70110
Carbohydrates14g26g
Fiber2g3g
Sodium160mg5mg
Protein2g3g

Two things stand out to me: celery root has almost half of the carbs of potatoes, but a surprising amount of sodium. The American Heart Association suggests an ideal limit of sodium at 1,500mg.

Other common questions

What does celery root taste like?

It has a mild flavor that's a cross between a potato and celery.

Can it be eaten raw?

Yes, it is delicious raw or cooked.

Seasonal recipes

Each recipe below only uses ingredients that are in season at the same time as celery root, or ingredients that have a year-round season. Since their season overlaps with the beginning or end of other fruits and vegetables, the recipes are grouped into early season, late season, or anytime they are available.

...For anytime it is in season

A modern take on an old classic (packed with nutrients that help fight colds during winter too!)

Kale Caesar salad with celery root, hazelnuts, and cornbread croutons - recipe by Ask the Food Geek

Celery root fries

Celery root fries - recipe by Viktoria's Table

Grilled celeriac with white bean puree by Naturally Ella

Grilled celeriac with white bean puree - recipe by Naturally Ella

...For spring

Celery root, pea & arugula soup with sumac roasted chickpeas

Celeriac, pea, and arugula soup with sumac roasted chickpeas - recipe from Cravings in Amsterdam

Sub in fresh peas for frozen in spring. You can use shelling peas (or get lucky and find some already shelled), or snap peas and shell them.

Celeriac (celery root) season comes to an end in April or May and starts again mid-fall. So this is perfect in spring when peas first come in, or early fall when peas are finishing up their season.

Let's hear from you

Do you have more questions that I didn't answer? Ask them in the comments below. If you have a favorite celery root recipe that isn't shared here, drop it in the comments.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Ask me anything

I do a lot of research about produce to figure out why some fruits & veggies taste good and others bland. I also dig into the science of why some recipes work and others don't. No question goes unanswered, and I'm here to share the results with you.

March spinach

The best (and worst) apples for pie

apple pie on a pile of red and green apples

The type of apple used to make your pie actually matters. So why do some apples make the best pies, but other varieties yield disappointing results? It comes down to their flavor, acidity, and texture after being cooked in a hot oven. I can confirm that these characteristics can greatly vary from one variety to...

Read More

Fresh fig banana bread

Fresh fig banana bread with a fig syrup swirl

A seasonal banana bread recipe with a homemade fig-maple syrup swirled into the batter that tastes like fig newton filling. This bread is a perfect way to use seasonal figs this summer and fall, even if they are slightly under or overripe. The recipe requires some extra steps to cook the maple-fig syrup, but it's...

Read More

Farmers market apple butter (Instant Pot)

apple butter recipe in the instant pot and canned

After using almost 100 pounds of apples to test apple butter recipes, I've found the best apple varieties, cooking methods and ingredients to produce the best results. Best apples: McIntosh for their cider-like flavor and smooth consistency with cooked Best cooking method: pressure cooking for its ability to caramelize the sugars Best flavor tip: keep...

Read More

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for produce guides!

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.