It is generally understood that when you need just a rib or two of celery, you must pay for an entire stalk, or “bunch” of it. What to do with the remaining ribs? Freeze ’em. You’ll be grateful to have the chopped, ready-to-use veggie on hand the next time you plan an aromatic soup, stew, pot pie, or étouffée for dinner. Here’s my method for blanching and freezing celery:
To keep me company in the kitchen, just watch the above video. You’ll find me blanching and freezing celery there. Then scroll down for the photographic how-to:
To start, cut off and discard (or compost) the stem end from the celery stalk. (Hat-tip to reader Carol, who reminded me that an entire celery plant is called a “stalk,” while the individual leafstalks are properly called “ribs.”)
Separate and rinse the ribs, and then cut them into the size and shape you desire. I typically cut my celery crosswise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch half-moons. (Hint: You can blanch and freeze the celery leaves along with the ribs).
To preserve color and also to kill off enzymes that can lead to deterioration, be sure to blanch the celery. To do this, tip the pieces into a large pot of rapidly boiling water.
When the water returns to a boil, set your timer for 3 minutes.
When the 3 minutes are up, immediately transfer the celery to an ice-water bath. Let the celery chill there for 3 minutes.
Now put the blanched pieces on a tea towel-lined baking sheet, and spread them out in a single layer. The towel will absorb excess moisture that would otherwise turn the celery into mush in the freezer.
Use a second towel (or the overhang of the lower towel if it is large) to blot moisture from the top of the vegetable. “Flash” freeze the celery on the baking sheet.
When solidly frozen, transfer the celery to suitable freezer containers. Blanched, frozen celery will keep for months.
And what a convenience! The next time you set about making this Tuscan Bean Soup or this hearty Chicken and Dumplings, you’ll be glad to know that your cleaned and cut-up celery is right there in the freezer, waiting for you!
mlaiuppa says
I had no idea you could do this. I figured celery was like lettuce.
Don’t tell me you can freeze lettuce too.
Chris says
Wow didn’t know you could freeze celery. How is the texture when thawed? Is it only suitable for soups and stews or would it have enough crunch to use in a potato salad?
Nancy P. Adams says
Thanks for the tip about freezing celery. I’ve been cooking for 60 years and never even thought of it – great idea. One thing I do with the end piece (stem) is toss it into a bag, along with any other veggie scraps I have from time to time (like carrot peels, onion skins, parsley stems, etc.. Then I put it in the freezer to use in stocks.
Lynn says
Now I know how you’re *supposed* to do it lol. I’ve always just chopped the celery, microwaved it for a minute or two and chucked it in the freezer. It works but you do get solid lumps you have to bash to separate.
Sarah says
Nice. I’d probably dehydrate it after blanching or if I had too much in the freezer I’d dehydrate some of the frozen, but frozen is super convenient!! Thanks for the wholesome content. Always appreciated!
Joan Dreyer says
Great instructions Kevin. This will save waste for me. I cook for one now, so I cut my recipes in half. Your video last week was an aha moment and I’ve cooked for years. Thank you!
Theresa Norris says
Thank you!! I know I’ll use this.
Sandra Payette says
Thanks, Kevin. A good time saver plus less waste.
Carol says
Your videos are always engaging!
Maybe you’ll be interested in a bit of kitchen terminology my mother taught me:
The bunch or head of celery is called a “stalk.” The individual lengths of leafstalk are called “ribs.” So, typically a recipe uses a couple of chopped ribs.
JoAnne says
I need to try this! I always make my own soups, Asian meals, etc; and have put a lot of celery out in the woods for the animals. Lately, I’ve been wrapping the celery in foil. It does last longer. But this looks like a GOOD idea. I just started a new bunch 2 days ago.
Thanks, Kevin.
Carol says
Hi Kevin, great idea. Tip: the leaves of the celery have the most nutrition. A fun thing I did was cut the root end off of the celery and plopped it in water and watched the leaves grow quickly. Then I just snipp them off and put them into my smoothies. 🙂
Jo J. says
Thank you! I love celery, will definitely use!
Chris says
Thank you for the video, Kevin! When a recipe calls for two ribs of chopped celery, approximately how much frozen celery (by volume) would this be?
Kate says
Wow! I will definitely start freezing my leftover celery. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes and tips in the kitchen, garden and all throughout the home. I have been reading your newsletter/blog for years and enjoy reading it weekly. I usually don’t comment, but I felt the need to let you know how much I appreciate your realness. Thank you for bringing us your knowledge in an authentic way. It feels like I have a friend who reaches out to each week. I love and appreciate you! Have a wonderful day.
Lucy A Downey says
Hi Kevin, Save your cut off root, put it in a little dish of water, keep water changed often till leaves begin to form, and then I plant it in my garden, i get a complete grown new bunch of celery, and I live in Michigan,
Elan says
I always freeze my celery but have never blanched it. I may try blanching it in the future. I love to have celery and red or green peppers in the freezer ready for cooking.
Elaine r says
I find that celery keeps a good month in the vegetable crisper in its own loosely opened bag. No problem using it upon that length of time.
Betty Jane says
So much celery has hit the trash bin here. Thank you for saving the lives of many stalks!
Phyllis says
I wrap my celery in aluminum foil tightly and mark date in it and put back in plastic sleeve. Unwrap and rewrap tightly when need some. It usually lasts almost 2 months if properly wrapped.
N. MacGregor says
A stalk of celery is currently $3.50 in southern Ontario or in US funds about $4.50 and the sad thing is its not at its peak so I avoid buying at this time of year unless I really need it for a recipe.
I will be trying out this technique in the fall when celery is being harvested at its peak and usually a better buy) for use all winter.
Thanks for sharing.
Beth Anne says
If you have a salad spinner it works wonderful for getting excess water out of blanched veggies. Especially broccoli & cauliflower. Now celery
Tina says
I like your explanations with the still pictures. You are so funny there.
Carol Ann says
Kevin, I love your recipes but I was wondering if I could make sone gluten free? Such as the chibatta bread or some of your cakes using King Arthur 1-1 flour which is gluten free
Dale says
I HATE to open the bag of celery and see it curling and going bad. Now I Won’t need that to happen.
Thanks!
Bob Lesko says
I like to bury my bag of celery (from which I’ve taken maybe one or two stalks) in the bottom of the crisper drawer of the refrigerator until it begins to liquify into an unrecognizable viscous mess. Then by a fresh bag and repeat.
Tip: I saw an article and video on planting portions of supermarket vegetables to develop new plants. I tried this last summer with unused base of a celery bunch and grew a large celery plant in the garden. It kept us supplied with leaves and stalks until November. It worked with onion heels too.
Kenneth C Kopsco says
I appreciate this video very much! I wonder if the same process would work for leeks as they are sold in 3’s when I only need one?
Catherine Owen says
Can you do this with onions the same way? Bell peppers?
Raine D. says
As one of the folk in the Tuscan Soup recipe post who asked how you froze the celery you mentioned, I thank you again for this more detailed explanation. I made the soup that day (it was awesome & I’ll be making it again) AND diced, blanched & froze most of the bunch of celery I had on hand. I’ve used some of that frozen celery since then (in soup & a casserole) it’s so convenient to simply open the container, grab a handful & toss it into whatever you’re making. And it tastes great– not as crunchy as fresh, for those people here who asked, but bright green and flavourful. I still have no idea why I didn’t know how to do this by now (I’m older than dirt & a good cook) & I use this method to dice, blanch & flash-freeze russet potatoes, yams, squash, bell pepper, cauliflower, broccoli & so on to use in soups, casseroles, stews & for trays of roasted veggies so you’d think I’d have at least tried celery! You are a treasure, Kevin!
Pat Mersman says
1. Do you salt the blanching water?
2. What about the strings?
Ruth in Western PA says
Thank you Raine D. for the great list of things to freeze and thank you Kevin for the instructions. I’ll be filling my freezer this fall!
JoAnne says
As others have said, a lot of celery has gone into the woods. I have tried the aluminum foil, and that helps, but this method sounds good to me.
Sarahkate says
Kevin I used this method last winter when you first posted it. So glad you did because organic celery was getting expensive and I wanted to pre-empt more price raising. And because it was such a good suggestion for celery and I often find that as fresh rhubarb is so difficult to find even in season and I find myself just before rhubarb season yearning for a rhubarb pie or crisp, your celery post inspired me to learn how to freeze rhubarb too. And now late summer I have plenty in the freezer to last until next season. Also right now I’ve been freezing bell peppers (seeded and chopped of course) in all their gorgeous summery colors, the yellows, oranges and reds, because here after the season is over all one can find are the green bells. Your website, youtube channel, and the newsletters continue to be a wonderful and much appreciated resource so thank you again!!!
Kathy says
You are like having my grandpa back. He was a sous chef with lots of knowledge. I was too young to appreciate his wisdom then, but your tips are giving me a second chance. Thanks, Kevin.
Mariska L says
Hi Kevin, you don’t have to put those root ends in the compost, simply regrow them
Place the root end in a shallow bowl of warm water. You’re going to want the rough side facing down and the stalk side facing up. Make sure the bottom inch of the base is fully submerged in water and the top part is above water.
The plant will regenerate after about 5 to 7 days.
Doris G. says
Excellent suggestion….I usually have to throw half of it in the compost, so I didn’t buy it often. Gave this a try and froze half a bunch…then tested a small amount and was very pleased with the results.
Thank you for sharing…you never disappoint.