If you need a substitute for celery leaves to add visual appeal and pronounced flavor to your favorite recipes, you’re in the right place!
I love the green taste of celery leaves! There is a myriad of health advantages linked with their use, and they also make a wide range of foods more fragrant and intriguing.
I’ll introduce some common herbs that can substitute for fresh celery leaves in case you don’t have any on hand or just want to explore your options.
Let’s see what we can do with all these amazing alternatives!
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What are celery leaves?
The leaves of a celery plant develop above the plant’s stalks. They taste like celery stalks but with a more vegetal aroma and stronger flavor. Celery leaves garnish soups, stews, salads, dips, and spreads and also season roasted vegetables and meats.
Are they good to eat? Absolutely! Nutritionally, celery leaves excel in providing calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K.
Their antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, may help prevent damage to the eyes from free radicals and keep eyes healthy.
Celery leaves are sometimes ignored in recipes, but they offer taste and nutrients to many dishes like celery leaf pesto or soup. Next time you buy celery, consider cooking with the leaves and enjoy their distinct flavor and health advantages.
Substitute for celery leaves: 11 ideas
The following fresh herbs make a great celery leaf substitute in salads, soups, stews, and a wide variety of other dishes.
- Parsley
Parsley can replace celery leaves in many cuisines. The mild, crisp, and bitter flavor of its green leaves is reminiscent of celery leaves.
In the kitchen, flat-leaf Italian parsley is preferred, whereas curly French parsley is more commonly used as a garnish.
Soups, stews, and salads all benefit from the addition of fresh parsley. It can also replace celery leaves in potato and tuna salads.
I recently made a lentil and vegetable stew that called for some celery leaves that I didn’t have. I chose flat-leaf parsley as a stand-in since it imparted a comparable fresh flavor to the meal.
- Celery root (celeriac)
Celery root, also known as celeriac or knob celery, is another good replacement for celery leaves. It tastes like celery leaves but sweeter. Celeriac adds flavor to soups and stews.
It’s a healthy side dish that works well whether roasted, mashed, or grated.
If you want to find anything to replace celery, I suggest reading my piece on celery root replacements.
- Fennel
Fennel’s anise taste makes it a popular celery leaf alternative. Soups, stews, and salads employ this versatile herb. It adds flavor when roasted or stir-fried. Fennel is a good celery leaf substitute for licorice lovers.
- Lovage
Lovage, which tastes and smells like celery, is a good celery leaf alternative. It adds richness and herbaceous flavor to soups, stews, salads, roasted meats and veggies. Lovage can also be blended into oils or used to brew tea.
- Dill
Another celery leaf replacement is dill. It tastes somewhat strange yet works nicely in soups and stews. Dill is fantastic in potato salads and celery leaf garnishes. Its gentle, sweeter flavor makes any food taste special.
In place of chopped-up celery leaves, I used fresh dill in a potato salad dish. The dill really brought out a bright, herbal flavor in the salad.
- Cilantro
Cilantro tastes fresh, lemony, and somewhat pungent. It can replace celery leaves in Hispanic and Asian recipes—soups, stews, salads, and garnishes.
I was out of celery leaves when I attempted to make a black bean and corn salad. Instead, I opted to use cilantro, which added a refreshing lemony note to the dish.
- Chervil
French cuisine uses delicate chervil. Its mild anise-like taste makes it a good celery leaf alternative in soups, stews, and sauces. Chervil can replace celery leaves as a garnish. Fish, poultry, and veggies complement its delicate flavor.
- Tarragon
Tarragon, like celery leaves, has a faint anise taste. Toss it on roasted meats and veggies, or use it as a substitute in sauces and stews.
Tarragon goes well with a variety of proteins in traditional French cooking. As a bonus, it can be used to pretty up your meals.
Tarragon made an excellent substitute for celery leaves in a vegetarian mushroom soup. I really liked how its strong flavor complemented the earthiness of the mushrooms.
- Carrot greens
Carrot greens are the top, leafy section of the carrot plant. They can replace the celery flavor in soups, stews, and sauces because of their bitter, earthy taste.
Carrot greens can replace fresh celery leaves as a garnish. Vitamins and minerals make them a very nutritious option.
Due to their somewhat bitter and earthy flavor, carrot greens are a great addition to pesto. So they’re a valid alternative for basil leaves in classic pesto sauces.
- Basil
Basil’s sweet, pungent flavor is an unexpected celery substitute. It adds rich complexity to soups, stews, and sauces, especially in Italian cooking.
I recently tried basil instead of celery leaves in a tomato-based vegetable soup. The basil gave the soup a sweet, herbal kick of flavor.
- Cabbage leaves
Green cabbage leaves, with their mild and sweet flavor, are a suitable substitute for celery leaves in soups and stews.
There are few calories and lots of fiber in cabbage leaves. Blanching or sautéing them before cooking softens and enhances their taste.
Are you intrigued by the variety of cabbages? Try some of these options instead of bok choy (Chinese cabbage).
Substitute for celery leaves FAQs
A cup of celery (101g) contains only around 14 calories.
No, celery salts aren’t a suitable substitute for fresh celery leaves. The salt’s sodium level might overpower the other ingredients. In addition, your recipe will be different in terms of crunch and flavor.
Yes, celery leaves are good for you. They’re rich in essential nutrients including vitamins A, B, and K and minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron, and potassium, as well as antioxidants and flavonoids.
Some celery seed substitutes are celery salt, lovage seeds, dill seeds, and caraway seeds.
No, celery seeds cannot fully replace the texture and nutritional content of celery.
When using celery leaves as a fresh herb or garnish, celery seed is not a suitable substitution.
Soups, stews, and sauces all benefit from the subtle flavor of ground celery seeds. They are also great as a rub for grilled meats or vegetables, imparting an earthy taste.
You can use parsley, cilantro, dill, carrot leaves, or lovage as celery leaf substitutes in soup.
BOTTOM LINE: there are several wonderful celery leaf replacements for cooking. Parsley, lovage, and dill will give your favorite recipes a distinct and wonderful flavor. If you’re short of celery leaves or want to try something different, try one of these delectable alternatives.
Which celery replacement did you like the most? Share your favorite dishes in the comments!
You can also discover your perfect substitute for mint and learn about some tasty leafy greens to replace arugula. Check out my earlier articles for more options!