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If you’ve ever wondered: why is celery in everything, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to give you the answer to why you can find celery in almost anything. We’re also going to break down the variety of products that contain celery.
Why is Celery in Everything?
While saying that celery is in everything might be a slight exaggeration, it is part of the holy trinity in French and Cajun cuisine, along with onions and bell peppers. It’s also an aromatic ingredient and is often used as a filler food in soups, stews, and sauces. This would explain the point of celery in so many recipes.
Ketchup
In the 18th century, ketchup recipes included not only celery, but also ingredients like mushrooms, fruits, and even seafood. Nowadays, it’s a filler food that adds volume to make production cheaper. Celery also supplies the base flavor that complements the tartness of tomatoes.
Because of its sodium content, celery offers a natural source of saltiness that balances out the sweetness of tomatoes. To add to that, it’s slightly bitter in flavor, giving ketchup the richness that works so well with starchy potato fries.
Bloody Mary
Using celery as a garnish in a Bloody Mary started in 1960, at Chicago’s Ambassador East Hotel. The legend goes that an exasperated customer didn’t get anything to stir his drink with, and reached out for the first replacement he could find. It just so happened that the relish dish was nearby.
Celery and tomatoes are a natural flavor pairing, as well. One is salty, the other sweet and sour. The fresh crispiness of a celery stalk also adds texture to balance out the savory drink. That’s why some people joke that a Bloody Mary is a meal in itself.
Mirepoix
Celery appears in mirepoix, which is a flavor base composed of one part celery, one part carrots, and two parts onions. It creates an aromatic foundation for many Western soups and sauces.
Celery’s natural saltiness and slight bitterness add depth of flavor to mirepoix. Some people even include celery root in the mix to add to the intensity and earthiness of the dish. Celery works great in this case because it’s one of the few vegetables that don’t lose many nutrients when they’re cooked.
Soup or Broth
Broth, stock cubes, and vegetable bouillon all use mirepoix as their base. While certain stock cubes also contain meat, celery serves as the foundation of most of the meals we know and love.
That’s because celery is an aromatic, which is a term that refers to the vegetables that add a unique flavor bouquet to a dish. Basically, it provides the rounded, earthy taste that makes soup such a hearty meal. When making broth, the celery is left unchopped and in one piece so that it can be discarded afterward.
Pasta Sauce or Bolognese
Like any other pasta sauce, bolognese uses mirepoix as its base. Celery acts as an aromatic substance that balances out the ingredients, adding to the general depth of flavor.
Celery can also be used as a key ingredient. You can slice it and add it to your pasta sauce to make sure that you’re getting your daily intake of vegetables. When you cook celery, it loses most of its bitterness, so it’s the perfect filler for your sauce. And if you’re cooking it with meat, it’ll alleviate the heaviness of the dish.
Dog Food
Celery serves many functions in dog food. As we already know, it contains essential vitamins and minerals. On top of that, it lowers fat and cholesterol. What might be surprising is that celery helps dogs with bad breath, and keeps their gums healthy.
Wrap Up
To sum up, celery is a component of mirepoix, which is the base of all soups and sauces. That’s why we can find it in almost everything, from ketchup to dog food. It’s also an aromatic that balances out strong flavors and has many versatile uses. A prime example is celery’s presence in a Bloody Mary.
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
FAQs
Mirepoix is an aromatic blend of ingredients made to bring flavors to foods like stews, soups, stocks, and broth. This trinity food is made by slowly cooking carrot, onion, and celery to “sweat” out the flavor and create a delicious base for other recipes to be built upon.
Why is celery in so many recipes? ›
Eat: I called celery "humble" earlier because it rarely is the star of a recipe. Instead, it often plays a supporting role. Raw celery adds crunch. Cooked celery adds a mild flavor.
Is celery necessary in mirepoix? ›
Absolutely! Traditionally, mirepoix ingredients consist of onion, carrots, and celery. However, experiment with variations like leeks, garlic, and other aromatic vegetables to suit your taste and recipe.
Does vegetable soup contain celery? ›
Vegetable Soup Ingredients:
To make this vegetable soup recipe, you will need the following ingredients: Olive oil: To sauté the veggies. Veggies: I used a mix of onion, carrots, celery, sweet potato and garlic. But feel free to add in whatever fresh or frozen chopped veggies that you have on hand.
Is celery in soup good for you? ›
Celery Soup is a wonderful way of adding this fantastic ingredient into your diet. Celery is rich in luteolin, a great anti-oxidant which is also good for its anti-inflammatory benefits. Sweet potato adds some lovely colour and texture and vitamin A, which is supportive of the immune system, the skin and the eyes.
What is a good substitute for celery in soup? ›
Leeks. When cooked, celery and leeks share a similar fibrous and slightly soft texture. Leeks impart a light onion flavor that celery doesn't have and tend to be a bit stringy. This swap works best in soups or recipes like stuffing, where you would typically find an oniony flavor along with the celery.
Is celery the Dirty Dozen? ›
Celery. Celery slipped out of the top 10 of the dirty dozen but still contains enough residue to steer you towards organic.
Why do you put celery in tomato sauce? ›
When used in sauces as a building block (e.g. mirepoix, soffrito, the Louisianian Trinity), celery is used to provide only flavour. These flavours come from terpenes which provide aromas of citrus, pine, and (to me) grass, as well as a pleasing bitterness.
What is mirepoix called in English? ›
From France's mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) to Germany's suppengrün (carrot, celeriac, leek) to the famous Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking (onion, celery, green bell pepper), almost every cuisine in the world starts with a common, simple, balanced, vegetable base.
What is it called when you saute onions, carrots, and celery? ›
The French flavor base called mirepoix is a combination of onion, carrot and celery generally cut to the same size. It's used in a ratio that's 2 parts onion to 1 part celery and carrot. Saute in Butter. Mirepoix is the start of many French dishes, such as coq au vin and lamb stew.
(mɪəˈpwɑː ) noun. a mixture of sautéed root vegetables used as a base for braising meat or for various sauces. Word origin. French, probably named in honour of C. P. G. F. de Lévis, Duke of Mirepoix, 18th-century French general.
What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›
For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.
Does celery soup lower blood pressure? ›
Celery contains a phytochemical called phthalides. As an extract, it's called NBP, and it relaxes the tissues of the artery walls to increase blood flow and reduce blood pressure. Eating the whole food, though, is better.
When should you add celery to soup? ›
But once those vegetables are exhausted, they're strained and switched out for a fresh set of thinly sliced celery and carrot. These are added for the final 4–5 minutes of cooking so that they're tender but nowhere near mushy. You get the sweet luxury of long-cooked vegetables and the freshness of crisp-tender ones.
What is the point of celery? ›
Celery is renowned for its health benefits, which include promoting hydration, aiding digestion, and providing essential vitamins and minerals. Its high fiber content and low-calorie nature make it a great addition to a balanced diet.
Does celery change the taste of soup? ›
I know that some people don't understand the hype surrounding celery, but it certainly tastes good and adds a depth of flavour to many dishes. Not only that, but it's also pretty healthy. Celery is comprised of 95 per cent water, and it is a perfect vegetable to use in casseroles, stews, soups etc.
What Flavour does celery add to soup? ›
Celery has a very distinctive flavour and I think it's one of those things you probably either like a lot or not at all. As part of a soffritto or in a large salad or vegetable mix, it remains more subtle, adding just a touch of sweetness, especially once cooked; raw there's a slight bitterness to it.
Why do people add celery to stew? ›
Not everyone loves the flavor of raw celery but as a base ingredient in stews – or in bolognese sauce – it has an ability to raise other flavors, particularly meat and umami, to dizzy heights.
