Gnarly, dude. That’s the expression that comes to mind when I think of celery root. It really is rather gnarly—a big bulbous root vegetable, often tangled with twisted daughter roots.
It can also be challenging to prep, given the said tangled roots and the fact that it tends to be hard, butternut squash hard, to cut.
That said, it is one of the most lovely things to eat. Raw, it’s delightful in salads. Cooked, it sweetens, and tastes a little like a parsnip that fell in with some celery ribs.
It is often mashed and mixed with mashed potatoes, but I enjoy it all on its own, mashed with some butter and milk or cream. It’s a perfect side for lamb, steak, or chicken.
Celery Root Mash Recipe
PrintIngredients
- 2 pounds celery root
- 1/2 cup milk or cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt to taste
- Chopped celery root leaves, for garnish (optional)
Method
1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer (1 Tbsp of salt for every 2 quarts of water).
2 Peel and cube the celery root, boil until soft: While the water is coming to a boil, peel the celery roots with a knife. Cut the celery roots into 1-inch pieces.
Boil for 25-30 minutes, until soft.
3 Drain the pot, steam the celery root: Drain the pot, return the celery roots to the pot to the stovetop on low. Cover and let the celery roots steam for a minute or to, shaking the pan a bit to prevent sticking.
4 Add the milk or cream, butter and a generous pinch of salt and mash with a potato masher until it is as smooth as you like it. Add salt to taste and garnish with the celery root leaves, if using.
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Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
Links:
Cream of Celeriac Soup here on Simply Recipes
Braised Lamb Shanks with Celery Root and Rosemary
How to Trim Celery Root - video from Melissa Clark of The New York Times
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I mix one celery root with 1 sweet potato, and mix in sliced steamed/ softened Brussels sprouts, then I sprinkle some lemon/pepper seasoning instead of salt and mash it all together. Then add some bits of bacon in (optional). This meal is great with a Polska kielbasa.
Enjoy
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Wow I just made it, it is so smooth and delicate and celery root so common and cheap here, but I never ate it this way, I only add it to soups or eat it grated in salads. This is yummy!
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and love it. I boil in all or part chicken broth. Mash up with softened low fat cream cheese and they are firm, like potatoes. Amazing!
Just made this tonight — wow it is delicious. Too bad celery root is so expensive though.
Can I pre boil the celery root a bit to soften before cutting? Just hoping for an easier method to cutting.