So, you bought a whole bunch of celery for one soup recipe and now it’s sadly wilting in your fridge—relatable? Welcome to the world of what to do with extra celery. Instead of pretending you’ll juice it (you won’t), try this simple celery salad that’s actually worth eating.
It’s a riff on those Mediterranean celery salad recipes your healthy friend keeps posting about, but with cheese. Glorious Parmesan cheese. Think Ina Garten celery and Parmesan salad, but less Hamptons and more “I made this in my sweatpants in ten minutes.”
This celery recipe mixes crunchy celery, rich walnuts, zippy lemon, and salty cheese into one of those raw celery recipes that somehow feels fancy. It also doubles as a perfect answer to your “celery meal ideas” search spiral and easily lands in the celery salad recipes healthy category (we’ll pretend the cheese doesn’t count).
Celery Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan
Equipment
- Knife
- Grater
- Small bowl
- Large bowl
- Fork
Ingredients
- 2 celery stalks
- 3 oz Parmesan Cheese or Grana Padano cheese
- 3 oz walnuts
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 garlic clove peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Peel the garlic clove, cut it in half, and remove the center. Finely chop the garlic and parsley together. Zest the lemon, making sure to avoid the bitter white part. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Whisk together quickly to emulsify the dressing.1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- Prepare the Salad: Slice the Parmesan into thin shavings using a knife or a vegetable peeler. Rinse the celery stalks, remove the leaves, and cut them into pieces. In a large bowl, toss the celery with the walnuts and Parmesan shavings. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and gently mix, being careful not to break up the cheese shavings.2 celery stalks, 3 oz Parmesan Cheese, 3 oz walnuts
- Serve: Arrange the salad on individual plates and serve immediately. It's best served fresh, but not directly from the fridge.
Pro Tips from a Celery Whisperer 🥬: How to Hack Your Way Through This Celery Salad Like a Pro
(aka all the sneaky secrets you’d only know if you’ve made this 400 times and survived)
🌿 Don’t Fear the Leafy Tops
You know those leafy celery bits you usually toss? Don’t. Chop them up and throw them into the salad like you meant to do that. They’re full of flavor and make you look very “chef-y” without even trying.
🧀 Parmesan Snobbery Is Optional
Grana Padano? Fancy. But if all you’ve got is a chunk of Parmesan or even pre-shaved Parm from a plastic tub—go for it. This is a judgment-free salad zone. Want to really show off? Use a veggie peeler to get those dramatic cheese ribbons.
🍋 Lemon Zest > Lemon Juice
The zest is where the magic is—bright, punchy, and way more fun than juice. Just don’t zest too far and end up in bitterville (aka the white pith). We’re here for flavor, not regret.
🧄 Garlic: Crush It or Lose It
If you’re a garlic lover, go wild. If not, rub a cut clove inside the bowl like you’re casting a flavor spell and call it a day. Or skip it entirely—no one’s going to send the salad police.
🌰 Nuts: Toast ‘Em If You’re Fancy
Raw walnuts work fine, but toasting them takes this salad from “weeknight side” to “I put effort into my life.” Just don’t burn them, unless you’re into bitter chaos.
🌿 No Parsley? No Problem.
Mint, basil, or even dill can jump in here and steal the show. Don’t let a lack of parsley ruin your day—or your salad.
⏱️ Make Ahead… Sorta
You can make the dressing ahead and chop your celery in advance, but don’t toss it all together too early unless you like soggy vibes. This salad is best when it’s dressed right before showtime.
🧊 Cold, Not Fridge-Cold
Serve this salad cool, not straight from the fridge. Cold kills flavor. Let it chill out on the counter for 10 minutes while you pretend you’re cooking something more complicated.
