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10+ Celery Salt Substitutes

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Celery Salt
Running out of celery salt while cooking is a painful experience.

This article provides many excellent celery salt substitutes for your consideration. These replacements are versatile, ranging from herbs, seeds, and other types of salt for you to choose the most suitable alternative.

Celery salt is a staple condiment in various recipes. It works well in both savory dishes and some drinks. As its recipe is straightforward and quick to make, you may not have the ingredients required available.

Let’s take a closer look at celery itself before exploring its substitutes!

Get To Know More About Celery Salt Through This Section

Celery salt usually consists of 2 ingredients: ground celery seeds and salt. Sometimes people also use ground dried celery stalks and leaves. Store-bought celery salt is usually mixed with 2 parts of plain salt and 1 part of celery seeds. It is simple, but it tastes beautiful. (1)

On a very first try, you will see that it tastes just like regular salt. However, its post-flavor will remind you of celery. Generally, celery salt has a potent and flavorful taste, which is peppery, grassy, and slightly bitter.

How Do People Usually Use Celery Salt?

Bloody Mary
Celery salt is an indispensable ingredient of the famous Bloody Mary cocktail.

You can find celery salt in diverse savory dishes and some cocktails. People love to use celery salt because it adds a unique and featured celery flavor to the dish or drink without overwhelming them. Below are some great uses of celery salt.

Meat And Poultry Seasoning

You can rub meat and poultry with celery salt to enrich the dish’s flavor. Also, mixing celery salt with other aromatic herbs and spices is a good choice.

You can mix celery salt with parsley, black pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard, ginger, and paprika and add this spice mixture to lemon juice, vinegar, or soy sauce to create a perfect marinade.

Celery salt also works well with melted butter to flavor fish dishes. Furthermore, sprinkling celery salt into shellfish’s boiling water also helps perk up the seafood flavor.

Use In Salads

Celery salt is a vital ingredient of many cold and creamy salads, including potato salad, egg salad, pasta salad, and coleslaw. Celery salt can spice up the bland and mild salads and make them taste more flavorful and tastier.

Season Chicago-Style Hot Dog

The Chicago-style hot dog is a famous style of hot dog all over the world. It is made with a soft steamed bun and a delicious sausage flavored with celery salt and other ingredients.

Flavor Cocktail And Vegetable Juice

Celery salt plays an essential role in enhancing the flavor of the famous Bloody Mary cocktail. Bartenders also rim the cocktail glass with celery salt to garnish. To upgrade their flavor and freshness, you can also add celery salt to your homemade tomato or other vegetable juice.

Substitute Celery Salt With These Excellent Ingredients

The ingredients that call for celery salt is versatile, and it brings a flavorful taste and aromatic smell to every food and drink. However, you may run out of it without attention. Consider the substitutes and quantity needed in the table below to replace celery salt effectively.

Celery salt substitutesAmount needed (For 1 teaspoon of celery salt)
Homemade celery salt3 tablespoons of celery seeds + 6 tablespoons of table salt + ½ teaspoon of rice grain
Fresh celery stalks and leaves1 teaspoon of salt + a larger amount of fresh celery stalks and leaves
Celery seeds with salt1 teaspoon of celery seeds + 2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of celery seeds + 1 teaspoon of salt
Dill seeds with salt1 teaspoon of dill seeds + 1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of dill seeds + 2 teaspoons of salt
Celery flakesUse a larger amount than celery salt
Dried celery2 teaspoons of dried celery + ½ teaspoon of salt
Nigella seeds1 teaspoon of Nigella seeds + some salt for a bolder flavor
Onion salt1 teaspoon of onion powder + 3 teaspoons of salt
Fennel seeds with salt1 teaspoon of fennel seeds + 2 teaspoons of salt
Leek saltStart with a small amount and add more later
Garlic saltStart with a small amount and add more later
Regular salt1 teaspoon + some white pepper
Caraway seeds with salt1 teaspoon of caraway seeds + 2 teaspoons of salt
Mustard greensStart with a small amount and add more later
Parsley leaves with salt1 teaspoon of dried parsley leaves + 2 teaspoons of salt
Cilantro leaves with salt1 teaspoon of dried cilantro leaves + 2 teaspoons of salt
Lovage seeds with salt1 teaspoon of ground lovage seeds or leaves + 2 teaspoons of salt
Celeriac leaves and stalksStart with a small amount and add more later
Carrot greens1 teaspoon of carrot greens + 2 teaspoons of salt

1. Homemade Celery Salt

Rice Grain
Caption: Rice grain – the secret weapon to prolong homemade celery salt’s shelf life.

Making homemade celery salt may be the first way that comes to your mind when you lack this seasoning. First, prepare these ingredients and equipment to make your own celery salt successfully:

Ingredients

  • Celery seeds: 3 tablespoons
  • Table salt: 6 tablespoons
  • Rice grain: ½ teaspoon

Equipment

  • A grinder (pestle, mortar, coffee grinder, and food processor are acceptable)
  • A clean and a dried glass container with a tight lid

The ingredients and equipment above may be available in many family kitchens. So, after everything is prepared, let’s look at the step-by-step instructions:

  • Step 1: Grind the celery seeds finely with a grinder.
  • Step 2: Add 6 teaspoons of table salt to the grinder and grind it together with celery seeds in 10 minutes.
  • Step 3: Add the uncooked rice at the bottom of the glass jar and transfer the celery salt you have just made to it. The rice helps prevent clumping.
  • Step 4: Put the lid on and seal it tightly. Then, store your flawless celery salt in dark, clean, and cool areas. You have to avoid dirty and humid places and, as well as keep it from direct heat and sunlight to maximize its shelf life.

Making celery salt when you run out of it is best to have the ingredients available. You can see this video to know more:

Watch this video: How To Make Celery Salt - Easy Celery Salt Recipe

2. Fresh Celery Stalks And Leaves

Fresh Celery
Although fresh celery is less concentrated than celery salt, it is still a good alternative.

Using fresh celery stalks and leaves is a decent choice to substitute celery salt. Compared to celery salt, they are more potent in celery flavor. However, due to the lack of salt, fresh celery stalks and leaves taste milder. Also, they are very fibrous and have more bulk.

If you don’t mind the vast difference in texture, you can chop or blend the celery stalks and leaves finely and add them to your soups, stews, and other similar dishes. Because celery stalk is less concentrated in flavor than celery salt, consider using a larger amount.

To have the best substituting result, you should add salt to the finely blended or diced celery stalks and leaves. The recommended ratio is 1:2. It means that you mix 2 teaspoons of salt with 1 teaspoon of fresh celery to create the closest flavor to celery salt.

Do not miss this healthy creamy keto celery soup recipe that calls for your fresh celery!

Watch this video: Creamy Keto Celery Soup

3. Celery Seeds With Salt

Celery Seeds With Salt
If the texture of celery seeds is too different from using in your recipe, consider grinding them.

There is no doubt that celery seeds and salt are the best replacement since they are the vital ingredients of celery salt. Though the flavor is pretty similar, celery seeds are crunchier and grainier than ground celery salt.

You can also use store-bought celery powder or grind celery seeds yourself and add salt to mimic the taste of the celery salt. Combine a teaspoon of ground celery seeds with 2 teaspoons of salt to create the best celery salt substitute.

When you want to have a stronger celery flavor, you can mix 1 teaspoon of ground celery seeds with 1 teaspoon of salt.

This mixture is suitable to use in salad dressings, soups, and stews. It also enhances the meat, seafood, and poultry seasoning. Moreover, like celery salt, ground celery seeds with salt are used to flavor various juices and cocktails.

4. Dill Seeds With Salt

Dill Seeds
Both fresh and dried seeds work excellently as a celery salt substitute.

Dill seeds are definitely a staple ingredient to be used in place of celery salt since it comes from the same family with celery. As a result, dill seeds share the same earthy undertone with celery. Apart from that, they tend to be sweeter and stronger in citrusy flavor.

Also, dill seeds lack the celery’s peppery flavor. But these slight distinctions in flavor are not a major problem since dill seeds can substitute celery salt well. To duplicate the texture of celery salt, you can grind dill seeds and mix them with salt.

Mix 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 teaspoon of ground dill seeds, and you have a duplicated version of celery salt. You can add your mixture to sauces, salad dressings, and other similar dishes. It is also sprinkled over vegetable salads or added in meat rubs.

If you want a higher content of salt in your mixture, you can mix 2 teaspoons of salt with 1 teaspoon of ground dill seeds. The result will turn out more salty that is similar to store-bought celery salt.

5. Celery Flakes

Celery Flakes
Celery flakes are a common item at grocery stores that you can find easily.

Celery flakes are dehydrated and flaked fresh celery. Compared to celery salt, celery flakes also have an intense and savory flavor. Moreover, celery flakes are used to add a unique umami flavor to various typical and bland dishes.

Celery flakes work well in place of celery salt in many stew and soup dishes as well as in making sausage. Because there is no salt included, you can use a larger amount of celery flakes to replace 1 teaspoon of celery salt.

There is also another outstanding advantage of celery flakes that make them a reasonable substitute for celery salt. First, celery flakes are a shelf-stable product, so you can store them in your kitchen cabinet or pantry for emergency food purposes like running out of celery salt.

6. Dried Celery

Dried Celery
Substituting celery salt with dried celery is also a cost-effective way.

Using dried celery to replace celery salt is also a wise choice. Though it is not as intense as celery salt in flavor, it still has a strong celery taste. Dried celery can work well in place of celery salt in various stews and soups.

Dried celery also brings a distinctive flavor to many mixed seasonings. To make dried celery more robust and bolder, you can mix it with salt and stir them to create your own spice mixture.

You can use the 2:½ ratio when combining dried celery and salt, which means that you have to mix 2 teaspoons of dried celery with ½ teaspoon of salt to replace 1 teaspoon of dried celery. What’s more? The dried celery is sold at a pretty much lower price!

7. Nigella Seeds

Nigella Seeds
Nigella seeds are also famous for their fantastic health benefits.

Another famous name for Nigella seeds is black onion seeds. Also, you may come across it under the name black cumin seeds or kalonji. In case you have never known about this type of seed before, you can recognize it by the featured black color and small-sized seeds.

Nigella seeds have a flavorful taste with an intense aroma but are somewhat nuttier than celery salt. As Nigella seeds are frequently added to various traditional Indian dishes, it is easy to find in any Indian grocery store or spice market.

You can use Nigella seeds in soup and stew recipes that call for celery salt. If you wonder about the quantity needed, it is 1:1, meaning that you can use the same amount of Nigella seeds when substituting for celery salt. Also, you can add some salt for a bolder flavor.

8. Onion Salt

Onion Salt
You might never think of onion salt as an alternative to celery salt.

Onion salt is made from dehydrated ground onion and table salt. These days, savory and flavored salts such as onion salt gain their popularity and are widely used. Onion salt appears in various American-style dishes.

Though there is no similar flavor of onion salt and celery salt, they are still interchangeable as they are flavor enhancers. Onion salt brings a sweet, spicy, and savory flavor to every recipe that calls for celery salt, including soups, stews, meat, and bread spreadings.

To make a perfect onion salt to substitute celery salt, you should combine 1 teaspoon of onion powder with 3 teaspoons of salt. To prevent clumping, people also add anti-caking agents to the mixture of onion powder and salt.

9. Fennel Seeds With Salt

Fennel Seeds
You can recognize fennel seeds by their cumin-like shape and green color.

The mixture of fennel seeds with salt also brings a nice flavor to recipes that call for celery salt. People usually grind fennel seeds finely to make fennel powder and mix it with salt with the 1:2 ratio. To make the mixture more aromatic, you can toast the seeds before blending.

The reason why fennel seeds with salt can replace celery salt is their flavor. This spice mixture tastes warm and savory. Moreover, the fennel seeds are famous for their aromatic and unique licorice flavor, which is reminiscent of anise flavor.

So, what type of food that fennel seeds and salt work well as a celery salt substitute? Consider adding this mixture to meat, stew, soup, sauce, and pasta dishes. Besides celery salt, fennel salt also works well in the famous Bloody Mary cocktail.

You can make fennel salt more straightforward, thanks to this guide!

Watch this video: How To Make Fennel Salt - Fennel Salt Seasoning

10. Leek Salt

Leek Salt
Grab your leftover leek leaves and make you leek salt now!

Leek salt is also a practical substitute for celery salt. People make leek salt from dried ground leek leaves with table salt. If you have fresh leek leaves available, you can dehydrate them or toast them in the oven before grinding.

There is a tip that helps make your leek salt more appealing: blanching. Blanching leek leaves before dehydrating and grinding them to a powder helps retain their vibrant color. As a result, your leek salt will have a bright color and be more eye-catching.

Leek salt has a sweet, glassy, and savory flavor that can make the bland dishes taste more intensively. You can replace celery salt with leek salt in soups, stews, cocktails, and smoothies. To not overpower your food, let’s start with a small amount and add more later.

11. Garlic Salt

Garlic Salt
You can use garlic powder or dry and grind fresh garlic yourself to make garlic salt.

Here is an aromatic salt made with garlic – another member that comes from the same family with leek and onion. Garlic salt is usually made from garlic powder and salt. In some recipes, people also add onion powder or garlic oil to it.

Although it tastes nothing like celery salt, you can use it in place of celery salt to enrich your dish’s flavor and aroma. The use in cooking garlic salt is versatile. People tend to sprinkle it on poultry, meat, seafood, vegetables, and stews.

The garlic salt also pairs well with sauces, dips, hamburgers, pizza, enchiladas, casseroles, etc. For the first time trying to substitute celery salt with garlic salt, it is better to start with a small amount. You can add more garlic salt later to suit your preference.

Let’s learn how to make garlic salt with fresh garlic precisely!

Watch this video: How To Make Easy Garlic Salt

12. Regular Salt

Regular salt
Regular salt is the most convenient replacement since it is always available in any family’s kitchen.

You may never think that regular salt can replace flavored salt because it lacks the peppery note of celery salt. However, besides that difference. regular salt works in place of the original just fine.

To compensate for it, you can consider adding some white pepper to regular salt. The ratio to swap celery salt with regular salt is 1:1. It means that you can substitute 1 teaspoon of celery salt with 1 teaspoon of regular salt.

Both coarse salt and fine salt dissolve well in warm food. If you want to add texture to your food, then go for coarse salt. You can substitute celery salt with regular salt in any recipe calling for celery salt.

13. Caraway Seeds With Salt

Caraway Seeds
To retain caraway seeds’ crunchiness, you can skip the grinding step while making caraway salt.

Caraway seeds are widely used in Middle-Eastern, European, and African cuisine. They appear in various savory dishes, including Goulash, rye bread, salads, casseroles, sauerkraut, or sausages. They are also a popular ingredient in cocktails and other drinks.

Caraway seeds taste sweeter than celery seeds. However, they feature a nutty, earthy, and peppery taste that can resemble celery. Also, they bring a hint of citrus, anise, and licorice that make your dish mouth-watering and irresistible.

To substitute for celery salt, you can mix 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds, then grind them to create a spice mixture.

Caraway seeds are also a healthy option. Let’s explore their fantastic health benefits!

Watch this video: No More Bloating With Caraway Seeds

14. Mustard Greens

Mustard Greens
Mustard greens – a healthy celery salt substitute you should not miss.

Mustard greens are a part of the mustard plant, which has the seeds that produce one of the most popular condiments, mustard. Mustard greens share a similar peppery and somewhat bitter taste with celery.

Besides, you can opt for mustard greens to replace celery salt because they are loaded with various essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that are beneficial for your health.

You can start with a small amount of chopped mustard green and add more later to compensate. Some dishes that mustard greens go well with are salad, soup, stew, and smoothies.

15. Parsley Leaves With Salt

Dry Parsley Leaves
Remember to dry parsley leaves before mixing them with salt to have the best substituting result.

Since parsley has a fresh and light peppery flavor with a touch of earthiness, it is considered a suitable alternative for celery. You can use both flat and curly leaves.

You should mix 2 teaspoons of salt with 1 teaspoon of dried parsley to substitute for celery salt in any recipe that calls for it.

Furthermore, parsley goes well with many savory dishes, ranging from typical to vegetarian dishes. You can add parsley salt to meat marinades, soups, stews, grated cheeses, breadcrumbs, or mushrooms.

16. Cilantro Leaves With Salt

Dried Cilantro
You won’t be disappointed with this dried cilantro with salt flavor.

Just like parsley, cilantro features a slightly peppery taste which makes it suitable to substitute for celery. On top of that, cilantro also has an intensely citrusy flavor.

People usually use fresh cilantro leaves in various vegetable dishes like salads. It also enhances the flavor of fish and chicken meat. Moreover, cilantro leaves are a vital ingredient in different Middle-Eastern pastes.

To substitute celery salt, you have to dry cilantro leaves to prevent the clumping caused by the fresh leaves. The ratio is 1:2. To make the perfect celery salt replacement, you should add 1 teaspoon of dried cilantro and 2 teaspoons of salt.

17. Lovage Seeds With Salt

Lovage Salt
Have you ever heard of lovage salt as an alternative for celery salt?

Lovage seeds are also known as Ajwain seeds. Lovage comes from the same family as parsley. Because of the strong celery flavor, people add it with salt to substitute celery salt. To make lovage salt, you can use both dried seeds and leaves.

You should add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of dried ground lovage seeds or finely chopped lovage leaves.

You can use lovage salt to substitute for celery salt in baking, including pastries, bread, and biscuits. It is also used in soups, stews, and salads.

18. Celeriac Leaves And Stalks

Celeriac Leaves
Celeriac – another type of celery that can substitute for celery very well.

You can also substitute celery salt with celeriac leaves and stalks since celeriac shares the same flavor profile with celery. Nonetheless, you can notice a slight difference in texture. Celeriac features a crunchier and harder texture compared to celery.

The cooking method of celeriac is also versatile. You can enjoy it boil, steam, fry, roast, grill, or saute. The fresh celeriac leaves and stalks are also added to salads and slaws.

When swapping celery salt with celeriac leaves and stalks, you should first start with a small amount of them. After that, you can add more to satisfy your eating habits.

19. Carrot Greens

Carrot Green
Do not discard the top of your store-bought carrot. It is more valuable than you think!

Carrot green, or also called carrot top, is also a good substitute for celery. It is the green part on top of the carrot that you can notice when harvesting carrots. This part inherits the slightly bitter flavor of parsley and celery.

To make a perfect substitute mixture, you can add 1 teaspoon of carrot greens and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Carrot greens and salts can replace celery salt well in soups, stews, sauces, and meat marinades. People also enjoy them in smoothies and juices.

FAQs

I’m so glad that you are still here to discuss with me some frequently asked questions about celery salt and its substitutes. Let’s see whether my answers can clarify your curiosity or not!

What Is The Difference Between Celery Salt And Salt?

First of all, you can notice the difference in flavor between celery salt and salt. Although celery salt tastes very like salt, it brings a slight celery note at the finish. Moreover, while regular salt is usually white, celery salt yields a pale green flavor.

Celery Salt Vs. Salt, Which One Is Better?

Try to use celery salt in place of regular in any possible recipe because it offers many advantages. Celery salt can provide you with a natural salty flavor, but it is lower in sodium levels than salt. Therefore, it is beneficial for cardiovascular health.

Does Celery Salt Taste Salty?

Besides the peppery, grassy, and slightly bitter flavor, celery salt also shares the same salty taste as added with salt.

What Is The Best Type Of Salt When Making Celery Salt?

You can make celery salt with any type of salt, including kosher salt, table salt, or sea salt. However, if possible, you can use Himalayan pink salt because it is healthier.

Can Celery Salt Go Bad?

Celery salt can keep its best quality for 2 to 3 years if stored well. You should store it in a dry, clean, cool, and dark cupboard or cabinet. Keep it away from humidity areas and direct heat to maximize its shelf life.

Do Not Skip The Potential Benefits Of Celery Salt!

There is a possible reason why people prefer using flavored salt instead of regular salt these days. Flavored salt like celery salt adds a more complex flavor to the dish and also benefits your health.

Since celery salt concluded celery – a nutrient-rich herb can help in boosting the digestive system, reducing inflammation, and various essential health benefits.(2) Moreover, when using celery salt, you can also reduce the amount of regular salt in cooking.

Please like and share this post if these diverse celery salt substitutes satisfy you. Share with me the substituting result in the comment box below. Thanks for spending time reading my article. I’ll be right back with other exciting posts.

10+ Celery Salt Substitutes

Ingredients

  • Homemade Celery Salt

  • Fresh Celery Stalks And Leaves

  • Celery Seeds With Salt

  • Dill Seeds With Salt

  • Celery Flakes

  • Dried Celery

  • Nigella Seeds

  • Onion Salt

  • Fennel Seeds With Salt

  • Leek Salt

  • Garlic Salt

  • Regular Salt

  • Caraway Seeds With Salt

  • Mustard Greens

  • Parsley Leaves With Salt

  • Cilantro Leaves With Salt

  • Lovage Seeds With Salt

  • Celeriac Leaves And Stalks

  • Carrot Greens

References

  1. En.wikipedia.org.. Celery salt – Wikipedia.
  2. Healthline.. Benefits of Celery: For Your Health.

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