You can peel celery to avoid the tough strings—but you don't have to. It's up to your personal preference.
Do You Have to Peel Celery?
Updated Apr. 30, 2024
When it comes to greens, celery might be underrated. I’m not sure if there’s a more classic after-school snack than celery stalks and peanut butter! You can use celery to add texture and flavor to homemade soup recipes. In the Midwest, celery is a go-to relish tray vegetable. Plus, popping a stalk or two as a garnish in your bloody Mary is a great way to eat your greens.
Still, not everyone likes to eat celery raw, partially due to the stringy nature of the stalks. So, what’s the best way to peel celery? Here’s what you need to know.
Does Celery Need to Be Peeled?
You can peel celery if you’d like, but you don’t have to.
Let’s start with celery in its raw form: whole, fresh, and sitting on your counter after a trip to the grocery store. If you go in and cut or break off pieces, you may be left with some of the plant’s stringy attachments on the stalks. While these aren’t harmful to eat, they’re not necessarily pleasant, and can be tough to chew—especially for kids.
Editor’s Tips: Learn how to store celery so you’ll have fresh stalks in the crisper ready for hearty soups, snacks, and stocks!
For science’s sake, these stringy bits are called collenchyma cells, which are essentially water-filled tissue that stiffens to give celery its crunch. It’s safe to eat, but we understand if you want to get rid of the tough parts.
So you don’t have to peel your celery stalks, but you definitely can if you want to. Be sure to keep the base of your celery to regrow celery from the scraps!
How to Peel Celery
We recommend the following two options when it comes to peeling your celery. Don’t worry—stripping a stalk of celery isn’t anywhere near as tedious as peeling other veggies (though we do have a handy potato-peeling trick).
Your first option is to use a knife. We recommend using a small, sharp paring knife in this case for easier handling. All you need to do is slice the visible string from the stalk’s base to top and remove it. Pretty simple, right?
You also have the option of using a vegetable peeler to rid your celery of any tough strings. This might take off more of the stalk than you’d like, but it’s a great option if you don’t feel comfortable wielding a knife.
The Best Ways to Use Celery
Celery GratinThis celery gratin was a dish our family came to love. My grandmother knew how to create a dish out of just a few simple ingredients. —David Ross, Spokane Valley, Washington
Editor's Tips: Learn how to store celery so you'll have fresh stalks in the crisper ready for hearty soups, snacks, and stocks!
Cream of Celery SoupThis rich cream of celery soup recipe will warm up any family gathering or quiet evening at home. With just the right amount of onion flavor, it's creamy and crowd-pleasing. —Janet James, Bluff City, Tennessee
Cool & Crunchy Chicken SaladWhen the weather sizzles, get your chill on with a cool chicken salad. Mine uses grapes, pecans and celery for that signature crunch. —Sarah Smiley, Bangor, Maine
Bacon Macaroni SaladThis pleasing pasta salad is like eating a BLT in a bowl. Filled with crispy bacon, chopped tomato, celery and green onion, the sensational salad is coated with a tangy mayonnaise and vinegar dressing. It’s a real crowd-pleaser! —Norene Wright, Manilla, Indiana
Shrimp GumboThis classic shrimp gumbo recipe is the perfect introduction to Louisiana-style cooking.
Grilled Summer Sausage SaladI love grilling vegetables, especially those straight from the garden. The summer sausage is a fun twist, and the veggies really get to shine in this main dish salad. Fresh garden herbs also taste great mixed into this salad. To amp up the flavor even more, try grilling romaine lettuce instead of using a salad mix. —Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Stone SoupAfter reading the Stone Soup story, we enjoyed concocting this version of the folktale classic. It’s chock-full of veggies and lots more ingredients…enough for everyone to bring something to add to the fun and flavor! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ragin’ Cajun Eggplant and Shrimp SkilletWe have a large summer garden where lots of produce lingers into fall. That’s when we harvest our onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and eggplant—some of the key ingredients of this dish. —Barbara Hahn, Park Hills, Missouri
Chunky Beef Vegetable SoupFor a satisfying lunch or dinner, serve bowls of this thick soup with fresh-baked bread. Brimming with chunks of veggies, it's easy to stir together on a chilly day. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Pecan-Cornbread DressingPlenty of pecans and bacon give this stuffing a unique flavor, while using a packaged mix cuts down on the preparation time. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Crockpot Chicken Noodle SoupNothing says "simple" like using a slow cooker to make Crockpot chicken noodle soup! Prep your ingredients, set the slow cooker and wait for magic to happen.
Corn Stuffing BallsMy mom had many "winning" recipes, and this was one of our family's favorites. I can still picture these Corn Stuffing Balls encircling the large meat platter piled high with one of her delicious entrees. —Audrey Groe, Lake Mills, Iowa
Special Scalloped CornCarrots and green pepper make this dish colorful, which grabs attention at a potluck. The corn casserole is also a smart idea for when you need to prepare a dish ahead of time—easy baking is all it takes to finish it up. —J. Brown, Fort Dodge, Iowa
Jamaican Beef StewJamaican-style beef stew, a dish that's also called stew beef, is a rich braise of beef and vegetables in a sauce seasoned with caramelized sugar and allspice. A few shortcut ingredients in this version help build a sauce that will perfume your house as it cooks with sweet, savory and spiced flavor.
Minestrone SoupThis minestrone soup recipe is packed with vegetables, pasta and beans in a bright tomatoey broth. It ticks all the boxes: It's hearty, incredibly comforting and a breeze to make!
Vegetarian StuffingNo one will miss the meat flavor in this simple and traditionally-seasoned vegetarian stuffing recipe. Layers of big herb flavor liven up this classic side dish that stays super-moist in the slow-cooker.
Acorn Squash with Cranberry StuffingIf you have squash or cranberry lovers at the table, here’s your new go-to recipe. It’s colorful, the blend of flavors is delicious and it’s a fitting addition to a Thanksgiving menu. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas
Almond-Apricot Chicken SaladHere's a one-of-a-kind pasta salad that combines tender chicken, sweet apricots and crunchy vegetables. Plus, the lemony dressing can't be beat. —Susan Voigt, Plymouth, Minnesota
Chicken Corn SoupThis chicken corn soup stands up no matter the weather. It's cozy enough for cold winter nights and light enough for cool spring evenings.
Hamburger StewSimmer up a big pot of hamburger stew to feed the whole crew. It's packed with beef, veggies, rice and potatoes, but you can add whatever else you like.
Sunflower Strawberry SaladWe have an annual strawberry festival in our town, so recipes with strawberries are popular here. I have served this salad at luncheons and have always received compliments. —Betty Malone, Humboldt, Tennessee
Corn Dog CasseroleReminiscent of traditional corn dogs, this fun main dish really hits the spot on fall days. It's perfect for the football parties my husband and I often host. It tastes especially good right from the oven.
-Marcy Suzanne Olipane, Belleville, Illinois
Carrot ChowderMy husband's grandmother passed this recipe on to us, and it's just wonderful—especially with a basket of warm, fresh bread on the side. This soup freezes well. —Wendy Wilkins, Prattville, Alabama
Broccoli Grape SaladWhether you need to liven up your dinner menu or prep for a potluck, broccoli grape salad blends sweet and savory flavors and acts as a side dish or a main, if you add protein. (Bonus: It includes bacon!)
Originally Published: March 09, 2022
