What Can I Substitute for Celery Seed in a Recipe?

Whether you're curious about celery seed due to a recent spring-cleaning or a new trendy recipe that uses it, it's time to dig that jar out of the back of the spice cabinet. You know the one — likely somewhere between the dried parsley and some impulse purchase spice blend you just had to have with no concrete plans as to how to use it.

Trust me, this once-forgotten sprinkle can become part of your inner circle if you let it.

We've all used celery in a multitude of ways, from a key third of the all-important mirepoix, to slathering it in peanut butter and dotting on raisins for "ants on a log". But celery seed? Why is it in my recipe and does it taste like celery, too?

What Is Celery Seed?

Celery seeds have a strong flavor that is, indeed, reminiscent of celery. Though their utilization in Asian cuisine goes back hundreds of years, celery seeds are only more recently available in the Western culinary world.

They're commonly used in salads, sauces, marinades, and dressings. Many dishes benefit from the big flavor of these small things: for example, I recently made a cream of celery soup that needed quite the dial-up of flavor from what the recipe called for and adding celery seed was just the ticket.

The supermarket celery coming home with you each week? That's not producing these little morsels. The tiny brown seeds are the dried fruit from the wild celery plant. Though related to our everyday run-of-the-mill celery, the wild variety is coveted primarily for its flavorful seed.

Celery seed can be purchased whole or ground; whole, as in the lovely nubbies seen bobbing about in pickle brine, and the ground stuff prime for blending into whatever liquid you might have.

What Does Celery Seed Do in a Recipe?

You might not ever see celery seed as the main character, but it's a wonderful supporting cast member. Celery seed's principal purpose is to add earthy and aromatic flavor to salads, sauces, dressings, brines, and marinades.

It's bright character works on everything from potato salad to coleslaw, lobster rolls to stuffing. Like celery, celery seed is friends with tomatoes, making it a common occurrence in Bloody Mary mix, tomato-based soups, homemade ketchup, or barbeque sauce. It's also an essential ingredient in some beloved seasonings like Old Bay.

Similar to onion or mustard, celery seed's astringent flavor can trick the palate into detecting spiciness or hotness when used in excess. If that's the goal, go for it, but usually this is the reason you won't find large amounts in any recipe.

Celery Seed Substitutes

Pantry or store out of celery seed? All is not lost. Here are some other avenues you can use:

Celery Stalk, Leaf, And Root

The obvious choice to substitute is another part of the celery itself. It might not be the same concentration of flavor and lack the more pungent qualities of the seed like bitterness and earthiness, but it'll do the trick. 2 tablespoons minced celery bits (tops, stalk, leaves, root) for every ½ teaspoon celery seeds is a good rule to live by.

Celery Salt

Celery salt has a savory grassiness that is just delightful. Besides dashing it into soups or brunch-y beverages, consider topping deviled eggs or vegetables with it, or folding it into potato salad. The addition of salt is key here, so adjust the salt in your recipe to allow for this swap.

Parsley

A complimentary herb, parsley's fresh vegetal quality makes it a solid substitute. Especially since celery seed is itself a part of the parsley family, or apiaceae. Use this chopped herb in the same amounts.

Dill

Lighter and fresher than its seedy counterpart, dill plays nicely with many things, not just pickles. And it's that comradery that makes it a well-suited substitution for celery seed. From omelets to vegetables, mayo to yogurt, basil and mint to chives and garlic, dill and its tangy pop is a fantastic addition. Throw it on peas, beans, cabbage… or even in your lemonade. Dill makes everything it touches brighter. Use half the amount of dill that you would celery seed.

Dill Seeds

Tasting like dill, but with a more distinct woodiness and almost menthol flavor, dill seeds mimic celery in many applications from salads to seafood. Like celery seeds, dill seeds are a part of the parsley family and can be swapped out at a ratio of 1:1.

Fennel

This flowering plant is part of the carrot family, has an anise-like flavor, and is highly aromatic. Casseroles, curries, and marinades benefit highly from the addition of these little guys. Also in the parsley family, use 1 for 1 in place of celery seed.

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