Celery salt is a versatile spice that you can use for many savory dishes and even a few cocktails. It is a concentrated form of celery herb combined with salt and is a great way to add flavors to your food or a Bloody Mary. But what do you do when there is no celery salt in your spice cabinet? Below, we have some celery salt substitutes that you can try.
Table of Contents
- Your best bet: Celery seed and salt
- A decent second choice: Celery stalks and leaves
- In a pinch: Dill salt
- Other alternatives
- Must-read related posts
Your best bet: Celery seed and salt
Celery salt consists of two ingredients: celery powder and salt. Its simplicity makes it easy to create your own by combining the two spices as long as you remember that you should combine them in roughly equal amounts. Blends in stores may have as much as 2:1 ratio of salt to celery seed, so a 1:1 ratio gives you a lower sodium blend with a stronger celery flavor. You can make your own celery powder by grinding celery seeds in a spice grinder. This should make your celery salt more flavorful than if you were to use pre-ground celery powder.
Adjust the amount of celery salt you use in your recipe depending on the blend’s ratio of salt to celery powder.
–> Learn More: Celery Seed Vs. Celery Salt – How Do They Compare?
A decent second choice: Celery stalks and leaves
The celery seed used in celery salt is harvested from a celery relative called lovage, which has a stronger celery flavor. That flavor is also present in the stalks and leaves, making those parts of the plant good substitutes for the celery seed component of celery salt.
The biggest difference when using this alternative will be the texture. Celery stalks and leaves are fibrous and have much more bulk when compared to celery seeds, which means that they may not be a good substitute in all applications. For example, celery leaves and stalks may not replace celery seeds in a meat rub or salad dressing but may be used in a soup or similar dish.
Consider blending (or finely chopping) the stalks to make them more closely resemble the celery seed. Note also that the flavor in the leaves and stalks is less concentrated than in the seeds, so you will have to use more of them to achieve the same flavor profile.
In a pinch: Dill salt
Dill seed comes from the dill herb, sometimes called dill weed. The herb belongs to the same family as celery and several other well-known herbs, including chervil and coriander. Dill seed has a flavor profile similar to celery seed, making it an effective substitute. You can combine pre-ground dill seed powder with salt in the same ratio as in the celery salt blends above and use that as your celery salt substitute.
A dill seed salt can be an effective alternative in most celery seed applications, including barbecue rubs, salad dressings, and potato salad. Use the same amount of dill salt that your recipe requires for celery salt.
Other alternatives
Instead of using celery seeds, you can add the essential oil from the seeds along with salt to your dish. The oil is used mostly for aromatherapy but can also provide the flavor you want.
Caraway seeds are sweeter than celery seeds but are very flavorful and can stand in for them in some dishes. They are best suited for meat dishes where their pungency can help to cut through the fat.
Must-read related posts
- Celery Powder Vs. Celery Salt: How are they similar? Different?
- The Master List Of Herbs And Spices: Search spices, herbs, and seasonings by name and flavor.
- Tasty Celery Seed Uses: Looking for ways to use this spice? Start here.