isMove over potato salad there is a taster, less calorific salad in town.
Perfect for Passover but not JUST, this delicious recipe for Passover Celery Root Salad is ideal for potlucks, picnics, and even very special dinners. And I can assure you, it will have everyone coming back for more.
Because the underrated celery root, a humble root vegetable also known as celeriac, offers a wealth of rich, sweet flavor. Honestly, it is one of my new favorite vegetables.
Okay, so this gnarly looking vegetable is not going to win a produce beauty contest, but its inner charm will delight you. Not to mention that celery root is a healthier, lower-carb alternative to potatoes, and it is an excellent low-calorie food.
This root vegetable is closely related to celery, parsley, and parsnips. The taste is somewhat similar to celery, but it is milder, and has a slightly earthy and nutty flavor, almost like artichoke hearts. What makes it truly beguiling is a sweetness that emerges once it is cooked.
This intriguing recipe is from Paula Shoyer’s The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook.
I have come to depend on the Instant Pot in my weekly cooking and this cookbook has lots of great recipes to choose from.
You don’t have to be Kosher to enjoy Paula’s unique recipes. I have one of her other cookbooks, The Healthy Jewish Kitchen. Funny enough, the recipe I featured from that cookbook was the Asian Sweet Potato Salad, which makes her my personal root vegetable salad queen! I find her recipes to be user-friend and always delicious.
Today’s Recipe: Passover Celery Root Salad
The celery root has a tough, rough skin. I use a vegetable peeler to remove as much skin as I can, then turn to a sharp knife to remove and discard what skin remains. You want only the white part for this recipe.
Place cut celery root in acidulated water (with lemon juice) to prevent browning.
After cooking the celery root in the Instant Pot, remove the celery root and add celery to the remaining liquid and cook until thickened.
Pour the sauce over the celery root pieces and stir. Add the parsley and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Passover Celery Root Salad is a one pot, easy-as-can-be recipe! All you need is an Instant Pot and a sharp knife. Here’s how to make it.
PASSOVER CELERY ROOT SALAD
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
- 5 cups water divided
- 2 large celery roots
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Italian parsley leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
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Place half of the lemon juice and 4 cups of the water into a large bowl. Use a paring knife to remove and discard the outer layer of the celery root, leaving only the white part. Cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the bowl and submerge to prevent browning. When all of the celery root has been cut, lift the pieces out of the lemon water and place into the inner pot. Add the remaining lemon juice, the remaining 1 cup of water, olive oil, dill, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir.
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Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for 0 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, press Cancel and turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to quickly release the pressure. Remove the lid.
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Use a slotted spoon to remove the celery root pieces to a serving bowl. Pick out the dill and discard. Add the sliced celery and stir. Press Saute, bring to a boil, and then cook the remaining liquid for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until you have a thick sauce. Pour the sauce over the celery root pieces and stir. Add the parsley and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Recipe Notes
HANDS-ON TIME: 9 Minutes, salad needs to chill for 3 hours
COOKING TIME: 0 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Saute and Pressure Cook
RELEASE TYPE: Quick Release
ADVANCE PREP: May be made 2 days in advance
I really think you will enjoy Passover Celery Root salad as a healthier version of the typical mayo-based potato salad.
…and then, she paused for thought.
Fascinating! My mother used to make raw salads with celeriac, and i couldn’t handle the smell. then recently I made a soup with it. Great recipe. I definitely prefer cooked over raw!
I haven’t tried them raw yet. I did recently make a salt crusted celeriac and it was fabulous. Tasted like artichoke hearts to me. So when I saw this recipe, I had to try it and feel in love with this gnarly veggie all over again.
I love this humble root vegetable and eat a lot during the cold winter season. Can’t remember when I last had them in salads though. Yours looks delightful!
This was a new concept to me as well. I guess that is why I was so attracted to it. I was super happy with the results.
I’ve only had celeriac in soups, but now I’m inspired to try it in salads. Your work is stunning, as always, Cathy. 🙂 ~Valentina
You are so kind Valentina, thank you. This crazy root vegetable is really versatile.
I’m going to make this TODAY! I bought to celery roots last week for something I ended up not doing and now they need a new purpose. GREG
Fabulous! Let me know how it goes for you.
This looks delicious ~ I love the thought of a healthier version of potato salad. This would be a perfect summer potluck dish!
I do hope you try it. It is really an upgrade to a normal potato salad.
This looks absolutely wonderful! Must try! Thanks, Cathy!
Thanks Cheri! I think you will love this.
Now I’m on the hunt for some celery root! Thank you!
They are worth seeking out!
I was brought up with celeriac and love the texture and the flavor . Your salad looks great.
Wow that is great. I grew up on a farm in Iowa and we grew our vegetables, but we were not aware of this one. I bet you have so many wonderful ways to prepare it.
This looks beautiful! The French use a lot of celeriac in everything from salads to soups and stews. It’s yummy.
Thanks Susan! I think Americans are just now discovering celeriac. It is a veggie worth knowing about.
I think this is fabulous, Cathy! I don’t have an instapot, so a rework will be needed… but I love celériac! This is SO superior to potato salad!
Let me know how it goes, I don’t see why this can’t be made without the instant pot. It is worth the effort.
I love celery root, but it’s one of those things I never think about. Thanks for the reminder and this wonderful way to use it!
I agree with you. I need to incorporated more celery root into my life.