The best celery seeds substitutes are what you are here for, right? You might have wanted to surprise your sister with her favorite egg salad, and you realized that you are out of celery seeds! What can you substitute them with? Some of the best substitutes for celery seeds are celery salt, celery stalks, celery flakes, dill seeds, and caraway seeds.
Celery seeds are obtained from wild celery, and are versatile spices used in salads and dressings. They have such amazing culinary uses and health benefits that make them unmissable in our kitchens.
So why the need to find substitutes for celery seeds? You may need them to resume your cooking or be out of time and breath to buy them. Don’t worry. Read the article to know further.
Quick Peek: Celery Seeds
The following scribbles tell you what celery seeds are, their flavor, texture, culinary uses, and health benefits.
What Are Celery Seeds?
Celery seeds are those spices obtained from a marshy plant called smallage, which is commonly known as wild celery. These are not to be confused with celery, which we come across easily in supermarkets.
Celery Seeds Vs. Celery Salt
Celery seeds are often assumed to be the same as celery salt. Both have the same common ingredient – dried celery seed. Celery salt is a mixture of salt and celery seeds and has a salty and slightly bitter flavor.
Describing Celery Seeds: Flavor and Texture
Although tiny in size, similar to poppy seeds, celery seeds have a strong, earthy flavor with a mildly bitter taste. Celery seeds are available in whole as well as ground versions. Ground celery seeds make up the spice and find use in dishes and salads. Opt for whole celery seeds if you aspire for their characteristic texture.
Uses of Celery Seeds
Celery seeds find use as a versatile condiment in sauces, dressings, pickles, dishes, and brines. It gives a unique flavor when used in dips, marinades, or along with roasted meat or veggies.
Celery Seeds on The Health Radar | Looking Through The Wellness Telescope
Celery seeds are a rich source of iron and antioxidants. They help in boosting bone health and promoting red blood cell formation. Those who have arthritis can consume celery seeds for immense relief.
Why Should We Substitute Celery Seeds?
Celery seeds are mostly available in local grocery stores, but there might be cases when these stores themselves run out of celery seeds (very similar to your pantry). Such an unfortunate scenario shouldn’t be a reason why you have to stop your cooking midway, right?
A bunch of ingredients can very well act as the best celery seeds substitutes without harming your recipe. Also, these substitutes will come in handy if ever a creative streak strikes you and you get all experimental with your recipes! So, shall we talk about the best celery seeds substitutes right away? I am sure you are waiting eagerly!
Other Food Substitutes You Can Try
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- Best Caraway Seed Substitutes You Can Try
- Best Grapeseed Oil Substitutes You Can Try
- Best Fenugreek Substitutes You Can Try
- Best Celery Root Substitutes You Can Try
- Best Celery Substitutes You Can Try
- Best Celery Salt Substitutes You Can Try
- Best Zucchini Substitutes You Can Try
18 Best Celery Seeds Substitutes
Now that you know everything you need to know about celery seeds, let us discuss the eighteen best substitutes for celery seeds.
1. Celery Salt
Celery salt is the best-recommended substitute for celery seeds due to the fact that celery seeds are the primary ingredients in celery salt. Celery salt is simply table salt added to ground celery seeds.
Celery salt tastes similar to regular salt with a mild peppery finish. It has a concentrated flavor, and therefore you really have to be careful with the amount while substituting for celery seeds.
2. Celery Stalk
Celery seeds are obtained from wild celery, which is different from domesticated celery. Both these types of celery differ in taste, flavor, and texture. That said, the celery stalk is one of the best substitutes for celery seeds considering the salty flavor it has.
Celery seeds have an intense flavor, and that requires you to add more stalks for a close flavor. The texture is obviously different – you will have to chop the stalks finely while substituting for celery seeds.
3. Celery Flakes
Celery flakes are fresh celery that is dehydrated into flakes. You can easily surmise their flavor – an authentic celery flavor that makes it a good replacement for celery seeds. Since it has a strong flavor, a tablespoon of celery flakes will suffice to replace a teaspoon of celery seeds.
4. Dill Seed
Dill seeds are the dried fruits of the plant Anethum graveolens, which belong to the parsley family. They are a popular spice variety used in cooking for their acute pungent flavor and bitter taste.
They differ from celery seeds majorly in texture. Dill seeds are brown colored, wide and flat seeds. Dill seeds are good alternatives for celery seeds due to their similar, intense flavor. You can substitute celery seeds with dill seeds on an equal ratio, and you will hardly notice the difference in flavor!
5. Caraway Seeds
Some fancy names for caraway seeds are meridian fennel and Persian cumin. They are the dried fruits of the caraway plant, which render a distinctive flavor to your dishes. Ground caraway seeds have a strong aroma with a rich anise flavor.
Caraway seeds are easily available too. While replacing celery seeds with caraway seeds, there isn’t much to think about, due to the rich flavor caraway seeds have. You can substitute on a 1:1 ratio depending on the nature of the recipe.
6. Fennel Seed
Fennel seeds are the seeds of fennel plants with a sweet, potent, aromatic flavor. Ground fennel seeds are used in spice mixes and added to soups, stews, sauces, curries, pickles, condiments, bread, desserts, and confectioneries.
Fennel seeds can substitute for celery seeds in stews, soups, and casseroles with a licorice-like flavor. You might have to add a pinch of salt for a flavor close to celery seeds.
7. Star Anise
Star anise is one of the five supreme spice ingredients in Chinese cuisine. It has a rich, aromatic, licorice-like flavor that makes it an important ingredient for flavoring your dishes. Being a spice with a strong flavor, you can use star anise to replace celery seeds but should be cautious with the amount.
8. Parsley Leaves
Parsley leaves can be your last resort as an alternative for celery seeds. Parsley and celery are distinct yet related to each other. Parsley leaves have a spicy aroma with a herbal flavor.
The flavor isn’t an exact match to that of celery seeds. However, parsley leaves are a great addition to your savory dishes considering their flavor. If you aspire for a celery flavor, use parsley leaves instead of celery seeds by adding celery salt or celery powder.
9. Celery Powder
Celery powder is prepared by grinding fresh celery stalks or leaves to form a nice, firm powder. It is used as one of the best seasoning agents and is also used as a preservative in meat products.
Celery powder can act as a fine celery seed substitute due to its strong celery flavor. It may not satisfy you texturally as celery seed, but you will not be disappointed with its flavor in your recipe.
10. Fresh Dill
If you have no means of acquiring dill seeds, fresh dill will also do the job for you as a celery seed substitute. Fresh dill has a strong grassy flavor with hints of licorice flavor as well. You can notice a change in flavor when dill leaves are subjected to heat. They render a unique flavor and aroma, making fresh dill a good celery seed substitute.
11. Turmeric
Turmeric is a yellow spice that is a prominent ingredient in Indian cuisine. It has an earthy, musky, and peppery flavor. It also has a profound aroma with the scents of orange or ginger.
Turmeric is a considerable celery seed substitute due to its strong flavor and the yellowish shade it can offer. It also has many health benefits. Be mindful of the quantity – too much of it can ruin your dish.
12. Garlic
Shall we talk about Russian penicillin here? Confused? Soldiers during WW2 were given garlic and hence the name!
Garlic has always been a wonderful flavor-enhancing agent. It is also a superb medicinal agent. When cooked, it has a distinctive sweet buttery flavor and is almost irreplaceable in many recipes.
Garlic has a nicer, bolder taste than celery seeds making it a considerable celery seed substitute. As with the case of turmeric, you have to be mindful of the amount. Although garlic may not emulate the same flavor as celery seeds, it can work as a wonderful seasoning agent.
13. Black Pepper
Black pepper is basically green peppercorns that are dried and mature. As you can easily surmise, black pepper has a pungent, earthy flavor with a spicy touch. It is used as a spice as well as a seasoning agent.
Black pepper can be used in lieu of celery seeds due to the similar pleasant flavor they share. You can substitute celery seed with black pepper in an equal ratio.
14. Feverfew Seed
Feverfew plants belong to the daisy family and have daisy-like flowers. Fresh and dried feverfew have medicinal properties as well. The flowers of this plant make up for a nice ornamental plant as well! I get it. It is not that easy to get hold of these flowers or seeds. But if you do get it somehow, do not be hesitant to try these out.
Feverfew seeds have a bitter taste (you might want to add honey if your taste buds refuse to accommodate). Due to the bitter taste, feverfew seeds become a considerable celery seed substitute.
15. Dandelion
Dandelion is a perennial plant with yellow flowers. From their root to flowers, dandelions are loaded with several vital nutrients. Dandelion seeds have a bittersweet flavor with a tangy finish and a light texture.
Dandelion seeds are quite beneficial if you are suffering from digestive distress. With a bittersweet flavor, dandelion seeds can be worth trying as an option to replace celery seeds.
16. Hibiscus
You might have never thought of it, but hibiscus is a considerable celery seed substitute. Let us see how.
Hibiscus is a flowering plant with giant, blooming flowers in various colors. All parts of this plant find uses in traditional medicine. Hibiscus extracts have many potential health benefits, including weight loss and cancer treatment.
Hibiscus leaves have a tart flavor similar to that of cranberry and pomegranate. However, it is not overly sweet, making it suitable for savory dishes as well. Hibiscus flowers are worthy celery seed substitutes that can be experimented with.
17. Nigella Seeds
Nigella seeds come to us from the nigella Sativa plant. These fragrant seeds are a major ingredient in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. They are used both as a spice and condiment. Nigella seeds have a rich flavor and a dense texture and can be used instead of celery seeds in any dish.
18. Lovage
Lovage is a perennial plant commonly found in Europe. Every part of this plant is utilized for many purposes. Its leaves are considered a herb, its root a vegetable, and seeds a spice. It tastes a lot like celery – with a scent of parsley and anise as well. Lovage seeds have a flavor similar to celery and thus are easily substituted for celery seeds in various recipes.
Short Recap
That must have been an exhaustive read on the best celery seeds substitutes, right? Let me make it easy for you to remember the details with the help of some points.
Flavor: The best celery seed substitutes in terms of flavor are celery salt, celery stalk, celery flakes, celery powder, and dill seeds.
Texture: The best celery seed substitutes in terms of texture are caraway seeds, fennel seeds, dill seeds, and nigella seeds.
Celery Seeds Substitutes
Ingredients
- Celery Salt
- Celery Stalk
- Celery Flakes
- Dill Seed
- Caraway Seeds
- Fennel Seed
- Star Anise
- Parsley Leaves
- Celery Powder
- Fresh Dill
- Turmeric
- Garlic
- Black Pepper
- Feverfew Seed
- Dandelion
- Hibiscus
- Nigella Seeds
- Lovage
Instructions
- Go through the substitutes and see which one seems fit for the recipe.
- Collect your ingredients and use your preferred substitute.
- Use the substitute in the required amount and proceed to make the dish according to the recipe.
Final Musings
That was all about the best substitutes for celery seeds. Almost all of them help give your dishes an authentic celery flavor. However, fix one of them depending on the nature of your recipe. Let me know your results, and see you soon!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best substitute for celery seed in coleslaw?
Caraway seeds are the best substitutes for celery seeds in coleslaw.
What is the substitute for celery seed in pickling?
Celery salt, dill seed, parsley leaves or celery tops are good substitutes for celery seed in pickling.
What is the substitute for celery seed in potato salad?
Fennel seeds, caraway seeds, dill seeds, celeriac seeds, celery salt are some of the good substitutes for celery seed in potato salad.
Can celery seed be a substitute for celery?
A teaspoon of celery seed can be substituted for two average-sized celery stalks.
