Can you freeze celery?

What freezing does to celery

Freezing causes the water inside celery's cell walls to expand and rupture, which destroys its crisp texture upon thawing. Because the structural integrity is lost, the vegetable turns mushy, so it is not suitable for raw applications like salads or crudités.

How to freeze it

1. Wash and dry the celery stalks thoroughly.
2. Cut the celery into your desired size (chopped, sliced, or diced).
3. Spread the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours.
4. Transfer the frozen pieces into a heavy-duty freezer bag or airtight container.
5. Remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing and labeling with the date.

Thawing and using it

The celery will be very soft and watery after thawing; do not thaw it for raw use. Instead, add the frozen pieces directly to soups, stews, stir-fries, or stocks where the texture change is unnoticeable.

Depends on the form

• cooked celery (already soft) does not need freezing
• celery leaves freeze better than stalks and retain more flavor
• blanching is optional but helps preserve color slightly better