Sautéed Celery with Onions and Garlic
Last Updated on December 6, 2022 by Betty Davies
Quick and easy to make, celery is sautéed with onions and garlic before being braised so that it is wonderfully flavorful and tender, with just the right amount of crunch. This healthy savory side dish recipe is a great way to make the most out of leftover celery in your fridge, and it’s so versatile!
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Celery never tasted so good! If you think this veggie is a bit boring, and best served up in soups or with lashings of hummus, then I’m about to change your mind! This celery side dish recipe is super easy and quick to make and hands down delicious!
Celery is one of those vegetables that always goes to waste. You buy a package of stalks, but only use a few when making a soup or stew. This recipe makes the most out of what you have leftover, for a healthy and tasty side that’s great to serve with almost any meal.
Quickly sautéed with onion and garlic, then braised til tender, the celery is perfectly seasoned and it will be your favorite way to serve celery!
Be sure to try my Sautéed Lemon Green Peas and Sautéed Bell Peppers and Onions too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Quick and easy: This is a great last minute vegetable side dish. Ready to serve in 15 minutes with a few everyday ingredients, you can whip this up on a moments notice in one skillet on the stovetop.
- Healthy: Low in calories, carbs and fats, and a great source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, celery is an awesome veggie to incorporate into your diet.
- Dietary info: This sautéed celery recipe is gluten-free and keto friendly. It is easy to adapt to be vegetarian or vegan.
Ingredients
- Celery: Snap off both ends of the celery, and pull any tough strings off of the stalk. Don’t worry if you don’t get them all, as the celery will get nice and tender once cooked, though it will still keep some of that crunch.
- Onion and garlic: Finely diced (or minced) so that the flavors are not too overpowering.
- Butter and oil: For sautéing the veggies.
- Chicken stock: To braise the celery. If you don’t have stock, you can can dissolve a bouillion cube in some boiling water and use that.
- Italian herbs: Dried Italian herbs add a great flavor to each bite.
- Parsley: Just before serving, stir in some chopped parsley for a fresh flavor.
How to make sautéed celery
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Sautee the celery, onion and garlic in a skillet or saute pan to soften (photo 1).
- Add the stock and dried herbs and braise (photo 2).
- Stir in fresh parsley and serve (photo 3).
Recipe Variations
This is one delicious way to make sautéed celery, but you can easily adapt it to suite your dietary needs:
- Make it vegetarian by swapping the chicken stock for vegetable stock. You can also use water, but I would advise that you do use some salt and black pepper to season.
- Make it dairy-free and vegan by omitting the butter, or use a plant-based alternative.
- Use different dried herbs, you can use whatever is in your cupboard or use different seasonings to suit the main dish you are serving it with.
- Use different fresh herbs instead of parsley. Dill, tarragon, thyme and cilantro are all great options.
Frequently Asked Questions
This celery recipe is super quick to prep and cook, and it’s ready to serve in minutes. First we saute the celery to start to soften it, then to get it nice and tender, we braise it in stock, the whole process takes around 10 minutes. The celery is tender and flavorful, but it still has a slight crunchy texture to it, it’s not mushy at all.
Yes! When it is overcooked, celery stalks become limp and mushy, and not appealing at all, it’s important to not overcook. Saute it until the diced onions are translucent, and don’t use more stock than is in the recipe or you risk overcooking.
Celery has a fairly mild flavor, but it’s easy to amp this up! Onion and garlic are perfect to add flavor right from the start when it is first sauteed. The chicken stock and dried herbs then add more flavor, so that the final dish is far from bland. If you want to amp up the natural flavor of the celery, you can add in a teaspoon of celery seed when you add in the stock.
Serving Suggestions
This sautéed celery is a super versatile side dish, and it will sit alongside most main dishes pretty well. I especially like it with chicken or fish dishes. Try it with some of these favorites:
- Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Stuffed Chicken Caprese
- Salmon in Basil Lemon Sauce
- Air Fried Tuna Steaks
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
This recipe is best made when you are ready to serve it, if you make it too far ahead of time, the celery can start to wilt and become soggy.
You can make it up to 6 hours ahead of time, let it cool, and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat it quickly on the stovetop to warm through to serve.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cut the celery on the diagonal. This will help the celery to cook quicker and absorb the flavors from the stock.
- Take care not to overcook the celery and during sautéing, stir regularly.
- Don’t add more stock than stated, or the celery can become mushy.
This sautéed and braised celery recipe will have you falling in love with this understated vegetable! Wonderfully flavorful and so quick and easy to make, you’ll never throw out unused celery stalks again!
More Low Carb Vegetable Side Dishes
- Air Fryer Roasted Bell Peppers
- Broccoli Cauliflower Rice
- Roasted White Zucchini Recipe
- Creamy Basil Mushrooms
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Sautéed Celery Recipe
Equipment
- Saute pan with lid or skillet
Ingredients
- 6 celery stalks
- 1 small white onion (or half of a large one)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 teaspoon oil (avocado, canola or vegetable)
- ½ cup chicken stock or bouillion cube dissolved in boiling water (120ml)
- ½ tablespoon dried Italian herbs
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley (a small handful)
Instructions
- Snap off each end of the celery stalks and remove the tough strings (you don't have to remove them all, just the ones that pull off easily).
- Cut the celery into 1 inch pieces, cut on the diagonal. Dice the onion and garlic as finely as you can.
- Add the butter and oil to a skillet and place on a medium heat on the stovetop. Once hot, add the celery, onion and garlic to the skillet.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, til the onion starts to soften.
- Add the chicken stock and Italian herbs to the skillet, and place the lid on. Let the stock come up to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Take the lid off of the skillet, and add in the chopped parsley. Cook for a couple minutes more til the remaining stock has evaporated.
- Serve.
Notes
- Cut the celery on the diagonal. This will help the celery to cook quicker and absorb the flavors from the stock.
- Take care not to overcook the celery and during sautéing, stir regularly.
- Don’t add more stock than stated, or the celery can become mushy.
