What is the difference between celeriac and celery?

December 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Though from the same plant species, celeriac and celery are different varieties, cultivated specifically for their distinct parts and purposes. While they share a similar aromatic profile, understanding what is the difference between celeriac and celery is key to successful cooking and gardening.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines the major distinctions between celeriac and celery, detailing their appearance, flavor, texture, and optimal uses in recipes. It clarifies their botanical relationship and explains why they cannot be used interchangeably in most dishes.

Key Points

Appearance: Celery is known for its crisp green stalks, while celeriac (celery root) is a knobby, bulbous root vegetable.
Edible Parts: Celery is grown for its stalks, whereas celeriac is cultivated for its large, swollen stem base.
Flavor Profile: Celeriac has a more concentrated, earthy, and nutty flavor, while celery is milder and fresher.
Texture: Celery is crunchy and watery, but celeriac is starchy and dense, becoming creamy when cooked.
Culinary Use: They are generally not interchangeable due to their different textures and flavor intensities. Celeriac is ideal for mashing and roasting, while celery is best for soups, stocks, and salads.
Nutritional Content: Celeriac contains higher levels of phosphorus and vitamin C, whereas celery provides more vitamin A and folate.
Growing: Celeriac is considered easier to grow and is harvested in the winter, whereas celery requires more careful growing conditions.

Botanical Relationship and Appearance

At first glance, celeriac and celery appear to be completely different vegetables. The most immediate and striking difference is their appearance. Standard celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) is recognized by its familiar long, crisp, green stalks and leaves. Celeriac, on the other hand, is a variety known as Apium graveolens var. rapaceum, and it is grown for its large, bulbous, knobby root structure, often called celery root. The root has a rough, brown, and sometimes hairy exterior, which belies the creamy, white, fine-grained flesh inside.

Appearance Breakdown

Celery: Features long, hollow, fibrous green stalks attached at a small base, with feathery leaves at the top. The stalks are primarily composed of water and cellulose.
Celeriac: The main edible part is a dense, turnip-like swollen stem base, not a true root, that grows just below the soil line. It has a tough, warty, brown exterior that requires peeling to access the edible flesh. It does have small, fibrous stalks and leaves, but these are typically tougher and more bitter than standard celery and are usually discarded or used for stocks.

Taste and Texture Profiles

The differences extend well beyond how they look. While both have a flavor reminiscent of celery, their intensity and underlying notes are very different. Celery has a high water content, giving it a characteristic crisp, crunchy, and refreshing texture with a mild, fresh flavor. Celeriac, being a dense root vegetable, has a much lower water content and a starchy, potato-like consistency when cooked. Its taste is more concentrated, with a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor profile that many describe as a blend of celery and parsley.

A Tale of Two Tastes

Celery: Fresh, watery, and mildly aromatic. The fibrous stalks can be stringy.
Celeriac: Earthy, nutty, and more intense. Its raw texture is firm and crunchy, becoming creamy and tender when cooked.

Culinary Applications

Because of their dramatic differences in texture, celeriac and celery are not typically interchangeable in recipes. Their best culinary uses are quite distinct.

Celeriac Uses

Mashed: Can be boiled and mashed like potatoes, or blended with them for a lower-carb alternative.
Roasted: Cubed and roasted in the oven with other root vegetables, it develops a sweet and earthy flavor.
Pureed: Creates a creamy, rich soup or a smooth side dish puree.
Raw: Grated or julienned, it makes a delicious and crunchy addition to salads and slaws.

Celery Uses

Mirepoix: A fundamental ingredient in stocks, soups, and stews, providing a classic aromatic base.
Salads: Chopped celery adds a crisp, fresh crunch to salads like chicken or tuna salad.
Snacks: Often eaten raw as a low-calorie, high-water content snack, sometimes with a dip.
Juiced: Part of many popular green juice blends for its refreshing flavor.

Nutritional and Growing Comparisons

Nutritionally, both are low in calories but differ in specific vitamin and mineral content. A side-by-side comparison shows celeriac is a better source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and phosphorus, while celery offers more vitamin A and folate. Their growing requirements also vary slightly, with celeriac generally being easier to grow than standard celery, which needs more consistent, moist conditions.

Celeriac vs. Celery: A Comparison Table


Feature	Celeriac (Celery Root)	Celery (Stalk Celery)
Botanical Variety	Apium graveolens var. rapaceum	Apium graveolens var. dulce
Edible Part	The large, bulbous swollen stem base	The long, crisp, fibrous stalks and leaves
Appearance	Ugly, knobby, brown exterior; creamy white interior	Long, straight, green stalks with leaves
Taste	Earthy, nutty, and slightly sweet; more intense	Mild, fresh, and aromatic; high water content
Texture	Firm and starchy when raw, creamy and tender when cooked	Crunchy and fibrous; can be stringy
Culinary Uses	Roasting, mashing, pureeing, raw grated salads	Soups, stews, snacks, salads, stocks
Nutritional Profile	High in Vitamin C, K, B6, phosphorus, and fiber	High in Vitamin A, folate, and Vitamin K
Harvest Season	Late fall and winter	Typically available year-round, best in summer/fall

Conclusion

The difference between celeriac and celery is a prime example of botanical variation leading to distinct culinary outcomes. While they share a family name and a flavor heritage, their fundamental differences in texture, taste intensity, and physical form dictate entirely different applications in the kitchen. For a mild, watery crunch, celery is the clear choice, while celeriac provides an earthy, nutty base for heartier, cooked dishes. Understanding these differences allows cooks to select the perfect ingredient for their recipe, ensuring the best possible results every time. For more information on celeriac and its preparation, check out this guide on What Is Celeriac—and How to Use It.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you generally cannot substitute celeriac for celery, as their textures are very different. Celeriac is a starchy root that becomes creamy when cooked, while celery provides a crisp, watery crunch. You could use celeriac as a substitute in cooked dishes where you want a creamy, earthy base, but it is not a suitable replacement for celery's texture in salads or snacks.

Celeriac has a similar flavor profile to celery but is more concentrated and earthy, with nutty and slightly sweet undertones. The flavor of celeriac is often compared to a blend of celery and parsnip, especially when cooked.

Celeriac and celery are from the same plant species, Apium graveolens, but they are different varieties cultivated for different purposes. Celeriac is bred for its root, while traditional celery is bred for its stalks.

While the stalks and leaves of the celeriac plant are edible, they are often more fibrous and bitter than regular celery stalks. For this reason, they are typically not eaten raw but can be used in stocks and soups for a more intense celery flavor.

The nutritional benefits vary between the two. Celeriac provides higher amounts of phosphorus, vitamin K, and vitamin C, while celery is a better source of vitamin A and folate. Both offer fiber and other vitamins.

To prepare celeriac, you must first peel its thick, knobby exterior using a sturdy knife. Once peeled, you can cut it into cubes for roasting or mashing, grate it raw for salads, or use it in soups and stews.

Yes, celeriac is commonly referred to as a root vegetable, although botanically, the large, edible part is actually a swollen stem base called a corm. It is used culinarily like other root vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips.

Yes, you can grow both in the same garden, but they have different needs. Celeriac is easier to grow and prefers well-drained soil, whereas celery requires consistent moisture and is more prone to rot in very damp conditions.