Name: Simple Italian Celery Salad with Parmesan
Prep time: 8 min
Total time: 8 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 whole bunch celery; 2 ounces parmesan cheese shavings; 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 6 Tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

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This simple and easy italian celery salad is both light and refreshing and takes less than 10 minutes to put together. Sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese shavings and dressed with a light lemon dressing, this vegetarian salad is perfect for summertime.

celery and parmesan salad on a wooden try and a white plate with a fork

This post was originally published in September 2020 and has been updated for content

This salad is a simple version inspired by Ina Garten's Celery and Parmesan Salad. The sharp flavor of the parmesan cheese complements the light and crunchy texture of the celery. Finished off with the bright lemon vinaigrette this refreshing dish pairs perfectly with grilled meat or a heavier main dish. I love serving this salad alongside grilled steaks, roast chicken or eggplant parmesan.

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🥬 Ingredient notes
📋 Substitutions and Variations
🔪 Step by step instructions
⭐ Expert tips
🍽 Serving and storage suggestions
🥗 More salad recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

🥬 Ingredient notes

celery, oil, parmesan, salt, pepper, thyme and lemon juice on a sheet pan

Celery - An entire bunch of raw celery is used in this recipe. Both the stalks and leaves of celery are edible and provide great flavor and texture. The only part you will discard, are any brown tips or bad spots along with the very bottom of the celery.
Parmesan - The shaved parmesan cheese adds a great salty and sharp quality to the celery which can sometimes be plain on its own. Pecorino romano, asiago or feta cheese would be good alternatives.
Lemon Dressing - The dressing for this salad is a simple vinaigrette made up of lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. It's light and adds a nice brightness to the salad.

📋 Substitutions and Variations

Vegan/Dairy Free - to make this salad vegan or dairy free, omit the parmesan cheese.
Nuts/Seeds - add sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts for extra crunch.
Fruit/Vegetables - add in dried cranberries, sliced apples or sliced fennel for extra flavor.
Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the dressing to kick the flavor up a notch!

🔪 Step by step instructions

First slice the entire bunch of celery into one inch slices, discarding the bottom of the stalks and any brown tips or bad spots. Combine in a mixing bowl with the parmesan shavings to toss together.

chopped celery on a cutting board and a mixing bowl with celery and parmesan

In a small mason jar or container with a lid, add all of the ingredients for the dressing. Cover and shake until the dressing is creamy and well combined together. Pour the dressing over the celery and parmesan and toss everything together.

mason jar with lemon dressing and mixing bowl with celery and parmesan

Serve salad immediately or place in the fridge to chill for 30-60 minutes.

celery and parmesan salad on a wooden tray with a metal spoon

⭐ Expert tips

Is your celery not as crisp as you would like it to be? Cut the bottom off of the bunch of celery and place it in cold water for 20-30 minutes to crisp it up again.

🍽 Serving and storage suggestions

I don't recommend making this salad more than a few hours ahead of time as the dressing will start to break down the cheese and celery. Instead, mix together the celery and parmesan and store in the fridge separately from the dressing. Then, when it's time to serve, simply toss the salad with the dressing.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

🥗 More salad recipes

If you loved this simple celery salad, check out these other salad recipes that I know you will love too!

Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.

📖 Recipe

Simple Italian Celery Salad with Parmesan

raw celery salad with parmesan on a wooden tray with a metal serving spoon

Print Recipe

5 from 7 reviews

This simple and easy italian celery salad is both light and refreshing and takes just less than 10 minutes to put together. Sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese shavings and dressed with a light lemon dressing, this vegetarian salad is perfect for summertime.

Author: Amanda
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 whole bunch celery
2 ounces parmesan cheese shavings
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Slice the entire bunch of celery, including the leaves, into approximately one inch pieces. Discard the bottom and any brown tips or bad spots.
Combine celery and parmesan cheese shavings in a mixing bowl and toss to combine.
In a small mason jar or container with a lid, combine lemon juice, olive oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Close jar and shake until combined and creamy in texture. Pour dressing over celery and parmesan and toss to combine.
Serve immediately at room temperature or chill for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

Notes

This salad is adapted from Ina Garten's Celery and Parmesan Salad

Crisp up limp celery by cutting off the bottom of the bunch of celery and place it in cold water for 20-30 minutes to crisp it up again.

Variations

Vegan/Dairy Free - to make this salad vegan or dairy free, omit the parmesan cheese.
Nuts/Seeds - add sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts for extra crunch.
Fruit/Vegetables - add in dried cranberries, sliced apples or sliced fennel for extra flavor.
Different Cheese - try feta, asiago or pecorino romano as other cheese alternatives.
Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the dressing to kick the flavor up a notch!

Storage Suggestions

If making this salad ahead of time, store the combined celery and parmesan in the refrigerator separately from the dressing. When it's time for serving, pour the dressing over celery and parmesan and toss to combine.