Name: Mashed Celery Root
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 celery root (mine added up to 2 1/2 pounds); 3 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons Light cream (you judge the amount); 1/4 teaspoon Salt; 1/16 teaspoon pepper

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I love mashed celery root! It’s a perfect alternative to mashed potatoes.

How did you ever discover mashed celery root?

I made this dish years ago because I was looking for a potato alternative. Why? Who the heck knows! I had heard about it and wanted to try it as it piqued my interest.

What if I don’t like celery?

Just recently, I was on the phone with my friend Devon while I was cooking for the blog and one of the dishes I was making was this one. She asked me what I was doing and when I told her, she said – slowly – “C e l e r y r o o t?”

Devon hates, hates, HATES celery in all its forms!! Of course, I said to her what one always says to children when they don’t like a certain food: “It doesn’t even taste like celery!”

She didn’t believe me.

I don’t blame her, because it smells like celery when you are peeling it and cutting it up.

So, now I’m wondering what someone who hates celery, like Devon, would think if she were coerced to taste it. (Read: tied down and force fed it!)

Does mashed celery root taste like mashed potatoes?

No. It does have a taste to it, but is it a celery taste? I don’t think so, I really don’t. (Christopher does. But what does he know?) It does have a similar texture and mouth feel to mashed potatoes, though a little bit chunkier.

Have you ever had mashed celery root? What do you think? Would you compare it to mashed potatoes? Leave me a comment and let me know if you think it tastes like celery.

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Helpful tips

Use a heavy duty peeler because this root is tough and knobby
Stick a fork into a piece at 30 minutes to test it, the same as you would for boiling potatoes. Keep checking the celery root in five-minute increments until it’s as soft as you want it
You can use either a hand masher as I did, or a hand mixer
I can’t give you the exact measurement of light cream. But you want to add only a little at a time, until you reach the consistency you prefer without making your mashed celery root too wet

How to make mashed celery root

Celery root is not a pretty vegetable. I’m not going to sugar coat it. It looks like something that would be in a Pixar film. Any minute now, those knobs will open up and become eyes. Can’t you just picture it?

Process shots

Celery root, butter, light cream, salt and pepper
Peeled celery root (aka Pixar root)
Cut up root in a pan of water. Warning: celery root is sort of knobby inside the vegetable as well as outside, so don’t be surprised to see that when you cut them up. Turn heat on medium, bring the root to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 25 – 30 minutes
Drain celery root and add butter, cream, salt and pepper

Done!

I plate this mashed celery root with some slices of lamb and some creamed spinach.

Yum. As you can see, it’s a little chunky, but that’s because mashing is not my forté (ask my family; it’s a childhood thing), and I like a little chew factor in my mashed celery root.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe!

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!