This post may contain affiliate links.
I love a simple veg-froward salad and this Celery Salad is just that. It’s a no-fuss recipe that let’s celery shine by leaning on a simple vinaigrette, tons of fresh chives, and toasted pecans for a buttery, toasty contrasting crunch. The perfect salad for just about any main dish!
Just like my 3-Ingredient Fennel Salad, this celery salad is a great example of how minimal ingredients can deliver maximum flavor. A simple vinaigrette made with extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon and honey is all you need to dress the crunchy stalks.
For a contrasting crunch I toss in toasted pecans and to compliment the nutty pecans I add a few shaves of Gruyère cheese. Finally, to bring it all together toss in chives and celery leaves for an herbaceous finish.
Ingredients Needed
- extra-virgin olive oil, the extra-virgin part is important. Since the salad is so simple, a flavorful olive oil is very important.
- sherry vinegar, it just pairs so well with celery. If you don’t have sherry vin, you can sub with white wine vin or apple cider vin.
- Dijon mustard, essential for adding depth of flavor and emulsifying the vinaigrette.
- Honey balances out the salty flavors!
- Celery stalks, preferably with leaves still intact!
- Pecans, especially when toasted, add a beautiful texture and flavor.
- Chives, I cut the chives into 1-inch pieces which ensures they stick to the celery and every bite has at least one piece.
- Gruyère cheese, though Parmesan would also be fantastic.
- Red pepper flakes add a nice kick! If you’re looking for something a bit more bild and floral, opt for cracked black pepper.
How to Toast Nuts
Here are some general guidelines on toasting nuts: arrange nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven until fragrant and golden brown, about 8 minutes.
Depending on how oily the nuts are, they may roast slightly faster or slower, so keep an eye on them and give them a shake every few minutes.
Note: prior to working at America’s Test Kitchen, I used to toast nuts in a skillet on the stovetop. It’s better to toast in the oven because the nuts toast evenly—not just on the side touching the hot skillet.
When toasting nuts for a recipe, I’ll often toast more than I need (or the entire bag of nuts). This saves time in the future when a recipe calls for toasted nuts. Once toasted and cooled, store them in an airtight bag or container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Make Ahead Tip
Celery is pretty good at holding it’s crunch, so this salad can sit for a bit and retain it’s lovely texture. However, I don’t recommend making this too far in advance.
If you’re looking to get most of it prepped ahead of time you can slice the celery, toast and chop the pecans, and make the vinaigrette. Just toss everything together before serving.
Test Kitchen Tip: Wilty Celery
If your celery is wilty, trim the ends off of the bottoms of the stalks and place them in a glass or jar of water in the refrigerator. Just a few hours and they’ll crisp right back up! Once it’s crisp, make sure you store it correctly so it stays crisp.
Make it a Meal with These Main Dishes
Soups, Stews & Chilis
Shrimp Bisque Recipe
Soups, Stews & Chilis
Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Salmon
Pan Seared Salmon Recipe
20-Minute Meals
Easy Cajun Shrimp Recipe
Celery Salad with Chives, Pecans and Gruyère
Description
Save This Recipe!
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- kosher salt
- red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch celery, 10 large stalks, preferably with leaves intact
- ½ cup toasted and chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shaved
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, Dijon, and honey; season with salt and red pepper flakes.
- Wash and trim celery (reserve celery leaves). Thinly slice celery on the bias. Chop celery leaves.
- Add celery, half the pecans, half the chives, and half the Gruyère to the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss to combine, season with salt to taste, then transfer to a serving plate.
- Top salad with remaining pecans, chives, and Gruyère. Sprinkle celery leaves and additional red pepper flakes over top. Serve immediately.
I liked this. It was something different and a nice fresh, crisp contrast to our panko fried tofu. But my husband thought it was “just OK”. Will have to try it on some others, perhaps with the variations.