Freezing celery is an easy way to minimize food waste in your kitchen and ensure the fundamental ingredient is always on hand. Celery is among the main components of aromatic flavor bases like French mirepoix, the [Cajun Holy Trinity](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-the-cajun-holy-trinity), and Italian [soffritto](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-italian-soffritto)—freezing prepared celery ahead of time makes their assembly a breeze.

Freezing celery may keep leftover stalks in good condition, but they will lose their crispness once thawed. While you may not be able to use thawed celery in a stir-fry, crudité veggie platter, or snack—where the vegetable’s signature refreshing crunch is crucial—it’s a perfect fit for hot dishes like minestrone, Thanksgiving stuffing, or [celery soup](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/celery-soup-recipe).
Freezing celery requires only a few extra steps.

- __Chop before freezing__. For best results, clean and chop the celery while it’s fresh. That way, the frozen celery pieces will be ready to use straight from the freezer. 
- __Blanch to maintain quality__. Blanching is an optional step, but if you’re storing celery for longer than a few months, it will help lock in flavor and eradicate bacteria. To blanch fresh celery, prepare a large bowl of ice water, then bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped celery to the boiling water, cook it for 30 seconds, remove it with a slotted spoon, and transfer it to the ice bath. Once the celery is cool, drain it into a colander, and pat it dry with paper towels. 
- __Flash freeze__. Flash freezing—the practice of freezing individual pieces separately before storing them in a bag or container—allows you to use as much celery as you need rather than having to defrost a large block. Arrange the cut celery in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer to flash freeze it.
- __Store__. Transfer the frozen pieces to a freezer bag, individual pouches, or an airtight container, remove as much air as possible, and seal.

When thawed, celery stalks lose the signature crispness that makes them a great snack, but cooks can still use them in recipes where its flavor, rather than texture, is the highlight.

1. __Casseroles__: Add thawed celery directly to the pot when sautéing onions and aromatics to build a flavorful foundation for dishes like chicken casserole or [moussaka](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-greek-moussaka), a popular Greek eggplant casserole.    
2. __Mirepoix__: Mirepoix is the aromatic flavor base made by lightly cooking onions, celery, and carrots in butter or oil to coax out the flavors without browning or caramelizing them. Mirepoix is traditionally used as a flavoring ingredient, which means the vegetables are typically strained out or removed from the final dish before the end of the cooking process.
3. __Soups and stews__: Frozen celery adds body and (a slightly less crispy) texture to veggie soups like minestrone, celery soup, or [cabbage soup](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cabbage-soup-recipe).  
4. __Stock__: Frozen celery adds a subtle sweetness to vegetable or meat [stock](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cooking-101-stocks-vs-broths-and-how-to-make-5-different-stocks). Add it to a large stockpot along with other food scraps, and simmer for a few hours until it has reduced. Stock is also a great vehicle for frozen celery leaves, which are packed with bright flavor. 

To perfect the mother sauces and make French cuisine at home, you must master essential cooking techniques. Discover Chef Thomas Keller’s approach to setting up a home kitchen and sourcing quality ingredients like [fish](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-thomas-kellers-tips-for-buying-the-best-fish) and [clams](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-buy-clams-and-mussels-with-chef-thomas-kellers-tips) when you sign up for the [MasterClass Annual Membership] (https://www.masterclass.com).
Learn how to freeze celery, and save valuable prep time for meals months down the road.


Learn how to freeze celery, and save valuable prep time for meals months down the road.


How to Freeze Celery: 4 Ways to Use Thawed Celery

Freezing celery is an easy way to minimize food waste in your kitchen and ensure the fundamental ingredient is always on hand. Celery is among the main components of aromatic flavor bases like French mirepoix, the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-the-cajun-holy-trinity' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-the-cajun-holy-trinity","linkCopy":"Cajun Holy Trinity","category":null}'>Cajun Holy Trinity</a>, and Italian <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-italian-soffritto' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-italian-soffritto","linkCopy":"soffritto","category":null}'>soffritto</a>—freezing prepared celery ahead of time makes their assembly a breeze.

Why Freeze Celery?

Freezing celery may keep leftover stalks in good condition, but they will lose their crispness once thawed. While you may not be able to use thawed celery in a stir-fry, crudité veggie platter, or snack—where the vegetable’s signature refreshing crunch is crucial—it’s a perfect fit for hot dishes like minestrone, Thanksgiving stuffing, or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/celery-soup-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/celery-soup-recipe","linkCopy":"celery soup","category":null}'>celery soup</a>.

How Freezing Affects the Quality of Celery

Freezing celery requires only a few extra steps.<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Chop before freezing. For best results, clean and chop the celery while it’s fresh. That way, the frozen celery pieces will be ready to use straight from the freezer. </li><li class="">Blanch to maintain quality. Blanching is an optional step, but if you’re storing celery for longer than a few months, it will help lock in flavor and eradicate bacteria. To blanch fresh celery, prepare a large bowl of ice water, then bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped celery to the boiling water, cook it for 30 seconds, remove it with a slotted spoon, and transfer it to the ice bath. Once the celery is cool, drain it into a colander, and pat it dry with paper towels. </li><li class="">Flash freeze. Flash freezing—the practice of freezing individual pieces separately before storing them in a bag or container—allows you to use as much celery as you need rather than having to defrost a large block. Arrange the cut celery in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer to flash freeze it. </li><li class="">Store. Transfer the frozen pieces to a freezer bag, individual pouches, or an airtight container, remove as much air as possible, and seal. </li></ul>

How to Freeze Celery

When thawed, celery stalks lose the signature crispness that makes them a great snack, but cooks can still use them in recipes where its flavor, rather than texture, is the highlight.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Casseroles: Add thawed celery directly to the pot when sautéing onions and aromatics to build a flavorful foundation for dishes like chicken casserole or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-greek-moussaka' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-greek-moussaka","linkCopy":"moussaka","category":null}'>moussaka</a>, a popular Greek eggplant casserole. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Mirepoix: Mirepoix is the aromatic flavor base made by lightly cooking onions, celery, and carrots in butter or oil to coax out the flavors without browning or caramelizing them. Mirepoix is traditionally used as a flavoring ingredient, which means the vegetables are typically strained out or removed from the final dish before the end of the cooking process. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Soups and stews: Frozen celery adds body and (a slightly less crispy) texture to veggie soups like minestrone, celery soup, or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cabbage-soup-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cabbage-soup-recipe","linkCopy":"cabbage soup","category":null}'>cabbage soup</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Stock: Frozen celery adds a subtle sweetness to vegetable or meat <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cooking-101-stocks-vs-broths-and-how-to-make-5-different-stocks' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cooking-101-stocks-vs-broths-and-how-to-make-5-different-stocks","linkCopy":"stock","category":null}'>stock</a>. Add it to a large stockpot along with other food scraps, and simmer for a few hours until it has reduced. Stock is also a great vehicle for frozen celery leaves, which are packed with bright flavor. </li></ol>

4 Ways to Use Thawed Celery

To perfect the mother sauces and make French cuisine at home, you must master essential cooking techniques. Discover Chef Thomas Keller’s approach to setting up a home kitchen and sourcing quality ingredients like <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-thomas-kellers-tips-for-buying-the-best-fish' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-thomas-kellers-tips-for-buying-the-best-fish","linkCopy":"fish","category":null}'>fish</a> and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-buy-clams-and-mussels-with-chef-thomas-kellers-tips' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-buy-clams-and-mussels-with-chef-thomas-kellers-tips","linkCopy":"clams","category":null}'>clams</a> when you sign up for the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>.

Mise En Place

Learn how to freeze celery, and save valuable prep time for meals months down the road.