Celery Salad

A crunchy celery salad with fennel, pecorino, salami, and herbs. Bright, salty, and surprisingly substantial.

Why I Love It

This celery salad is crunchy, fresh, and surprisingly satisfying. Celery isn't usually the ingredient people get excited about, but when it's sliced thinly and tossed with good olive oil, lemon, herbs, and salty things, it becomes the kind of salad you can't stop picking at.

I love the combination of celery and fennel here. They're both crisp and refreshing, but the fennel adds a subtle sweetness and anise flavor that makes the salad feel a little more interesting. Add salty pecorino, spicy salami, roasted almonds, and plenty of fresh herbs, and suddenly a pile of vegetables feels like a complete meal.

It's also the sort of salad that gets better as it sits. The vegetables stay crisp, the flavors mingle, and nothing gets soggy. That makes it perfect for potlucks, picnics, and all the nights when making dinner 4 hours ahead sounds like the best idea you’ve ever had.

I often toss in a handful of cooked gigante beans when I want something a little heartier. If you love crunchy vegetable salads, try my shaved fennel salad next. Or lean into the bean situation with this garlicky gigante bean salad or lemony white bean salad.

How to Make This Celery Salad

Recipe Tips

Slice the celery and fennel thinly. Thin slices make the vegetables feel delicate and absorb the dressing more evenly. 

Use a mandoline if you have one. It's the easiest way to get paper-thin fennel slices.

Dress it ahead. Unlike leafy salads, this one holds up beautifully for several hours.

Use good salami. Finocchiona complements the fennel especially well, while a spicy Calabrian salami adds a nice kick.

Don't skip the herbs. Mint and parsley make the whole salad taste brighter and fresher.

Add beans or farro for a heartier meal. Gigante beans, cannellini beans, or cooked farro all work especially well here.

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