This creamed celeriac mash or celery root puree is a simple and delightful lower-carb alternative to mashed potatoes.
You might consider this creamed celeriac recipe a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes, but the celery root puree is so good that you will not even think of it as an alternative. You will just make it because you like it so much and it fits so well with so many dishes.
Make more veggie mash: Cauliflower and Potato Mash or Creamy Spinach Potato Mash.
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What is celeriac?
It is a root vegetable, the root of the celery plant. Celery and celeriac are basically the same plants, but celeriac is purposely cultivated for its roots rather than its stalks.
You will notice that if you buy large celery stalks with leaves and roots attached, the root will be small. If you buy a celeriac, the vegetable will be very large, and there will be no stalks or leaves attached.
Can you replace celeriac with celery stalks?
You can use them interchangeably when making stock or soup, for instance. If a soup or stew recipe calls for a small piece of celeriac, you can replace that with a couple of stalks of celery, and vice versa.
But you cannot replace one with the other when making puree, pear celeriac salad, or other recipes that rely on the character of one of the two veggies.
You cannot replace the root with the stalks to make this recipe.
Ingredients
Celeriac: The roots we get around here are usually very large, with a standard one weighing about 2.2-2.6 oz/ 1-1.2 kg before peeling. If those you can get are smaller, just buy a few more.
Crème fraiche: It adds a bit of tang, which I absolutely love. You can also use about 5 tablespoons of double cream, 3 tablespoons of full-fat cream or sour cream.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make creamed celeriac?
Prepare the celeriac
- Peel the celeriac. Place the root on its side and cut the top and bottom.
- Place it on one of the cut sides and cut the peel in strips, starting at the top and going down to the bottom.
- Use a small knife to remove any crevices that still contain peel and dirt.
- Cut the root into thick slices.
- Cut the slices into batons and the batons into cubes.
Celeriac puree step-by-step
- Step #1: Place the cubed root in a saucepan. Add garlic. Add milk and stock. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain and reserve the liquid. You will need about ¼ cups for the mash. If you like, you can use the rest of the stock to add to the soup.
- Step #2: Add the reserved liquid, butter, salt, and pepper. Blend with an immersion blender to reach the desired consistency; you can make it as creamy as you like.
- Step #3: Add crème fraiche and stir well. Adjust the taste generously with salt and pepper. Add a little more of the cooking liquid if the celeriac mash seems too dry.
How to store and reheat?
The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, they will be fine for 2-3 days. You can reheat the celery root puree in a small saucepan. Add a splash of milk when reheating and stir often.
Creamed Celeriac (Celery Root Puree)
Ingredients
- 1 large celeriac about 2.2-2.6 lbs/ 1-1.2 kg
- 6 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup vegetable or chicken stock 125 ml
- ¼ cup full-fat milk 125 ml
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Note 1
- 3 tablespoons crème fraiche Note 2
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and cube celeriac. Place in the saucepan together with the peeled garlic cloves. Add stock and milk; the vegetables don't have to be entirely covered with liquid, they will cook in the steam.1 large celeriac + 6 garlic cloves + ¼ cup vegetable or chicken stock/ 125 ml + ¼ cup full-fat milk/ 125 ml
- Cook celeriac: Bring to a gentle boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Drain but reserve the liquid. Add about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid to the vegetables.
- Blend celery root: Add butter, salt, and pepper and blend to your desired consistency. Stir in crème fraiche and adjust the taste generously with salt and pepper.2 tablespoons unsalted butter + 3 tablespoons crème fraiche + fine sea salt and black pepper
Notes
- Butter: You can use salted butter as well; adjust the salt amount accordingly.
- Dairy: For a milder taste, crème fraiche can be replaced with about 5 tablespoons of double cream. In this case, add only a little of the cooking liquid when you blend the cooked celeriac and add more as required. You can also substitute crème fraiche with 3 tablespoons of full-fat cream cheese.
Deborah Kaufman says
Celeriac is not the root of celery. It is a different plant, although related to celery.