Celery Salad with Dates, Walnuts, and Parmigiano
This vibrant celery salad has an incredible mix of salty, tangy, punchy, and sweet flavors with the most satisfying crunchy texture. It's made with a handful of pantry staples, comes together in minutes, and keeps well in the fridge for days. It's a simple yet unexpected salad that turns a humble bunch of celery into something really special!
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This is such a delicious and refreshing salad! I've been making it on repeat over the last few months, tweaking it ever so slightly along the way. This is the version I like the best.
Thin slices of crisp celery, sweet dates, and crunchy toasted walnuts are tossed with a punchy anchovy vinaigrette and finished with plenty of shaved Parmigiano. It's an amazing mix of textures and flavors that we cannot stop eating!
Even though this salad calls for a few fresh ingredients, I still consider it a pantry recipe. Since I cook a lot, I almost always have celery, garlic, shallots, parsley, Parmigiano, white wine vinegar, olive oil, walnuts, anchovies, and dates on hand.
If you keep a well-stocked pantry, you'll likely already have most of what you need to make this. It's a great recipe to have in your back pocket when you don't have a ton of fresh ingredients on hand but still want a bright and refreshing salad!
Celery is crisp, juicy, and slightly salty, which makes it the perfect base for a strong dressing. It absorbs flavor really well, and its fibrous texture keeps it from getting soggy.
When sliced thin and tossed with this garlicky anchovy vinaigrette, sweet dates, toasted walnuts, and plenty of Parmigiano, it strikes the perfect balance of crisp, salty, and just a little bit sweet.
Every bite has crunch from the celery and walnuts, chew from the dates, and just enough richness from the cheese and oil. It's all about contrast and balance.
This salad also keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator, so it's great to make a big batch and enjoy it over a few days.
The Best Way to Thinly Slice Celery
I love my mandoline slicer, but this is one instance where I don't recommend using it since the celery strings tend to catch and clog the blade. It's much easier to slice the celery thinly with a knife instead.
Use a sharp chef's knife and slice the celery nice and thin on a bias. Try to make the slices as even in thickness as you can, but it's ok if there's some variation. It only adds to the texture. I like slicing the celery on a bias since it creates larger pieces, which makes the slicing go faster, and it also looks nice.
Want more shaved vegetable salad recipes? Try this fresh shaved zucchini salad with basil, a crisp shaved fennel salad with olives and hazelnuts, or an easy shaved asparagus salad with Pecorino Romano.
Why This Celery Salad Is Different
- Packed with lots of different ingredients for a variety of textures and contrasting flavors.
- The bold, garlicky, anchovy vinaigrette adds interest to an otherwise bland vegetable.
- Made mostly with pantry staples so it can be made without a trip to the store.
- It's fresh and light, with enough richness to still feel satisfying.
- It keeps well in the fridge for days, so it's great for meal prepping.
Ingredients for Celery Salad
Celery - Thinly sliced celery stalks make the base of the recipe. Look for a tight bunch with smooth stalks and a bright color. You can also add in some of the leaves for a more pronounced celery flavor.
Anchovy - These add saltiness, depth and intensity, almost like a light Caesar flavor. If you really don't want to use anchovies, you can substitute capers instead, but I highly encourage giving the anchovies a try. I recommend the brand Fishwife.
Garlic and Shallots - These give oomph to the dressing and make the salad pop. You can scale back the garlic if you don't like a strong garlicky flavor, but make sure you use a fresh clove and not pre-chopped jarred garlic. Shallot works best here, but you can also substitute red onion or a sweet onion in a pinch.
Vinegar - Celery needs acid to wake it up, and the sharpness of white wine vinegar is perfect for cutting through the richness of the walnuts, olive oil, and cheese. You can substitute champagne vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil gives body to the vinaigrette. Try using the best you can get. Learn more on choosing the right olive oil in my guide.
Walnuts - These add a buttery, nutty flavor, and give nice textural contrast. You can replace them with other nuts of your choice.
Dates - The caramelly sweetness from the dates is key to balancing out all of the sharp, salty flavors. They soften everything and make the salad more well-rounded. I like using pitted Medjool dates, which are larger and have a soft, meaty texture, but any dates will do.
Parmesan Cheese - Parmigiano Reggiano adds a creamy texture and a salty, nutty flavor. You can always replace it with other Italian cheeses like Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano, just make sure it's good quality.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large bowl
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
How to Make Celery Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the minced shallot, garlic, and white wine vinegar. Let sit for about 5 minutes to soften the flavor.
- Add the chopped anchovies. Try to break them up and mash them a bit so they dissolve into the vinegar.
- Slowly whisk in the olive oil to form a loose vinaigrette.
Pro Tip: Double or triple the dressing recipe and store it in the fridge in an airtight container to use in this and other salad recipes. Toss with salad right before serving for the best results.
- Add the sliced celery, walnuts, dates, Parmigiano, and parsley. Season with a little bit of salt if needed and freshly cracked black pepper, then toss well so the celery is evenly coated.
Pro Tip: Don't throw away the celery leaves! Throw them in for an extra herbaceous flavor and a different texture from the stalks.
- Transfer to a bowl or serving platter and top with more Parmigiano shavings if desired.
Tips for the Best Celery Salad
- Slice the celery thinly on a sharp diagonal with a knife. This shortens the fibers and gives the salad a more delicate texture. Do not use a mandoline or the celery fibers will clog the blade.
- If the celery stalks are very thick or stringy, peel the outer strings with a vegetable peeler first.
- Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet or in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes until fragrant for better flavor and crunch.
Variations and Substitutions
- Replace anchovies with chopped capers and/or a dash of fish sauce.
- Use raisins, dried cherries, currants, or dried apricots instead of dates.
- Try hazelnuts, almonds, or pecans instead of walnuts.
- Use other cheeses like sharp aged cheddar, Pecorino Romano, or an aged goat cheese.
- Try this recipe with shaved fennel instead of celery or use a combination of the two.
- Use other kinds of vinegar, like apple cider, red wine, sherry, or even rice. Stay away from balsamic, which is too sweet and overpowering.
What to Serve with Celery Salad
This celery salad is versatile enough to be served with almost any main dish.
Try a perfectly seared filet mignon for something classic and simple or try my easy fish piccata for a delicious seafood dinner.
I especially love serving this with chicken. It's wonderful with my family's favorite chicken francaise, this summery take on chicken scallopini, or an old-school Roman chicken saltimbocca.
How to Store Celery Salad
Store any leftover dressed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
If making ahead, store the vinaigrette and celery salad in different airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Toss salad with vinaigrette in a bowl right before serving.
FAQs
Fennel is a nice substitute for celery because it has a similar crunchy, crisp, fresh texture.
Yes! This salad is a great make-ahead option. For the best results, store the vinaigrette and the celery mixture separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, then toss together right before serving. This keeps everything at its optimal texture. It also keeps well when dressed for a few days, but will lose some of its crispness over time.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil tightly and put in the coldest part of the fridge. It will last for up to 3 weeks.
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Celery Salad with Dates, Walnuts, and Parmigiano
Ingredients
- 1 shallot small, very finely minced
- 1 garlic clove small, very finely grated
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4-5 anchovy fillets oil packed, finely chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8 celery stalks very thinly sliced on a sharp bias
- ⅓ cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- ⅓ cup dates sliced
- 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley chopped
- black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the minced shallot, garlic, and white wine vinegar. Let sit for about 5 minutes to soften the flavor.1 shallot, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Add the chopped anchovies. Try to break them up and mash them a bit so they dissolve into the vinegar.4-5 anchovy fillets
- Slowly whisk in the olive oil to form a loose vinaigrette.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Add the sliced celery, walnuts, dates, Parmigiano, and parsley. Season with a little bit of salt if needed and freshly cracked black pepper, then toss well so the celery is evenly coated.8 celery stalks, ⅓ cup walnuts, ⅓ cup dates, 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, black pepper
- Transfer to a bowl or serving platter and top with more Parmigiano shavings if desired.
Notes
- Don't throw away the celery leaves! Throw them in for an extra herbaceous flavor and a different texture from the stalks.
- Slice the celery thinly on a sharp diagonal with a knife. This shortens the fibers and gives the salad a more delicate texture. Do not use a mandoline or the celery fibers will clog the blade.
- If the celery stalks are very thick or stringy, peel the outer strings with a vegetable peeler first.
- Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet or in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes until fragrant for better flavor and crunch.
- Double or triple the dressing recipe and store it in the fridge in an airtight container to use in this and other salad recipes. Toss with salad right before serving for the best results.
