All About Celery
Your complete guide to Celery - discover how to store it properly, identify when it's gone bad, and find the best substitutes for your recipes.
How Long Does Celery Last?
Storage times and freshness tips for Celery in different conditions.
Safety first: This guide provides general information. When in doubt, throw it out! Trust your senses and err on the side of caution. If something smells, looks, or tastes off, don't consume it.
Raw Celery in Refrigerator1-2 weeks (whole stalks), 5-7 days (cut celery)
Signs of Spoilage
Limpness, loss of crispness, yellowing or browning leaves, brown or black spots on stalks, slimy texture, strong or sour off-odor.
How to Check
Visually inspect for bright green color; yellowing or discoloration indicates age. Touch the stalks: they should be firm and snap crisply when bent. If they are rubbery, soft, or slimy, they are past their prime. Smell for any sour, musty, or unpleasant aroma, as fresh celery has a mild, earthy scent.
Storage Tips
To extend freshness, store whole celery stalks tightly wrapped in aluminum foil in the crisper drawer. Alternatively, cut celery can be stored submerged in water in an airtight container in the fridge, changing the water daily. Avoid storing celery near ethylene-producing fruits like apples or bananas, as this can accelerate spoilage. Slightly limp celery can sometimes be revived by soaking in ice water for 30-60 minutes.
Cooked Celery in Refrigerator3-4 days
Signs of Spoilage
Mushy or excessively soft texture, dull or darker discoloration, sour or unpleasant odor, visible mold growth.
How to Check
Examine for any fuzzy white, green, or black mold. Smell for any sour, fermented, or 'off' smells. The texture should not be slimy or overly mushy beyond what the cooking process initially created.
Storage Tips
Store cooked celery in an airtight container to prevent contamination and absorption of other fridge odors. Ensure it cools completely before refrigerating to prevent bacterial growth and condensation.
Celery in Freezer (Blanched)6-8 months (for best quality), safe indefinitely
Signs of Spoilage
Significant freezer burn (dry, discolored spots), extreme mushiness after thawing, strong off-flavors (less common if properly blanched and stored).
How to Check
Visually inspect for excessive ice crystals or large areas of discoloration which indicate freezer burn and a loss of quality. While thawed celery will not be crisp, it should not be completely disintegrated. A strong unpleasant odor after thawing indicates spoilage.
Storage Tips
For best results, celery should be blanched before freezing to preserve color, flavor, and texture. Cut celery into desired pieces, blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then immediately cool in an ice bath. Drain well, pat dry, and pack into freezer-safe bags or containers, removing as much air as possible. Frozen celery is best used in cooked dishes like soups, stews, or casseroles, as it loses its crispness when thawed.