Hotel Citadel Celery Salad
A fresh, crunchy, herb-packed celery salad loaded with toasted nuts, dried fruit, and a bright honey-lemon dressing. It comes together in about ten minutes with no cooking required — just chop, toss, dress, and done.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or jar
- Whisk
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 bunches celery chopped
- 2 large shallots diced
- 1 bunch fresh parsley diced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro diced
- 1 handful toasted sunflower seeds
- 1 handful chopped pistachios
- 1 handful toasted sliced almonds
- ½ cup dried blueberries or cranberries
Dressing
- 2 large lemons juiced
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Add the chopped celery, diced shallots, parsley, and cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Toss in the toasted sunflower seeds, pistachios, sliced almonds, and dried blueberries or cranberries.
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice, avocado oil (or olive oil), salt, pepper, garlic powder, and honey. Whisk together until smooth and emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together well until every piece of celery is coated. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
Tips: Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Chop all ingredients to a similar size so every bite has a little of everything. Toasting the nuts yourself in a dry pan for 2 minutes makes a noticeable difference in flavor. To mellow any bitterness in the celery, soak the chopped pieces in ice water for 10 minutes before assembling.
Variations: Add crumbled feta or goat cheese for a creamier finish. Thinly sliced apple or pear adds extra sweetness and crunch. For a nut-free version, double the sunflower seeds and skip the pistachios and almonds. Swap honey for maple syrup or agave to make the salad fully vegan.
Storage: Store undressed salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days with dressing kept separately. Once dressed, the salad keeps for up to 2 days. Not recommended for freezing.