How to freeze celery, nutrition, and 5 recipes! [Explanation with photos! ]

Because of its unique flavor, people love and hate celery.

I'm sure some people have hesitated, thinking, ``I don't like other family members, so I'm worried about whether I'll be able to use it even if I buy it.''

However, if you learn how to freeze celery, you can store it for a long time and forget about such worries.

In addition to introducing how to freeze celery, we also introduce the nutrition and benefits of celery, as well as simple recipes using celery.

It's full of useful information about celery, so please take a look.

Nutrition and efficacy of celery

First, let's take a look at the nutritional value contained in celery and its surprising effects.

Nutritional value and calories of celery

First of all, celery has 15 calories per 100g.

Spinach has about 20kcal and radish (root) has about 18kcal, so it's not too high or too low for a vegetable.

In addition, the nutritional value of celery includes beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, C, E, and dietary fiber, but the nutritional value is actually different between the stem and leaf parts of celery. there is.

The most significant difference is in beta-carotene, which is found in the leaves to be nearly twice as concentrated as in the stems.

Even if you have never eaten the leaves, please refer to the second half of the article, which includes recipes using the leaves.

Benefits of celery

Celery has been attracting attention as a healthy food ingredient, and this time we will highlight three of its many beneficial effects.

First of all, it has a beautiful skin effect.

The vitamin C and vitamin E contained in celery are expected to maintain youthful skin by suppressing melanin production and improving metabolism.

Next, stress relief.

In the West, celery was once used as a tranquilizer due to its unique flavor.
Ingredients such as senelin and eyepin have a calming effect, and in modern times they are said to help relieve stress and improve sleep.

Finally, prevent constipation.

Celery contains dietary fiber, which helps improve the intestinal environment.

Additionally, ingredients such as pyrazine and vitamin E are said to have the effect of improving blood flow.
If the blood flow improves, the digestive organs such as the intestines will move more actively, so from this perspective as well, it can be expected to be effective in preventing (improving) constipation.

In addition to this, celery is also expected to have the effect of improving swelling and improving sensitivity to cold.

All of them have essential beauty benefits, so if you can accept their unique flavor, you'll definitely want to incorporate them into your daily life.

Advantages of freezing celery

Can be stored for up to 3 weeks

If you store celery in the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for about 2 to 3 days.

Of course, it is possible to store it for longer than that, but it will definitely deteriorate with each passing day.

However, if you freeze it, you can preserve it for up to three weeks and slow down the rate of deterioration.

Freezing requires a few tricks, but it's not difficult and anyone can do it if they put their mind to it.

Pre-processing reduces cooking time

One of the troublesome parts of cooking celery is removing the strings.

Separate the roots, separate the leaves from the stems, remove the strings with a peeler or knife...this can be quite a hassle when you have to make rice in a hurry.

However, if you freeze celery, you can complete this process before freezing, reducing the time it takes to actually cook it.

It only takes about 3 minutes at most, but there's a big difference between going through the process of "separating from the roots" and just taking it out of the freezer bag and popping it.

Also, celery must be stored vertically in the refrigerator, which takes up space in the vegetable drawer, but if you store it in the freezer, the volume will be significantly reduced, so it won't take up much space.

There are also benefits to freezing in these areas.

How to freeze celery

When freezing celery, separate the stems and leaves and freeze.

How to freeze and preserve stems

1) Separate the stem and leaves (it is easier to cut in the middle of the stem, where the leaves start to grow).

2) Remove the streaks from the stem.

3) Cut into thin diagonal slices, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze in a freezer bag.

★The trick when freezing celery is to avoid cutting it into too large pieces. By cutting the food into pieces that are appropriately small and thin, you can minimize the loss of texture.

How to freeze leaves

1) Boil water in a pot, add a pinch of salt, and quickly boil the leaves.

2) Let it cool, squeeze it with your hands to drain the water, and then chop it finely.

3) Wrap it in plastic wrap, put it in a freezer bag, and freeze it.

How to thaw celery and how long to store it

How to thaw celery

Frozen celery can be left to thaw naturally at room temperature, or you can use it for cooking while frozen.

This is true whether you freeze the stems or the leaves.

We recommend using naturally defrosted meat for salads and stir-fries, and frozen food for soups and stews.

Celery storage period

The shelf life of frozen celery is
If you freeze the stem part raw: 2 weeks
If you boil the leaves and freeze them: 3 weeks
is the standard.

A nutritionist explains! About the nutrition of celery

Celery is a flavoring vegetable that is often used to neutralize the flavor of meat or add flavor.

Celery's unique scent contains apiin, which relaxes your mind. In addition, the pyrazine contained in the leaves has the effect of thinning the blood.

Furthermore, it contains vitamin U, which regulates gastrointestinal function, vitamin C, which has a beautifying effect on the skin, and beta-carotene, which has attractive antioxidant properties, so it prevents the body from becoming rusty.

Points to consider when choosing
1.The cut end of the stem is juicy.
2. Fresh skin with no wrinkles
3. Thick stems

Recommended cooking methods
If eaten raw, slice them and add them to salads, or chop them and use them in tartar sauce. If you don't like it, you can reduce the scent by soaking it in cold water beforehand.

Celery is a vegetable that does not lose much of its nutrients even when heated, making it suitable for heating.
In addition to its nutritional content, when heated, celery's aromatic components add richness to dishes and add depth to the flavor.

煮込み料理は定番で、ポトフやスープには欠かせません。その際、葉も一緒に投入すると香りよく仕上がります。葉も残さず食べましょう☝
また、炒め物や浅漬けにしても美味です。

Nutritionist Ruri

Obtained nutritionist qualifications from Toita Women's Junior College and graduated from the same university. After graduating from Kyorin University, she also obtained a qualification as a food hygiene manager. Currently at DayBreak Co., Ltd., she oversees various food freezing research and writing informative content about food. Her hobbies are traveling and hula dancing.

5 easy recipes using celery

Celery and chicken fillet with mayonnaise

Source: https://recipe.kewpie.co.jp/recipes/recipe/recipe.php?recipe_no=QP10000732

☑材料（２人分）
・セロリの茎　1/2本分（薄切りにしたものを常温解凍）
・セロリの葉　1/2本分（茹でて冷凍したものを常温解凍）
・鶏ささみ　2本
・酒　少々
・マヨネーズ　大3

<How to make>
1) Arrange the chicken breasts in a bowl, pour sake over them, and heat in the microwave (500W) for 2 minutes. Once it has cooled down, tear it into large pieces.

2) Thaw both the stems and leaves of celery at room temperature.

3) Place the chicken fillet and celery (both stems and leaves) in a bowl, add mayonnaise and toss to complete.

Stir-fried beef and celery with oyster sauce

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/3607306/

☑材料（４人分）
・牛肉肩ロース　250g
・セロリ　2本（冷凍した茎と葉の両方を自然解凍）
・しょうが　1欠片
・油　大さじ2
＝牛肉下味＝
・しょうゆ　大さじ1
・酒　大さじ1.5
・片栗粉　大さじ1.5
＝味付け＝
・オイスターソース　大さじ1
・しょうゆ　大さじ1
・みりん　小さじ1

<How to make>
1) Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces, mix with the seasoning sauce and let stand for about 10 minutes.

2) Add finely chopped ginger to a frying pan with oil, and when it becomes fragrant, add the beef.

3) Stir-fry over medium heat until a light red color remains, then add the thawed celery (stem part thinly sliced diagonally).

4) Once everything is cooked, add the seasoning sauce, and finally add the celery (leaf part) and mix gently to complete.

celery and onion tomato soup

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4339444/

☑材料（2人分）
・セロリ　1本（茎の部分”のみ”を冷凍したまま使用）
・玉ねぎ　1/4個
・オリーブオイル　大さじ1
・トマト水煮缶　200g
・おろしにんにく　小さじ1
・コンソメ　小さじ1
・水　300㏄
・塩こしょう　少々

<How to make>
1) Use thinly sliced celery stalks and finely chopped onions.

2) Heat olive oil in a pot and fry the celery and onions.

3) Once heated, add canned tomatoes, consommé, and garlic.

4) Once everything is mixed, add water and simmer for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and it's done.

Celery leaves and miso kinpira

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4334117

☑材料
・セロリ　2本（葉の部分”のみ”を自然解凍して使用）
・ごま油　大さじ1/2
・出し入り味噌　大さじ1
・みりん　大さ1/2
・しょうゆ　小さじ1/2
・すりごま　大さじ1/2

<How to make>
1) Combine miso, mirin, and soy sauce.

2) Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and fry the naturally defrosted celery (chopped leaves).

3) When the celery becomes soft, add (1) and stir-fry.

4) Once all the water has evaporated, add ground sesame seeds and mix well.

Fried rice with celery and ham

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4329020/

☑材料（2人分）
・ご飯　茶碗2~3杯（好みで）
・玉ねぎ　1/2個
・にんじん　1/2本
・セロリ　2本（茎と葉の両方を使用、解凍方法は室温解凍、そのまま使用のどちらでも可）
・ハム　5枚
・卵　3個
・ごま油　大さじ1
・薄口しょうゆ　大さじ1
・味の素　小さじ1
・塩こしょう　少々
・青ネギ　適量

<How to make>
1) Finely chop the frozen celery, both stems and stems (you can thaw it at room temperature or use it frozen). Finely chop the onions and carrots.

2) Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables from (1).

3) Drop the eggs into a frying pan, mix gently with the vegetables, add rice, ajinomoto, and soy sauce, and stir-fry further.

4) Finally, season with salt and pepper, add green onions, and it's done.

Conclusion

So, how do you store celery in the freezer?

Celery leaves are highly nutritious, but many people don't know how to prepare them or don't even know they can be eaten.

If you use this freezing method, you will be able to use it as a small accent in stir-fries, and you will become more familiar with celery.

The process of freezing celery, which has high beauty effects, is very simple, so please give it a try.

>> Click here for how to freeze meat

>> Click here for how to freeze fish

>> Click here for other ways to freeze vegetables