You can make homemade celery salt by combining finely ground celery seeds with salt, and it’s one of the easiest seasoning blends you’ll ever whip up in your own kitchen.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make homemade celery salt, the answer is surprisingly simple, and you probably already have the main ingredient sitting in your spice rack.
The classic version uses celery seeds, but you can also make homemade celery salt with fresh celery leaves if you want a brighter, more herbaceous flavor.
In this post, we’ll walk through how do you make homemade celery salt, the different methods you can use, and a few tips to get the best results every time.
Let’s get right into it.
How Do You Make Homemade Celery Salt?
You make homemade celery salt by grinding celery seeds into a fine powder and mixing them with salt in the right proportions.
The whole process takes about five minutes, and the result is a versatile seasoning that’s way better than anything store-bought.
Here’s why this method works so well and how to do it step by step.
1. Start With Quality Celery Seeds
Celery seeds are the backbone of homemade celery salt, so start with fresh ones.
If your celery seeds have been sitting in the cupboard for years, they’ll taste dull and dusty, and your homemade celery salt will suffer for it.
Give them a quick sniff.
Fresh celery seeds smell strongly of celery, almost like a concentrated version of the vegetable itself.
You can buy celery seeds at most grocery stores, but if you want the best homemade celery salt, look for them at a spice shop or order them online from a reputable supplier.
2. Toast the Seeds for Extra Flavor
Toasting is optional, but it makes a big difference when you make homemade celery salt.
Just toss the celery seeds into a dry skillet over medium heat for about a minute or two.
You’ll know they’re ready when they start to smell fragrant and nutty.
Be careful not to burn them, because burnt seeds will ruin the batch.
Once toasted, let them cool completely before grinding.
This one step takes your homemade celery salt from good to absolutely incredible.
3. Grind the Celery Seeds Into Powder
Now it’s time to grind.
You can use a spice grinder, a coffee grinder you keep for spices, or a mortar and pestle if you’re feeling old-school.
Grind the celery seeds until they turn into a fine powder.
The finer the grind, the better your homemade celery salt will blend into dishes.
If you don’t have a grinder, you can also crush the seeds with the back of a heavy spoon, but it’ll take a bit more elbow grease.
4. Mix With Salt in the Right Ratio
The classic ratio for homemade celery salt is two parts salt to one part ground celery seed.
So for every two tablespoons of salt, you’ll use one tablespoon of ground celery seed.
You can use regular table salt, but flaky sea salt or kosher salt gives a nicer texture and less of that harsh, metallic taste.
If you want to make homemade celery salt with less sodium, you can go with a one-to-one ratio instead.
Stir everything together until the mixture is completely uniform.
5. Store It the Right Way
Once your homemade celery salt is mixed, store it in an airtight jar away from heat and light.
A small mason jar or a spice jar with a tight-fitting lid works perfectly.
Properly stored, homemade celery salt will keep its flavor for about six months.
After that, it won’t go bad, but it will start to lose its punch, which is your cue to make a fresh batch.
How to Make Homemade Celery Salt With Fresh Celery
If you don’t have celery seeds on hand, you can still make homemade celery salt using fresh celery leaves.
This version has a fresher, greener flavor, and it’s a great way to use up those leaves you normally toss out.
Here’s how to do it.
1. Dehydrate the Leaves
Wash and dry your celery leaves thoroughly.
Spread them out on a baking sheet and dry them in the oven at the lowest setting for a couple of hours, or use a food dehydrator.
They’re ready when they crumble easily in your hand.
2. Grind and Combine
Once the leaves are completely dry, grind them into a powder.
Then mix them with salt using the same two-to-one ratio.
This version of homemade celery salt won’t last quite as long, so plan to use it within three months.
Ways to Use Your Homemade Celery Salt
Homemade celery salt isn’t just for hot dogs and Chicago-style popcorn.
Once you master how do you make homemade celery salt, you’ll find yourself reaching for it constantly.
Sprinkle it on eggs, potatoes, or roasted vegetables.
Stir it into soups, stews, and Bloody Marys.
Use it as a dry rub for chicken, fish, or steak.
It also makes a fantastic finishing salt for salads and grilled corn.
The possibilities are pretty much endless.
So, How Do You Make Homemade Celery Salt?
You make homemade celery salt by grinding celery seeds into a fine powder and mixing them with salt, usually in a two-to-one ratio.
You can also make homemade celery salt with dehydrated celery leaves for a fresher flavor.
Either way, the process takes just minutes, and the result is a bold, aromatic seasoning that beats anything you’ll find on a grocery store shelf.
Give it a try, tweak the ratio to your taste, and enjoy the satisfaction of making your own homemade celery salt from scratch.