celeriac mash

This creamy vegan celeriac mash comes together quickly and easily in less than 30 minutes. It’s delicious, silky smooth and has a unique flavour. Celeriac is a mild-tasting root vegetable that could be best described as having an earthy taste with a hint of celery and a nutty, slightly sweet flavour. It’s superb as an accompaniment to dishes with character, like mushroom bourguignon, which is cooked in a rich red wine sauce, and it’s a great side dish to serve with any hearty vegan stew!

What is celeriac?

Celeriac, also known as celery root, knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery, is a root vegetable closely related to celery. It’s round and knobby with a rough, beige skin. While it may look unappealing on the outside, the creamy-white flesh inside is versatile and flavorful, with a mild, nutty, and slightly earthy taste reminiscent of celery. It’s low in calories but rich in fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.

Celeriac, or Apium graveolens var. rapaceum to give it its botanical name, is widely cultivated around the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe. Here in Switzerland, celeriac is a staple in salads. It’s grated into fine strands and added as a standard ingredient to mixed salads, both at home and in restaurants. You can buy it ready-grated in packets at supermarkets all over Switzerland. It’s crunchy and tastes nutty, just like the knobbly bottom of the celery plant that all the stems are attached to.

Read more about celeriac and its culinary uses and health benefits here.

About this recipe

I had never thought of cooking celeriac until I became vegan and started trying new stuff, but I must say it’s a great alternative to mashed potatoes. It’s naturally creamy, and there’s no need to add any flavourings other than a knob of vegan butter or extra virgin oil and a little salt. One thing that does enhance the flavour, though, is roasted garlic. I love it – the flavours go so well together!

Celeriac mash is a low-carbohydrate and nutrient-dense side dish

When cooked, celeriac becomes tender and creamy and makes a great alternative to mashed potatoes. Since I discovered how good it is cooked, I love making this creamy vegan celeriac mash!

It is also a great way to sneak in some vegetables for picky eaters or those who are looking to incorporate more vegetables into their diet.

How to make creamy vegan celeriac mash

Ingredients

• celeriac
• garlic (optional)
• salt
• vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil

In the recipe card below, you’ll find the list of ingredients, with exact quantities (adjustable), as well as step-by-step instructions with photos.

Useful tips

• Unlike potatoes, you can put celeriac in a blender or food processor and get it super smooth. For a more rustic effect, you can just mash it with a potato masher. In that case, I would serve it as a vegetable side dish in the same way as you would serve mashed swede or turnip.
• Put salt in the water under the steaming basket. That way, you probably won’t need to add salt to your celeriac mash.
• Celeriac is a root vegetable, not a tuber like a potato, so it has a naturally high water content. For this reason, the best cooking methods are steaming or roasting to ensure you get a perfect creamy vegan celeriac mash. Boiling it will make it soggy, plus steaming retains the nutrients better.
• Alternatively, you could roast the chunks in the oven for a deeper umami flavour. Bear in mind, though, that the end result won’t be as smooth, and it’ll have darker specks in it. You’ll also probably need to add a little soya milk, water, or other plant-based milk because the roasted celeriac chunks will be drier.

How to roast garlic

• Slice off the top part of a head of garlic.
• Put the head of garlic on a piece of aluminium foil.
• Pour a few drops of oil into the spaces between the cloves.
• Wrap the head of garlic in the aluminium foil and roast it in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes.
• Unwrap the aluminium foil and allow the garlic to cool down.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic out of each individual clove and set aside.

How to make creamy vegan celeriac mash

In the recipe card at the end of this post, you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos.

• Peel the celeriac and cut it into cubes.
• Put salted water in the base of a steamer.
• Put the cubes of celeriac in the steamer basket and cover the pan with a lid.
• Steam the celeriac for 15 – 20 minutes until soft enough to mash.
• Put the steamed celeriac, a knob of vegan butter and roasted garlic (if using) in a blender beaker, and blend until smooth.
• Taste the celeriac mash and add salt if necessary.

How to serve vegan celeriac mash

This creamy vegan celeriac mash is best served hot! You may need to heat it up again quickly before you serve it.

Put the celeriac mash into a serving bowl and top with an additional knob of vegan butter. It will start melting as you lay it on the table in front of your guests! Garnish it with a twist of freshly ground black pepper and let the guests help themselves. Alternatively, make wells of celeriac mash on individual plates and ladle the stew or casserole into them until brimming with gravy.

This creamy celeriac mash is the perfect accompaniment for mushroom bourguignon! It makes a great special occasion dish that will have your guests raving and clamouring for more!

How to store leftovers

It’s best to store any leftover celeriac mash in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep for 3 – 4 days. Reheat it slowly in a pan with a lid to prevent it from drying out. Remember that the vegan butter solidifies in the fridge and will only become liquid again once it’s heated, so wait before adding water or milk if the celeriac mash looks thick.

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