How To Peel And Cut Celery Root

You can peel and cut celery root by first slicing off the top and bottom, then standing it upright and cutting away the thick, knobby skin with a sharp knife.
 
This method works far better than a vegetable peeler because the skin of celery root is rugged, uneven, and full of little crevices that a peeler simply can’t handle.
 
Once you learn how to peel and cut celery root properly, you’ll find it becomes just as easy as prepping a potato.
 
Celery root, also called celeriac, is that ugly-but-delicious vegetable that looks like a cross between a turnip and a science experiment.
 
But underneath all those knobs and roots hides a creamy, nutty, mildly celery-flavored flesh that’s amazing in soups, mashes, and roasts.
 
If you’ve ever avoided buying one because you had no clue how to peel and cut celery root, this post is going to change that.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through how to peel and cut celery root step by step, plus a few tips to keep it from browning and make the whole process safer and faster.
 
Let’s get into it.
 

How to Peel and Cut Celery Root Safely

Learning how to peel and cut celery root safely starts with a few basic tools and a little patience.
 
Here’s how to do it right:
 

1. Gather the Right Tools First

To peel and cut celery root, you’ll want a sharp chef’s knife, a sturdy cutting board, a vegetable peeler, and a bowl of cold water with lemon juice.
 
A sharp knife is non-negotiable here because a dull blade will slip on the bumpy surface, which is how accidents happen.
 
The lemon water matters too, since peeled celery root browns fast once exposed to air.
 

2. Slice Off the Top and Bottom

Start by placing the celery root on your cutting board and slicing off the top where the stalks were attached.
 
Then flip it over and cut off the bottom root end too.
 
These two cuts give you flat surfaces, and those flat surfaces are what make the rest of the peeling process so much safer.
 

3. Stand It Up and Cut Downward

Stand the celery root upright on one of those flat ends.
 
Now, using your knife, cut downward along the sides, following the natural curve of the vegetable, removing the skin in thick strips.
 
Rotate the celery root as you go until all the brown, fibrous skin is gone.
 
You want to cut deep enough to remove the rough outer layer, but not so deep that you waste the creamy white flesh underneath.
 

4. Trim the Crevices with a Peeler

Celery root has deep grooves and knobs where dirt loves to hide.
 
After your main passes with the knife, use a vegetable peeler to get into those tight spots.
 
This is the step most people skip, and it’s why their celery root ends up gritty.
 
Take your time here, because a clean celery root tastes so much better than a sandy one.
 

5. Drop It in Lemon Water Immediately

As soon as you finish peeling celery root, drop it straight into that bowl of cold lemon water.
 
This stops the oxidation that turns the flesh grayish-brown within minutes.
 
If you’re peeling and cutting celery root for a big batch of soup, this little habit keeps everything looking fresh and appetizing.
 

How to Cut Celery Root into Any Shape

Once you know how to peel celery root, cutting it into whatever shape your recipe calls for is the easy part.
 
Here’s how to handle the most common cuts:
 

1. Cubes for Soups and Roasts

To cut celery root into cubes, slice it into thick slabs first, then cut those slabs into sticks, and finally cut the sticks crosswise into cubes.
 
Aim for even pieces so everything cooks at the same rate, usually around one inch for roasting and half an inch for soups.
 

2. Matchsticks for Salads and Slaws

For a celery root remoulade or a crunchy slaw, you’ll want thin matchsticks.
 
Cut the peeled celery root into thin slices, stack a few slices, and cut them into skinny strips.
 
A mandoline makes this fast, but a sharp knife works just fine if you take your time.
 

3. Chunks for Mashing

If you’re making mashed celery root, rough chunks are all you need.
 
Just chop the peeled celery root into two-inch pieces, boil them until fork-tender, and mash them like potatoes.
 
No need to be precise here since everything gets blended anyway.
 

Tips to Make Peeling and Cutting Celery Root Easier

A few small tricks can make the whole job of peeling and cutting celery root way less frustrating.
 

1. Buy the Biggest One You Can Find

Large celery roots are actually easier to peel and cut because they have more flat surface area and fewer deep crevices.
 
Small ones are mostly knobs and skin, which means more waste and more work.
 

2. Skip the Fancy Gadgets

A regular vegetable peeler alone won’t get the job done on celery root.
 
The skin is too thick and irregular, so a knife does the heavy lifting while the peeler just cleans up the grooves.
 

3. Keep Your Knife Honed

A sharp knife glides through celery root instead of slipping off it.
 
Hone your blade before you start, and you’ll peel and cut celery root in half the time with way less risk.
 

4. Work in Batches if You’re Prepping Ahead

If you’re peeling and cutting celery root for meal prep, keep the cut pieces submerged in lemon water in the fridge.
 
They’ll stay fresh and white for up to three days, ready to toss into whatever you’re cooking.
 

So, How Do You Peel and Cut Celery Root?

You peel and cut celery root by slicing off the top and bottom, standing it upright, and cutting downward along the sides with a sharp knife to remove the thick skin.
 
From there, you trim the crevices with a peeler, drop the peeled root into lemon water to prevent browning, and cut it into cubes, matchsticks, or chunks depending on your recipe.
 
It might look intimidating at first, but once you’ve done it a couple of times, peeling and cutting celery root becomes second nature.
 
So grab that knobby vegetable next time you’re at the market, because now you know exactly how to peel and cut celery root like a pro.