Published: · Modified: by Anna 22 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Creamed Celery
Creamed celery is a delicious side dish of cooked celery in a sweetened and thickened creamy sauce. This Amish creamed celery recipe is traditionally served at many Amish weddings.
There are many differences in traditions within Amish communities, and I don't know if the Amish in other states serve creamed celery at their weddings. But I grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. And in that area, the Old Order Amish all serve creamed celery as part of their wedding dinner.
Ingredients
- Celery has a refreshing, slightly bitter taste and crisp texture. It is the main ingredient, providing flavor, texture, and bulk to the dish.
- Salt enhances the flavor of the celery and other ingredients. It also helps to balance the sweetness of the dish.
- Water is used to cook the celery.
- Sugar adds sweetness to the dish. Combined with the brown sugar, it balances the savory flavors and adds a subtle sweetness to the cream sauce.
- White vinegar provides acidity, which balances the sweetness and adds a tangy flavor.
- Butter adds richness and flavor to the cream sauce. It helps create a smooth texture and adds a buttery taste.
- Evaporated milk provides creaminess and richness to the dish without the water content of regular milk. It forms the base of the cream sauce, coating the celery and creating a creamy texture.
- Brown sugar adds additional sweetness and depth of flavor to the dish.
- All-purpose flour is used as a thickening agent for the cream sauce. It helps to bind the ingredients together and create a smooth, creamy texture.
These ingredients work together to create a creamy, slightly sweet, and savory dish with a tender texture from the celery. Adjustments in the amounts of sugar and milk can be made according to personal taste preferences.
How to Make Creamed Celery
To make creamed celery, start by washing and chopping the celery into bite-sized pieces.
Place it into a large cooking pot along with water, salt, vinegar, sugar, and butter. Bring it to a boil, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until soft. This will probably take at least 50- 60 minutes unless you use a pressure cooker.
Mix flour and brown sugar, and add the evaporated milk.
Once your celery is soft, stir in the milk mixture. Continue stirring and cooking until it comes to a light boil. Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Enjoy your Amish wedding creamed celery.
Amish Wedding Celery Recipe
I honestly do not know how the tradition of serving creamed celery at weddings got started. But the Amish have some unique traditions. (Click on this link for my post about Amish wedding traditions.) And they tend to stick to their traditions whether they make sense or not.
I'm guessing that serving creamed celery has something to do with the fact that their weddings are in the fall. Celery is harvested in the fall so it would be in season over their wedding time.
If you attend a Lancaster County Amish wedding, you can expect to be served turkey or chicken roast (roasht = stuffing and meat combined), mashed potatoes, and creamed celery (along with numerous other dishes and desserts) for lunch.
The New Order Amish do not have a traditional wedding meal; so I think this is mainly a Lancaster County Old Order Amish tradition.
Celery
In preparation for her daughter's wedding in the fall, an Amish mother will plant several extra rows of celery stalks.
So the week of the wedding, there is plenty of celery that needs to be washed and cut. They need lots of celery to make this creamed celery recipe, but they also need some for the turkey roasht. And they put some on the tables for fresh eating as well.
A Unique Amish Recipe
I hope you enjoy this creamed celery recipe. I love it!
However, I know that sometimes when you grow up with certain foods you learn to enjoy them. And then others will try that recipe and think it's disgusting (this is the case with my kids). But if you like celery, you should at least try it.
I enjoy eating it plain or with a meal. And it is especially good served with their traditional wedding food of mashed potatoes and turkey roast (roasht).
The creamed celery recipe that I am sharing only makes a small batch. So if you love the stuff go ahead and double the batch. It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Memories of Home
I had not eaten creamed celery in years, until recently when I decided to cook some once again.
As I was cooking my celery, the smell brought back memories of my mom cooking in her kitchen. Celery has a delicious smell when it's cooking. And I loved sniffing it :). It takes me back to holidays at home with my Amish family.
One of my Amish cousins (who is a great cook) was willing to share her creamed celery recipe with me so I can share it with you. Let me know in the comments below if you try this recipe and like it.
More Amish Recipes
Traditional Amish Mashed Potatoes
Amish Wedding Chicken Roast
PA Dutch Potato Filling
Easy Baked Corn
Chicken Salad Recipe
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Creamed Celery Recipe
Creamed Celery is a traditional Amish wedding side dish that is served at many Amish weddings. It is cooked celery sweetened with a creamy sauce.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Amish
Servings 6 people
Calories 83 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 stalk cut celery about 1 quart
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ c. water
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. white vinegar
- 1 Tbs. butter
- ½ - ¾ c. evaporated milk (depending on how creamy you like it)
- 2 - 3 Tbs. brown sugar (depending how sweet you like it)
- 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Instructions
Cut celery into bite-sized pieces. Combine the first six ingredients in a medium-sized cooking pot. Bring to boil.
1 stalk cut celery, ½ tsp. salt, ¾ c. water, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 ½ tsp. white vinegar, 1 Tbs. butter
Cover and cook celery over medium-low heat until soft. It takes about 50 minutes to an hour unless you use a pressure cooker.
Mix brown sugar and flour, add evaporated milk and mix well. Pour this into the cooked celery mixture.
½ - ¾ c. evaporated milk (depending on how creamy you like it), 2 - 3 Tbs. brown sugar (depending how sweet you like it), 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Continue cooking and stirring until it just barely comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Notes
If you don't have evaporated milk on hand, you can use whole milk or half and half instead.
Do not overcook after adding the evaporated milk! Just bring it to a very slight boil.
Don't make the mistake I did once and use sweetened condensed milk. Evaporated milk is what you are looking for here.
*Nutrition is approximate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 83kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 135IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Amish creamed celery recipe, Creamed celery
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
More Amish Recipes
- Zucchini Casserole With Ritz Crackers
- What to Serve With Corn Fritters For Dinner (37 Ideas)
- Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies
Reader Interactions
Comments
Anna
Yummy!Reply
Patti
Hi there- is one “stalk” correct or one bunch of celery correct? Can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much.
Reply
Anna
I believe a stalk usually refers to a whole bunch. One stem is typically called a rib. So yes, you want a whole bunch/stalk of celery (approximately one quart of cut celery).
Reply
Paula Hahn Smith
Obviously it was not a real Amish wedding. it is a movie. Thanks for sharing the recipe
Reply
Anna
The Amish in Lancaster County do serve creamed celery at their weddings.
Reply
Judith Runz
Do you drain the cooking liquid off the celery prior to adding the evaporated milk mixture? Can't wait to try this!
Reply
Anna
It doesn't usually have a lot of liquid, so I don't drain it.
Reply
Debra Buckwalter
This was a delicious recipe, tastes exactly like I get in Lancaster County restaurants! Made it for Thanksgiving this year.Reply
Anna
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Reply
Tammy Zavala
Can I omit the sugar? I absolutely love cooking with celery and look forward in trying your recipe but in my mind sugar does not go with celery.
Reply
Anna
Never tried it without the sugar. But I'd say go for it, don't think it can hurt to try.
Reply
KathyM
I am friends with an Old order Amish family, and long ago they invited me to attend a wedding of their daughter- we were the only English there..we felt honored. I remember having the wedding feast that you described above, and falling in love with the creamed celery. I asked why it was served at weddings and he told me it was because they typically have weddings in November, and the vegetables served were usually in season, thus celery being one of them. KM
Reply
Pam
Is it served and eaten hot or cold?
Thank youReply
Anna
It's typically served hot as a side dish.
Reply
Mikki Sams
Yumm ... can't wait to try this. Every Amish romance novel I read mentions creamed celery. Make my tastebuds water thinking about it.
Reply
Anna
I love the stuff but my husband and kids won't touch it. lol. Hope you like it!
Reply
Em Gee
Hi Anna! I am watching Amish movies, as I love them! There is a wedding coming up and they are going to make Cream Celery, so as usual my curiosity finds me here! The recipe you have here looks delicious and I hope to make it soon! Thanks for sharing and looking forward to browsing all the other recipes etc that you have here! Take care. Em
Reply
Anna
I'm glad that you're here!🙂
Reply
Jennifer A Sartell
Is the movie Plus One at an Amish Wedding? We're watching that movie now and they just mentioned creamed celery...thus why I'm here! ☺️
Reply
Anna
I'm sorry, but I am not familiar with that movie. However, I cannot imagine that any movie producer would actually find his way into an Amish wedding to film. So it's highly unlikely that it's at an Amish wedding. Creamed celery is served at Amish weddings in Lancaster County, and maybe the producer staged something to make it appear as an Amish wedding.
Corey
The "Plus One at an Amish Wedding" movie brought me here too! I don't usually care for celery, but it sounded so good when discussed in the film, so I decided to give it a try. I tried this recipe tonight and it was great. Thank you!Anna
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
