Céleri Rémoulade (French Celeriac Salad) | Classic Creamy Celeriac Side Dish
Celeri remoulade is a classic French salad that features only 1 vegetable! This is a no cook salad too. It simply cannot get any easier than this, and you’ll be surprised how delicious it tastes.
Why This Céleri Rémoulade Works Every Time
This is a 1 vegetable salad. Yup. Just 1 vegetable. The ever so ugly, knobbly, earthy and often misunderstood root vegetable, celeriac.
You’ll also love this celeri remoulade because there is no cooking required. All you need to do is julienne the celeriac, mix 3 ingredients into a classic remoulade sauce, and then toss it all together.
The sharp mustard, lemon, and smooth mayonnaise create a silky rémoulade sauce that coats the vegetables without feeling heavy.
And please don’t shy away from this salad because you have no idea what celeriac is.
You’ll be amazed how many of my friends keep saying they have never seen or heard of celeriac, and when I tell them they can find it in standard supermarkets, they don’t believe me.
Just because it’s a vegetable you don’t normally eat, it doesn’t mean it’s uncommon! Trust me, go look for it, and you’ll be like, “oh…there it is!” I had the same reaction when I served up my Celeriac Mango and Guava Salad!
It’s a classic French recipe that has always been a favourite on the dinner table as it goes with so many different dishes. Even the kids will love it, and I know because I’ve seen them demolish it!
A traditional French celeriac salad made from raw julienned celeriac tossed in a creamy mustard rémoulade dressing. Crisp, tangy, and refreshing with just five main ingredients. A perfect no-cook side dish that pairs with everything from roast meats to seafood.
Recipe Overview
Flavour/Texture: Crunchy and creamy are the 2 distinctive textures that epitomise this celeri remoulade.
The Dijon mustard gives the classic remoulade sauce the familiar pungent and slightly spicy flavour, while the lemon gives that much needed acidity. Mixed together, it’s one of the simplest yet most delicious combinations of all time.
Ease: No cooking required. Julienne celeriac and mix the remoulade sauce. That’s it! Crazy easy.
Time: The only thing that takes time is for the salad to do its work in the refrigerator, which takes an hour. Everything else is quick!
Ingredients for This Céleri Rémoulade
Celeriac: 1 good sized celeriac that is hard to touch and dense to hold.
Mayonnaise: It’s really important to get good whole egg mayonnaise to make the remoulade sauce.
Dijon mustard: No sauce celeri remoulade would be considered authentic without Dijon mustard.
Lemon: Needed for both the classic remoulade sauce as well as to stop the celeriac from browning after it has been julienned.
Full cream milk: Optional. It depends on how thick you like your sauce celeri remoulade. Have it handy in case you need to thin it out.
This classic salad uses raw celeriac, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks for a crisp, fresh bite. The rémoulade dressing is made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a splash of milk to adjust consistency. Fresh parsley, salt, and pepper complete the salad and add brightness.
Variations and Substitutions
Celeriac substitute: If celeriac is not in season, kohlrabi is the perfect substitute. Still crunchy and works perfectly with the sauce celeri remoulade.
Thickness of the sauce remoulade: This is a personal choice. I think it’s perfect without the full cream milk, but you can certainly add a little at a time until you get the consistency you like.
For a lighter version, substitute half the mayonnaise with Greek yoghurt without losing the creamy texture.
Add aromatics: A small amount of finely sliced shallot or chives folds nicely into the rémoulade and adds a subtle onion note.
Use crème fraîche: Replacing part of the mayonnaise with crème fraîche makes the sauce silkier and more French bistro-style.
Try extra seasoning: A pinch of celery salt, white pepper, or a splash of apple cider vinegar can be used to fine-tune the flavour profile based on preference.
Vegan option: Use vegan mayonnaise and omit the milk. You can thin it out with a touch of water or extra lemon juice.
When I was living in France, in 60-70ties, this was my preferred delicacy, pretty inexpensive with my student stipend. Now, whenever visiting France, my steps lead me to local Epicier, and I will just scoop it with baguette, and eat it in the car. I am in paradise.
Instructions for This Céleri Rémoulade
Have a bowl of water ready. Add the juice of ½ a lemon. This is for the celeriac to stop it from browning.
Cut off both ends of the celeriac. Place it flat side down and either peel or cut off the skin.
Then slice the celeriac thinly by hand or by using a mandoline—julienne into thin matchsticks and place in the bowl of lemon water.
How to Make Sauce Celeri Remoulade
To make the sauce celeri remoulade, add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and juice of ½ lemon. Mix until well combined. If you feel it’s too thick, add 1 tbsp of full cream milk at a time until you’re happy with the consistency.
Contrary to popular belief, no food processor is required as we’re not adding garlic, shallots or cornichons.
How to Assemble the Salad
Dry out the celeriac on paper towels. Add the sauce remoulade, season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined.
Place in the refrigerator for an hour before eating.
When serving, garnish with some parsley leaves and top with some freshly ground pepper.
You’ll peel and julienne the celeriac, keeping it in lemon water to prevent browning. The dressing is mixed separately using mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice, with milk added to loosen as needed. Once the celeriac is dried, it’s tossed in the rémoulade and chilled before serving.
How To Make This Salad Perfectly [Expert Tips]
Use a mandoline for consistency: Even, thin matchsticks give the salad its classic texture and help the dressing coat the celeriac evenly.
Prevent browning: Celeriac oxidises quickly, so lemon water is essential — keep the julienned pieces submerged until ready to dress.
Adjust the thickness of the rémoulade: Add milk gradually until you reach a silky, spoon-coating consistency that won’t weigh the salad down.
Let it rest: Chilling the salad for at least an hour mellows the raw flavour of the celeriac and allows the dressing to penetrate the strands for a more cohesive finish.
Salt lightly at the beginning — celeriac releases water as it sits, so adjust seasoning again just before serving for the cleanest flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s pronounced ray-moo-lahd, with emphasis on the first syllable.
No — it’s always served raw. The crisp texture is essential to the dish.
It’s mildly nutty, earthy, and slightly peppery with a subtle celery-like aroma.
Yes, celeriac and celery root are one and the same vegetable except that it has two names. The reason it has two names is that the name celery root is somewhat misleading.
One would think that a celery root is the root of the celery plant.
This, however, is an incorrect assumption. It is an entire vegetable as celery is a stalk vegetable while a celery root is a root vegetable. Therefore, renaming it celeriac was a much simpler solution!
Celeriac is a rapidly oxidising vegetable. Once peeled, the white, creamy flesh starts to brown.
It’s important to have a bowl of water with lemon juice to help stop or at least minimise the discolouration.
Peeling celeriac can be slightly challenging, so it may be best to cut the skin off instead. Slice off the ends, lay it on the flat side, run the knife down the sides, and cut the skin off.
If you have good knife skills, you can then cut into thin slices or use a mandoline for even thickness. Then using a sharp knife, julienne into think matchsticks.
French remoulade sauce will last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. This means that you can always make up a big batch and keep it aside for when you want to whip up a quick celeri remoulade.
It’s also handy to know as if you have leftovers, you can continually transform it to the well-known Louisiana style remoulade sauce to use it as a dip or add it to sandwiches.
Yes — all ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
At The Sidesmith, we focus exclusively on creating salads and side dishes that celebrate fresh produce, texture, and flavour. Our recipes are rooted in technique, tested for reliability, and inspired by classic dishes from around the world.
This céleri rémoulade honours the traditional French preparation while remaining simple enough for everyday cooking.
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Celeri Remoulade
Ingredients
- 1 celeriac, large
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, juiced, divided
- 2 tbsp milk, full cream (optional)
- 1 stalk flat leaf parsley
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.
Instructions
Salad
- Have a bowl of water ready. Add the juice of ½ a lemon. This is for the celeriac to stop it from browning.
- Cut off both ends of the celeriac. Place it flat side down and either peel or cut off the skin.
- Then slice the celeriac thinly by hand or by using a mandoline—julienne into thin matchsticks and place in the bowl of lemon water.
Salad Dressing
- To make the remoulade sauce, add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, juice of ½ lemon. Mix until well combined. If you feel it’s too thick, add 1 tbsp of full cream milk at a time until you’re happy with the consistency.
Assembly
- Dry out the celeriac on paper towels. Add the sauce remoulade, season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined,
- Place in the refrigerator for an hour before eating.
- When serving, garnish with some parsley leaves and top with some freshly ground pepper.
Notes
- If celeriac is not in season, kohlrabi is the perfect substitute. Still crunchy and works perfectly with the sauce remoulade.
- The thickness of the sauce remoulade is a personal choice. I think it’s perfect without the full cream milk, but you can certainly add a little at a time until you get the consistency you like.
- For a vegan option, use vegan mayonnaise and omit the milk. You can thin it out with a touch of water or extra lemon juice.
- Use a mandoline for consistency: Even, thin matchsticks give the salad its classic texture and help the dressing coat the celeriac evenly.
- Prevent browning: Celeriac oxidises quickly, so lemon water is essential — keep the julienned pieces submerged until ready to dress.
- Let it rest: Chilling the salad for at least an hour mellows the raw flavour of the celeriac and allows the dressing to penetrate the strands for a more cohesive finish.
Nutrition
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.
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I create delicious sides, often Asian-inspired. Easy for everyday meals or great for entertaining.
Amy
Love turning everyday salads and sides into fancy recipes jammed packed with flavour!
When I was living in France, in 60-70ties, this was my preferred delicacy, pretty inexpensive with my student stipend. Now, whenever visiting France, my steps lead me to local Epicier, and I will just scoop it with baguette, and eat it in the car. I am in paradise.
LOL love this so much and I can see how it would just be so good in a baguette!
This recipe looks absolutely delicious and yummy. Plus the easy step-by-step preparation adds some point to this recipe. I’ll definitely add this to my recipe book and will make this for the whole family.
We hope you do and I’m sure they’ll love it!
ive never cooked with this vegetable before. it is such a interesting recipe and love the colours
Celeriac is such an under rated vegetable and this salad is so classic and easy. Goes with almost anything!
I love the sauce and the crunchiness of the celeriac! Such a great recipe!
what a delicious salad! I never thought of using celeriac with remoulade and my family loved it!
This reminds me of cooking school! Delicious!
This was such an easy and delicious salad!! We served it alongside some sandwiches for lunch and it made for the perfect meal!
That’s awesome Anjali! Celeri remoulade would be good as a sandwich filler too!