This silky celeriac purée comes together in under an hour with just six simple ingredients. A creamy, buttery side dish that's perfect for absolute beginners and works beautifully alongside roast meats, fish or seared steak.
Celeriac (celery root) is one of those root vegetables that often gets overlooked at the greengrocer, but once you taste it puréed with brown butter and fresh sage, you'll wonder why.
This celeriac purée is mild, earthy and far lighter than mashed potato — a properly grown-up side dish that still feels comforting on the plate. The flavour leans nutty with subtle sweet undertones, and the texture turns velvety smooth after a quick blend. It's an easy celeriac mash recipe that hits a sweet spot between elegant and unfussy, with very little washing up at the end.
Jump to:
- What Is Celeriac (Celery Root)?
- Ingredients for Celeriac Purée with Sage Butter
- How to Cook Celeriac — Method in 4 Easy Steps
- How to Serve and Store Celeriac Purée
- Top Tips and Notes for the Best Celeriac Purée
- FAQ — Celeriac Purée Recipe
- Related
- Pairing
- Silky Celeriac Purée Recipe with Garlic & Sage Butter
What Is Celeriac (Celery Root)?
Celeriac, also called celery root, is a knobbly winter root vegetable from the same family as celery, kids often call it "zomby brains" due to its funny shape. The flavour sits somewhere between mild celery and parsley, with a soft, nutty finish once it's cooked. Underneath that rough brown skin, you'll find pale, dense flesh that turns smooth and creamy when boiled. It's a brilliant low carb mash alternative and one of my favourite root vegetables to keep through autumn and winter.
Ingredients for Celeriac Purée with Sage Butter
- Celeriac - the main ingredient. Pick one that feels heavy for its size with firm, clean skin.
- Unsalted butter - split into two portions. Half is for sautéing the celeriac, half is for the sage brown butter.
- Garlic cloves - smashed rather than minced, so they infuse the butter while the celeriac cooks.
- Fresh sage - earthy and fragrant, it's a perfect match for the nutty flavour of celeriac. Dried sage won't give the same lift.
- Double cream - adds a luscious finish and helps the purée go silky.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - basic seasoning, but worth using flaky sea salt if you have it.
How to Cook Celeriac — Method in 4 Easy Steps
Very easy recipe, so no need to worry! Just follow these simple steps and you will get a fancy side dish.
- Step 1: Wash and peel the celeriac, then cut it into even cubes — same size matters here, otherwise some pieces cook faster than others. Melt half of the unsalted butter in a heavy pot over medium heat, then add the smashed garlic and celeriac cubes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes until the edges turn golden and the cubes start to soften.
- Step 2: Pour in just enough water to barely cover the celeriac cubes — no more, or the purée turns watery. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and let it cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing catches on the bottom. To check it's done, push a fork into a cube — it should slide through easily and the celeriac should break apart.
- Step 3: Melt the remaining butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally as it foams and starts to smell nutty, about 1 minute. Add the minced fresh sage to the foamy butter, cook for 10 seconds, then turn off the heat completely. Don't walk away - butter goes from brown to burnt in seconds.
- Step 4: Drain the celeriac completely, getting rid of every drop of cooking liquid. Pour the sage brown butter straight into the pot. Use a hand blender or transfer everything to a stand blender and blend for 1 minute. Add half of the double cream and blend for another 30 seconds. Stir in the rest of the cream and blend until the celeriac purée reaches your preferred consistency. Check for the salt and adjust if needed.
How to Serve and Store Celeriac Purée
Serve the celeriac purée warm, with a fresh crack of black pepper on top and a few extra sage leaves if you like. It works beautifully under seared scallops, roast lamb, pan-fried chicken thighs or a juicy ribeye steak. For a meat-free plate, pair it with roasted mushrooms, braised lentils or a soft poached egg.
To store, transfer leftover celeriac purée into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring in a splash of cream or milk to bring back the silky texture. You can also freeze the purée for up to 2 months — defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly and whisk to loosen it back up.
How Much Does Celeriac Cost? Price Review by Country
Celeriac is one of the most budget-friendly root vegetables you can buy, which makes this celeriac purée a brilliant low-cost side dish.
- In the UK, a whole celeriac costs around £1.20 to £2.50 at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Asda and most local greengrocers.
- In Ireland, you can pick one up for €1.50 to €3 at SuperValu, Dunnes Stores or Tesco Ireland.
- In the USA, celery root is a bit pricier, ranging from $3 to $5 each at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Walmart.
- In Germany, celeriac is widely available and very affordable at €1 to €2 at Rewe, Aldi, Lidl and Edeka.
- In Australia, celeriac is harder to find and costs roughly $4 to $7 AUD at Coles and Woolworths.
One large celeriac feeds 3 to 4 people, so this creamy celeriac mash works out at well under £1 per portion in most places.
More Creamy Mash and Purée Recipes You'll Love
If you enjoyed this celeriac purée, here are a few more silky side dishes worth trying.
- The Best Creamy Parsnip Mash Recipe — buttery and lightly sweet, perfect with roast beef or pork.
- How to Make Carrot and Turnip Mash – Easy Recipe — a colourful, comforting side that comes together fast.
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe – Creamy, Buttery & Easy — rich, fluffy mash with sweet roasted garlic folded through.
- Carrot and Parsnip Purée — silky, naturally sweet and a beautiful match for festive roasts.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe — soft, buttery and lightly spiced, great for autumn dinners.
Top Tips and Notes for the Best Celeriac Purée
- Choose the right celeriac. Look for a celeriac that feels heavy for its size, with firm skin and no soft patches. Smaller and medium-sized roots tend to have sweeter, milder flesh, while very large ones can taste a bit fibrous and woody at the core. Avoid any that sound hollow when you tap them — that usually means the inside has dried out. Fresh, firm celeriac will give you a much smoother and more flavourful purée at the end.
- Peel it deeply with a sharp knife. A vegetable peeler struggles with celeriac because the skin is uneven and rough. The easier approach is to slice off the top and bottom first, sit the celeriac flat on a board, and run a sharp knife down the sides to remove the skin in strips. Make sure you cut deep enough to remove every brown patch, since any leftover skin will leave dark specks in the finished purée. This method gives you cleaner cubes and a much better final texture.
- Cut the cubes evenly. Even-sized pieces cook at the same rate, which means none are mushy while others are still firm. Aim for cubes around 2 to 3 cm across, slightly larger than a chunky dice. If the cubes are too small, they release too much starch and turn gluey, and if they're too large, they take far longer to cook through. Consistent cubes give you a balanced texture all the way through the celeriac purée.
- Don't drown the celeriac in water. Use just enough water to barely cover the cubes - about a finger's width above the celeriac is plenty. Boiling celeriac in too much water washes out flavour and leaves you with a thin, watery purée. Letting it simmer in a small amount of liquid lets the flesh soften without losing its earthy, nutty character. The drained celeriac should be soft but still hold its shape, not falling apart into mush.
- Brown the butter properly. Brown butter is the difference between a flat purée and a deeply flavoured one. Melt the butter slowly over medium-high heat and keep stirring so the milk solids brown evenly. You'll know it's ready when the foam appears, the colour shifts to light amber, and you can smell that distinct nutty aroma. The whole process takes about a minute, so stay close to the pan — burnt butter ruins the dish and there's no fixing it.
- Use fresh sage, not dried. Fresh sage gives the butter a clean, herby fragrance that dried sage simply cannot match. Dried sage has a dustier, more medicinal flavour that tends to overwhelm the delicate taste of celeriac. If you can only find dried, use a third of the amount and add it to the warm butter for just a few seconds. For the best results, pick up a small fresh bunch and mince it just before you cook.
- Drain every drop of liquid. Once the celeriac is fork-tender, tip the pot into a colander and let it drain for a full minute. Any water left in the pot will dilute the purée and stop the brown butter from coating the celeriac properly. Some cooks even pat the cubes dry with a clean tea towel for an extra-rich finish. It's a small step, but it makes a real difference to the final consistency of your celeriac purée.
- Season at the end. Celeriac absorbs salt as it cooks, so taste the celeriac purée once it's blended and adjust from there. A second pinch of sea salt and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper often pull all the flavours together. You can also add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the dish if it tastes too rich. Always taste before serving — under-seasoned celeriac purée is the most common mistake people make.
FAQ — Celeriac Purée Recipe
What is celeriac and what does it taste like?
Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a winter root vegetable from the same family as celery. The flavour is mild and nutty, with subtle hints of celery, parsley and a faint sweetness when cooked. The texture turns soft and almost potato-like once boiled, which makes it ideal for blending into a creamy purée or mash.
Is celeriac purée healthier than mashed potato?
Celeriac is much lower in carbohydrates and calories than potato, which makes it a popular low carb mash alternative. It's also packed with fibre, vitamin K, vitamin C and minerals like phosphorus and potassium. While the butter and cream in this recipe add richness, the celeriac base itself is far lighter than a traditional mash, so you can easily adjust the dairy to suit your needs.
How do I peel celeriac without losing too much flesh?
The easiest method is to slice off the top and bottom of the celeriac so it sits flat, then run a sharp knife down the sides to remove the rough brown skin in strips. A vegetable peeler tends to slip on the knobbly surface and wastes more flesh than a knife. Take your time and remove all the dark patches — any leftover skin will show up as little brown specks in the finished celeriac purée.
Can I make this celeriac purée recipe without cream?
Yes, you can swap the double cream for full-fat milk, crème fraîche or even a splash of warm stock if you want a lighter version. The texture will be slightly less rich, but the brown sage butter still gives plenty of depth. For a dairy-free version, use a plant-based cream and good olive oil in place of the butter — the flavour shifts a little but it still works.
Why is my celeriac mash watery?
Watery purée usually comes down to one of two issues: too much cooking water, or not draining the celeriac properly. Always use just enough water to barely cover the cubes, and let the celeriac drain in a colander for a full minute before blending. If your purée still feels loose, return it to the pot and cook over low heat for a few minutes to evaporate the excess moisture.
Can I use a food processor instead of a hand blender?
Yes, both a food processor and a stand blender work well for this celeriac purée. A hand blender is the most convenient option since you can blend straight in the pot with much less washing up. Whichever you use, blend in stages and scrape down the sides to make sure everything blitzes evenly into a smooth purée.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Easy Roasted Asparagus Recipe with Crispy Charred Tips
- Perfectly Roasted Carrots Recipe with Fresh Thyme
- One-Pan Braised Beetroot Recipe with a Sticky Vinegar Glaze
- Easy Roasted Aubergine Recipe with Olive Oil and Fresh Herbs
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Celeriac Purée:
- Easy Pantry Staples Chicken Wings (Crispy Oven-Baked Recipe)
- Crispy Peppercorn Coriander Chicken Wings Recipe
- Roasted Vegetables and Halloumi Recipe
- Easy Baked Pollock Recipe with Garlic Butter and Lemon
Silky Celeriac Purée Recipe with Garlic & Sage Butter
Celeriac purée with garlic and sage brown butter is a silky, buttery side dish that comes together in under an hour. Made with just six ingredients, it's a creamy low carb mash alternative that pairs with almost any roast or grilled main.
Ingredients
- 1 large celeriac (about 1 kg / 2.2 lb), peeled and cubed
- 100 g unsalted butter (3.5 oz), divided into 2 portions
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 50 ml double cream (scant ¼ cup heavy cream)
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and peel the celeriac, then cut it into even cubes of about 2 to 3 cm.
- Melt half of the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and celeriac cubes, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté for around 10 minutes until softened and lightly browned at the edges.
- Pour in just enough water to barely cover the celeriac. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The celeriac is done when a fork slides through easily and the cubes break apart.
- While the celeriac cooks, melt the remaining butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally for about 1 minute until it turns foamy and smells nutty. Add the minced sage, cook for 10 seconds, then immediately turn off the heat.
- Drain the cooked celeriac completely, getting rid of all the cooking liquid. Stir the sage brown butter into the pot.
- Blend with a hand blender (or transfer to a stand blender) for 1 minute. Add half of the double cream and blend for another 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining cream and blend until the purée reaches your preferred consistency. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve warm.
Leave a Reply