Amish creamed celery is a delicious side dish of cooked celery in a sweetened, thickened cream sauce. This 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, where the Old Order Amish traditionally serve creamed celery as part of their wedding dinner.
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Ingredients
- Celery: The main ingredient. It becomes tender as it cooks while keeping some of its distinct celery flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Water: Used to cook the celery until tender.
- White sugar: Adds sweetness to the celery and cream sauce.
- White vinegar: Adds a little tanginess to balance the sweetness.
- Butter: Adds a rich, buttery flavor.
- Evaporated milk: Creates the creamy sauce. Make sure to use evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.
- Brown sugar: Adds a little extra sweetness and flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the sauce as it cooks.
You can adjust the sweetness and creaminess to suit your taste. Some people prefer their creamed celery sweeter than others.
How to Make Creamed Celery
- Prepare the celery: Wash the celery and cut it into bite-size pieces.
- Cook the celery: Place it in a large pot with the water, salt, white vinegar, sugar, and butter. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until tender.
- Make the cream mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Stir in the evaporated milk until smooth.
- Thicken the sauce: Pour the milk mixture into the cooked celery, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until it just begins to boil and the sauce thickens.
- Serve: Remove from the heat, let it cool slightly, and serve warm.
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. Check out my post about Amish wedding food.
The New Order Amish do not have a traditional wedding meal; so I think this is mainly a Lancaster County Old Order Amish tradition.
Growing Celery for Amish Weddings
In preparation for her daughter's wedding in the fall, an Amish mom 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.
Enjoy your Amish wedding creamed celery! If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below! Let me know how it turned out and what you thought of this unique Amish dish! Thank you!
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Amish Creamed Celery Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 stalk/bunch cut celery about 1 quart
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ c. water
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. white vinegar
- 2 Tbs. butter
- ½ - 1 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/bunch cut celery, ½ tsp. salt, ¾ c. water, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 ½ tsp. white vinegar, 2 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 - 1 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.
Sharyn P Passeretti
I think you meant a bunch of celery rather than a stalk. The stalk is the single piece of the bunch. 😊
This looks really good and I plan on making it.
Anna
I guess people have different names for it. We called one piece a celery rib, and the whole bunch a stalk.
Sheila Jones
It's part of weddings in Ohio also
Anna
Good to know.
Joyce
Husband is surprised how tasty. Used honey in lieu of white sugar and 2 ybls brown sugar. Added half a chopped yellow onion with celery in the 50 min slow simmer. Used most of the 14 oz evaporated milk and cornstarch instead of flour. GF
Delicious and will make again. I could hear the trotting of the horse buggy as I savored.
Anna
Glad you guys enjoyed it!
Seruneit
Das ist ein Rezept, welches unsere Grossmütter auch mit anderen Gemüsen gekocht haben. Zum Beispiel Rosenkohl, Blumenkohl und Kohlrabi nur mit kürzeren Kochzeiten gegenüber Sellerie. Ich persönlich nehme gerne Pflanzensahne gegenüber Kondensmilch. Im übrigen gab es bei meinen Grossmüttern als Nachtisch im Sommer frische Erdbeeren mit Zucker und Kondensmilch, einfach köstlich. In Spanien trinkt man u.a. Cafe Barracito mit Kondensmilch und Likör, super lecker!
Anna
I'm not very good at reading German.
Anna
Yummy!
Patti
Hi there- is one “stalk” correct or one bunch of celery correct? Can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much.
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).
Paula Hahn Smith
Obviously it was not a real Amish wedding. it is a movie. Thanks for sharing the recipe
Anna
The Amish in Lancaster County do serve creamed celery at their weddings.
Judith Runz
Do you drain the cooking liquid off the celery prior to adding the evaporated milk mixture? Can't wait to try this!
Anna
It doesn't usually have a lot of liquid, so I don't drain it.
Debra Buckwalter
This was a delicious recipe, tastes exactly like I get in Lancaster County restaurants! Made it for Thanksgiving this year.
Anna
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
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.
Anna
Never tried it without the sugar. But I'd say go for it, don't think it can hurt to try.
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
Pam
Is it served and eaten hot or cold?
Thank you
Anna
It's typically served hot as a side dish.
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.
Anna
I love the stuff but my husband and kids won't touch it. lol. Hope you like it!
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
Anna
I'm glad that you're here!🙂
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! ☺️
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.