Celery Salad (Crunchy Mediterranean Style)

This 10-minute celery salad tossed in a lemony Greek yogurt dressing is the crunchy, crisp vegetable salad of your dreams! This celery salad recipe is so easy to make and goes with everything!

Celery is an unsung culinary hero, and I intend to use this Celery Salad with a creamy Greek yogurt dressing to bring it into the spotlight. Why should celery always play second fiddle? Why leave it only as a background ingredient in your favorite soup recipes when celery is delightful all on its own? 

Celery is cooling, hydrating, and gloriously crunchy. It’s an affordable vegetable, lasts for days in the fridge, is Mediterranean Diet-friendly, and is a calming shade of green. Again, I say, what’s not to like? 

For this celery salad recipe, I wanted to play off its cool nature and pair it with a creamy Greek yogurt dressing brightened up with lemon juice. A little olive oil makes the dressing velvety, and adds a bit of peppery, fruity fragrance, while Aleppo pepper balances that coolness with subtle heat. To finish the salad, I top it off with the earthy, sweet taste of toasted almonds. The best part? This salad is as easy! It might even be easier than my Kale Salad recipe.

I make celery salad for quick weekday lunches or as an easy vegetable side for dinner. It’s a great base recipe to build off of, too. Keep it vegetarian or add leftover chicken or tuna.

Celery Salad Ingredients 

There’s something about the way crunchy celery pairs with creamy Greek yogurt and the mild warmth of Aleppo pepper that I just love. Sometimes, I will add a handful of golden raisins or chopped dates to add a touch of sweetness, but that’s totally optional.

For the Dressing

• Garlic Cloves: If you want a sweeter dressing and less of a kick, swap minced garlic for roasted garlic.  These pungent, earthy cloves provide a strong foundation for our dressing.
• Plain Greek Yogurt: Creamy and tangy, this yogurt adds a luscious texture to the dressing, marrying the ingredients together into one uniform symphony of taste.
• Lemon Juice: A squeeze of lemon brings this dish to life, cutting through the creaminess with citrus notes.
• Olive Oil: Any variety will work in this recipe. I love the peppery flavor of our Spanish Hojiblanca.
• Aleppo Pepper: This Syrian pepper provides a subtle heat with its complex sweet and tangy character. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, you can swap it for red pepper flakes, though I would reduce the amount by half, as red pepper flakes are hotter than Aleppo.
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Kosher salt, known for its pure taste, amplifies the other flavors within this dish, while pepper adds warmth.

For the Salad

• Toasted Sliced or Slivered Almonds: These add a nutty crunch that contrasts the creamy dressing—a reminder that texture is just as important as taste.
• Celery: The star of our show! Its refreshingly crisp bite and subtle bitterness make celery not just an afterthought but a true lead in this salad.
• Scallions, also known as green onions or spring onions, add the subtle sweet heat of onions without overpowering the dish.
• Fresh Mint Leaves: Mint adds freshness and is a beautiful companion to the celery’s inherent freshness.

Pro Tips for the Best Crunchy Celery Salad

• The salad will stay crunchy for a long time, but the dressing will get watery. To make this ahead of time and take it somewhere, either wait to add the dressing until just before serving or spread the dressing on a plate and top it with the vegetable herb mixture, then season lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• How long does celery salad last in the fridge? While the celery itself will stay crunchy for 2 to 3 days, the lemon yogurt dressing is best enjoyed within 24 hours. For the best texture, I recommend eating this salad the same day it’s made. If not, just keep the dressing separate.
• Can you eat celery leaves? Yes! Celery leaves have a mild, refreshing flavor and provide an ice color contrast to the parsley in this recipe. Feel free to add them to the dish.

Ingredient Spotlight 

Aleppo pepper is one of my absolute favorite spices. It has a mild, gentle heat that goes well in salad dressings, but it also makes your morning eggs amazing. 

Aleppo pepper makes summer tomatoes come alive. Sprinkle tomato wedges with olive oil, a pinch of salt, Aleppo pepper, and feta cheese. It’s so simple, but so good. That tomato combination was one of the first recipes I had when I started at The Mediterranean Dish. I’ve never looked back.

• READ MORE: What is Aleppo Pepper?
• TRY IT: Find Aleppo Pepper in our Shop.

How to Make this Celery Salad Recipe  

• Make the dressing: Peel the garlic cloves then finely mince them. Take the flat side of your knife and drag it across the minced garlic multiple times until it becomes a paste. Add it to a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the bowl with the garlic paste. Whisk together until well combined. 
• Toast the nuts: Set a small dry skillet over medium heat and add the slivered almonds. Toss occasionally over the next 2 to 4 minutes, until the almonds are golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• Make the Salad: To the bowl with the dressing add the thinly sliced celery stalks, thinly sliced scallions, and chopped mint. Reserve two tablespoons of slivered almonds for garnish, add the remaining almonds to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula and stir to combine making sure you coat all the vegetables evenly. Garnish with additional mint, remaining two tablespoons of slivered almonds, and 1/3 cup roughly chopped celery leaves. Serve immediately. 

What to Serve with Celery Salad

I am a big Sunday salad prep person. I frequently make salads loaded with grains, vegetables, and fruit to keep in the fridge all week long. It makes for easy desk lunches and quick sides for hectic weeknight dinners. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve up this celery salad: 

Because this celery salad recipe is so cooling, it’s a great pairing for spicy foods like Grilled Harissa Chicken or Spicy Cauliflower Shawarma or summer favorites like Salmon Burgers. 

Celery Salad is also a great way to use up leftovers. I often add what remains of a Roasted Chicken or a lingering can of tuna from my pantry to make a quick and healthy lunch.

More Simple Salads to Try

• Radish Cucumber Salad
• Lettuce Parmesan Salad
• Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Lemony Fennel Salad