Viral Celery Salad with Parmesan and Dates

Celery is the star of this uber crunchy and delicious viral celery salad with parmesan and dates which all comes together with a simple lemon dressing.

This post is sponsored by Dandy® Fresh Produce. 

What if you made celery the star of the salad instead of a supporting actor? You get a refreshing and uber crunchy salad that is not only satisfying to eat but also delicious. This viral celery salad with parmesan and dates lets celery’s natural crunch truly shine. Plus, it takes just 10 minutes or less to throw together.

For the best tasting salad, you’ll want to use the tastiest celery. My go-to celery for this salad (and any recipe) is Dandy® fresh-cut celery. I love it because it’s naturally sweeter, crispier, and less stringy than other brands on the grocery store shelves!

And, in honor of National Celery Month that is taking place throughout the entire month of March, Dandy will choose 100 fans to win free celery FOR A YEAR along with some other awesome prizes with the Celery-brating 100 Years Giveaway! ENTER HERE through March 31st!

Why You’ll Love this Salad

• Quick and Easy: this salad comes together in 10 minutes or less and can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days so you can prep it once and then add it to meals throughout the week.
• Perfect for Crunch-Lovers: if you love a salad with lots of crunchy bits, you’re going to love this one. It’s all crunch!
• Good for You: celery provides fiber which supports your gut health; but it also contains antioxidants–naturally occurring compounds on food that can help lower inflammation and reduce your chronic disease risk.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a basic rundown of some of the key ingredients you’ll need for this celery salad recipe. See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredient list and amounts you’ll need.

• Celery: you’ll want to use a celery with good flavor for this salad my go-to is Dandy® fresh-cut celery. Think of it as the “crunch hero” in this recipe!
• Walnuts: toasting the walnuts for just a couple of minutes in the skillet brings out their flavor more. They also add a nice crunch to this salad as well as provide good-for-you nutrients like omega-3 fats.
• Dates: these add sweetness which complements the acidity of the lemon.
• Lemon: fresh squeezed lemon juice is always best for things like salad, so pick up a lemon or two when shopping. You’ll want both the lemon juice and a bit of the zest for this salad.
• Parsley: did you know that herbs like parsley are packed with nutrients? All the more reason to toss them into salads like this one.
• Parmesan: to make this salad vegan and dairy free, use a vegan parmesan. I like to add sliced parmesan but you could also do shredded parmesan too.

Variations and Substitutions

Use a Different Nut: instead of walnuts, add pecans, sliced almonds, or even pumpkin seeds to this salad.

Swap out the Cheese: if you don’t have any parmesan on hand, you can swap it out for crumbled feta cheese instead.

Try another Fruit: I love the Medjool dates in this salad but it’s also delicious with other dried fruits as well. Make it your own by adding dried cranberries, raisins, or apricot.

How to Make the Viral Celery Salad

Make the Dressing: add the shallot, olive oil, lemon, dijon, maple syrup, and salt to a bowl and set aside while you make the rest of the salad. Letting the shallot marinate in the dressing first helps tone down the flavor so it’s not overpowering in the finished salad.

Toast the Walnuts: add the walnuts to a skillet over medium heat. Toast for 2-4 minutes, just until fragrant.

Make the Salad: thinly slice up your celery and add to a bowl with the walnuts, dates, parmesan, and parsley. Drizzle with the dressing, toss everything together, and serve!

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead: since this salad isn’t made with a base of salad greens, it’s great for meal prep since it doesn’t get soggy in the fridge. This salad is great the day it’s made but still tastes good after a day or two in the fridge. 

Storage: store this salad in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.