Zeytinyağlı Kereviz: Turkish Celery Root in Olive Oil (Recipe)
Zeytinyağlı Kereviz: Turkish Celery Root in Olive Oil (Recipe)
Zeytinyağlı kereviz (celery root in olive oil) is celeriac cut into thick wedges and cooked gently in olive oil with onion, carrot and potato, in a broth of fresh orange juice, lemon juice, a little sugar and salt. It cools in its own liquid and is served cold with dill. Prep takes 20 minutes, cooking about 40, and the dish is vegan as written.
Key Takeaways
- Root, not stalk: kereviz here is celeriac, the knobby root; stalk celery will not work.
- Orange juice is the classic touch: 1 cup of fresh orange juice plus the juice of one lemon makes the cooking liquid.
- Lemon water stops browning: drop peeled pieces into cold water with lemon juice as they are cut.
- Cook low and covered: 25 to 30 minutes on low, without stirring, until a knife slides through the thickest wedge.
- Serve it cold: cool in the pot, chill at least 2 hours, and finish with dill and a thread of olive oil.
A pale wedge of celery root sits in a shallow bowl, glossy with olive oil, under a tangle of chopped dill. The first bite is cool and sweet-sour — orange and lemon over something earthy, softer and rounder than any celery stalk.
That is zeytinyağlı kereviz.
Celery root is one of the least loved vegetables in the American produce aisle. In Turkish kitchens it is a winter staple, and this dish is the reason.
This recipe covers what kereviz means, peeling without browning, the orange juice, the right olive oil, and serving and storage. Our guide to zeytinyağlı dishes covers the whole family, and our recipe for zeytinyağlı taze fasulye (green beans in olive oil) is the summer cousin most people meet first.
What Is Zeytinyağlı Kereviz, and Is It Celery or Celeriac?
Kereviz is the Turkish word for celery, and it covers both the stalks and the root. In a zeytinyağlı dish — one cooked in olive oil and served cold — it always means the root: celeriac, sold in US markets as celery root. Stalk celery, sap kereviz, goes into salads and soups in Turkey. It has no place in this pot.
Cooked, the root turns dense and silky and drinks up whatever liquid it sits in, which is why the citrus broth works.
Where Does the Dish Come From?
Zeytinyağlılar (olive oil dishes) are the cold vegetable course of the Aegean and Marmara kitchens. Celery root is harvested from late fall through winter, so this is the cold-weather member of a mostly summer family. Zeytinyağlı pırasa, the braised leek version, is its closest seasonal companion.
How Do You Choose and Peel Celery Root Without It Browning?
Pick a root that feels heavy for its size, firm, with no soft spots. Smaller roots, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, are less likely to be spongy in the center.
Peeling
A vegetable peeler will not get through the skin. Slice off the top and bottom so the root sits flat, then cut down the sides with a chef's knife, following the curve. Expect to lose a quarter of the weight.
Lemon Water
Cut celery root browns within minutes, like a cut apple. Before cutting, fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in half a lemon. Drop each piece in as it is cut; the acid keeps the flesh white, and the wedges can wait there for an hour.
Cut the root into 1-inch rounds, then halve or quarter them into wedges. Hollowed halves filled with the diced vegetables are the showpiece version; wedges are everyday.
Why Does Zeytinyağlı Kereviz Use Orange Juice?
Most zeytinyağlı dishes lean on lemon and sugar for their sweet-sour balance. Zeytinyağlı kereviz reaches for orange juice, and that is what sets it apart. A cup of fresh juice sweetens the broth, helps keep the root pale, and lifts the earthy flavor of celeriac into something brighter.
Fresh juice matters; carton juice tastes flat once reduced. Two to three navel oranges give a cup. Lemon keeps the dish savory, and a tablespoon of sugar rounds the edges — standard in this family, not a dessert impulse.
Which Olive Oil Should You Use for a Zeytinyağlı Dish?
The oil is a main ingredient, not a cooking medium. Half a cup goes into a pot that serves six, and most of it ends up in the sauce. Use an extra virgin olive oil that tastes good on its own; a peppery Aegean oil is traditional, and its bitterness plays against the orange. Our comparison of Turkish, Greek and Italian olive oil explains what to expect from each.
Keep the heat low. The onion should soften without color, and the celery root should barely simmer; a rolling boil turns the oil into a cloudy sauce.
Start with the oil: a good bottle is most of the dish, and our Turkish olive oil collection is the place to look. The jarred appetizers in our Turkish antipasti collection belong on the same table.
How Do You Make Zeytinyağlı Kereviz at Home?
Serves 4 to 6 as meze (small shared plates). Prep about 20 minutes, cooking about 40, plus cooling and chilling. Use a wide, heavy pot with a lid.
What You Need
- 1 large celery root, about 2 pounds (900 g)
- 1 lemon, juiced, about 3 tablespoons (45 ml), divided
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) dice
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) dice
- 1 cup (240 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 to 3 oranges
- 1 cup (240 ml) water, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (15 g) chopped fresh dill, for serving
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
How to Make It
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in half the lemon juice. Peel the celery root with a chef's knife. Cut it into 1-inch (2.5 cm) rounds, then halve or quarter each round into wedges, dropping the pieces into the lemon water as you go.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of the salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until soft but not browned.
- Add the carrot and potato and stir for 2 minutes so every piece is coated in oil.
- Drain the celery root and arrange the wedges in a single layer over the vegetables. Pour in the orange juice, the remaining lemon juice and the water, then add the sugar and the rest of the salt. The liquid should come about halfway up the wedges; add more water if needed.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife slides into the thickest wedge with no resistance. Do not stir; shake the pot instead so the wedges keep their shape.
- Uncover and simmer for 5 minutes more so the liquid reduces to a loose, glossy sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar.
- Take the pot off the heat and let the celery root cool completely in its own liquid, about 1 hour. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Serve cold or at cool room temperature. Lift the wedges onto a platter, spoon the vegetables and sauce over them, scatter with the dill, and finish with a thread of olive oil.
Troubleshooting and Variations
The wedges fell apart. The heat was too high or the pot was stirred. Keep the simmer barely moving and shake the pot instead.
The sauce is thin. Lift the wedges out, reduce the liquid over medium heat for a few minutes, and pour it back; it thickens further as it chills.
Variations. A handful of peas, stirred in for the final 5 minutes, is common. For hollowed halves, scoop a shallow cup from each peeled half, fill it with the diced vegetables, and add 10 minutes to the covered time.
How Do You Serve Zeytinyağlı Kereviz, and How Long Does It Keep?
Cold, as part of a meze spread, is the standard. It comes out of the refrigerator, goes onto a platter, and gets its dill and oil at the last moment. Bread is the only tool you need.
On a cold table it sits well beside other zeytinyağlılar and a few sharper things. Fava, the Turkish broad bean puree, is a natural partner: both are pale, both take dill, and the smooth puree sets off the wedges. Our guide to cold Turkish mezze lays out a full spread, most of which holds through winter.
Storage
Zeytinyağlı kereviz improves on day two, once the root has taken on the sauce. Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and do not freeze it. Take it out 20 minutes before serving so the oil loosens, and add the dill fresh.
Build the cold table: the rest of the platter, from bread to pickles, is in our full Turkish grocery online range, and the staples other cooks reach for first are in our best sellers collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is zeytinyağlı kereviz made with celery stalks or celery root?
Celery root, always. Kereviz covers both parts of the plant in Turkish, but in this dish it means celeriac, sold as celery root in US stores. Stalk celery cooks to strings in olive oil and never takes on the dense, silky texture the dish depends on.
Why did my celery root turn brown while I was cutting it?
Cut celery root oxidizes fast, like an apple. Fill a bowl with cold water and the juice of half a lemon before you start cutting, and drop each piece in as soon as it is cut. Light browning is harmless and fades once the wedges cook in the citrus broth.
Can I make zeytinyağlı kereviz without orange juice?
You can, and many home cooks do. Replace the cup of orange juice with a cup of water, add another tablespoon of lemon juice, and raise the sugar to 1 1/2 tablespoons. The result is a good zeytinyağlı dish, but the orange is what makes this one taste like itself.
Is zeytinyağlı kereviz vegan?
Yes, as written. Every ingredient is a vegetable, citrus juice, olive oil, sugar or salt; there is no butter, stock or yogurt in the traditional method. That is true of most zeytinyağlı dishes, which is why they anchor the cold vegetable course at Turkish tables.
How long does zeytinyağlı kereviz keep in the refrigerator?
Up to 4 days in a covered container, and it tastes better on the second day, because the wedges keep drinking up the orange and olive oil sauce. Take it out about 20 minutes before serving so the oil loosens, then add fresh dill at the table.
Can I freeze zeytinyağlı kereviz?
It is not worth it. Celery root and potato both turn grainy and watery after thawing, and the sauce separates. To plan ahead, peel and cut the raw root, hold it in lemon water for a few hours, and cook it the day you serve.