If you have a bunch of celery, one of the great ways to use it is to make celery juice! Drinking celery juice is hydrating, alkalizing, and nutritious. It's also really easy to make at home, either in a juicer or a blender.

Why Celery Juice?

Celery juice has been used as a natural remedy since the early 1960s. In 2019 it became one of the hottest health trends when Anthony William, a self-professed originator of the celery juice craze, released his book, Celery Juice. In his book, he encourages people to take back their health by drinking 16 ounces of fresh celery juice every morning on an empty stomach.

Celery juice does indeed provide a lot of health benefits. It contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and a lot of water (celery juice is literally a tall drink of water, 94% or so).

However, celery is not necessarily better than any other vegetable. In fact, as a holistic nutritionist I always recommend consuming a variety of vegetables and their juices because they all have their own combination of nutrients. By overemphasizing one vegetable in your diet, you’re essentially missing out on the health benefits of others. The rule of thumb is to consume vegetables in all colors because each color is associated with different nutrients. If you fill up on greens but ignore the reds, yellows, and purples, you’re missing out.

Don't get me wrong! Drinking celery juice - any vegetable juice for that matter - is great! However, there's no scientific evidence to support any of the health claims Anthony William, who has no formal background in medicine or nutrition, makes. He bases many of his claims not on science but on information he’s received from a spiritual entity.

While I love celery juice, I don't believe that it's a "miraculous healing remedy and an unparalleled healing weapon surpassing any superfood (...) with an incredible ability to create sweeping improvements on every level of our health."

Do I think it's healthy? Yes! Do I think that it's miraculous and can heal any ailment? No.

So, with that out of the way, let's learn how to make celery juice at home.

Tips for Making Celery Juice

Ingredients

You only need one ingredient to make celery juice:

Celery: if you're buying a whole celery bunch, look for firm, tightly packed stalks with a vibrant green color. The leaves should not be wilted. If you're buying pre-cut celery stalks, look for bright green stalks that feel crisp. Pay particular attention to the ends of the stalks. The cut ends might look a little dry, and that’s fine. If the ends look yellow or feel soft, choose a different bag. Of course, organic celery is best, but if you can't find it, don't worry. Just make sure you wash it well because celery is on the list of veggies heavily treated with pesticides.

How to Make Celery Juice in a Juicer

The easiest (and fastest) way to make fresh juice is in a juicer. Here's how:

Separate the celery stalks. If using a whole celery bunch, cut off the base the separate the stalks. Keep the leaves. Then wash the celery thoroughly.
Juice. Feed the celery stalks through the feeding tube of the juicer, using a tamper as needed.

How to Make Celery Juice in a Blender

Using a high-speed blender as a juicer has been gaining in popularity over the past few years. It makes sense since a juicer is a single-function machine whereas a high-speed blender is a multi-functional machine. Here's how to make celery juice in a blender:

Separate the celery stalks. If using a whole celery bunch, cut off the base the separate the stalks. Keep the leaves. Then wash the celery thoroughly.
Chop the celery. Cut the celery stalks into thirds. The smaller the celery pieces, the easier they will be to blend.
Blend. Add the celery stalks into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Use a tamper to push the celery down into the blade. I don't ever have to add any water when making celery juice in my Vitamix. However, if you don't have a high-speed blender that comes with a tamper, you might need to add a little bit of water to help the blending process. If your blender is struggling, use the pulse function first to allow the blade to engage the celery. Celery is quite fibrous, so the blend will never be completely smooth, but there should be no large pieces left. The juice will look like a thick smoothie at this point.
Strain. Pour the content of the blender into a nut milk bag placed over a pitcher or a bowl. Using your hands, squeeze the nut milk bag to get as much juices out as possible. You can also use a fine mesh strainer and press on the solids with the back of a spoon.

How to Store Celery Juice

The green juice is best enjoyed as soon as you strain it. However, you can store the leftovers if you made too much.

Refrigerating: transfer the celery juice into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The juice will separate as it sits, which is completely normal. Just give it a good stir before serving.

Celery Juice Variations

While celery juice is typically a 1-ingredient juice only. you can always experiment with adding other ingredients. Here are just a few suggestions:

Cucumber: celery juice is very hydrating on its own. Add a piece of cucumber and you'll increase the hydration even more without impacting the flavor of the juice.
Leafy greens: any leafy green vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, will boost the nutrient content of the juice. The mildest leafy green is lettuce. Next is spinach with what some might describe as a ‘mineral’ flavor. Beet greens and Swiss chard are a little more assertive than spinach with a slight ‘salty’ undertone. Kale and collards have a strong, slightly bitter flavor, and are yet another step up in their assertiveness.
Apple: if you find the celery juice too, well, green, the sweetness of an apple will balance out the vegetable flavors. A pear is another great option.
Lemon: fresh lemon or lime add a nice brightness and tangy undertones to the celery juice.
Ginger: for a little bit of kick and spicy aroma, you can add a little piece of ginger.

More Healthy Juice Recipes

When it comes to juicing there’s a lot of different opinions on the health benefits and how much juicing to do. For me, fresh juices are a great way to include more vegetables in my diet and increase the amount of nutrients I get.

If you're like me enjoy making juices at home, try these recipes next (no juicer required):

Ginger shots: these immunity-boosting shots are the perfect start of a day. They are like a magical elixir and will keep you in tip-top shape all year long. The flavor is a little bit intense, especially if you are new to ginger shots, but so tasty!
Jamu juice: jamu is a traditional anti-inflammatory drink from Indonesia. It is very potent drink with a strong flavor so it might take some getting used to. The taste is earthy from turmeric, spicy from ginger, tart from lime, and sweet from honey.

If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.

Print Recipe

Celery Juice

Name: Celery Juice
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch celery ((~10 stalks))

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Servings: (8-oz) servings

Ingredients

1 bunch celery (~10 stalks)

Instructions

Celery Juice (in a juicer)

Separate the celery stalks. If using a whole celery bunch, cut off the base the separate the stalks. Keep the leaves. Then wash the celery thoroughly.
Juice. Feed the celery stalks through the feeding tube of the juicer, using a tamper as needed.
Store. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days though best when fresh. The juice will separate as it sits, which is completely normal. Just give it a good stir before serving.

Celery Juice (in a blender)

Separate the celery stalks. If using a whole celery bunch, cut off the base the separate the stalks. Keep the leaves. Then wash the celery thoroughly.
Chop the celery. Cut the celery stalks into thirds. The smaller the celery pieces, the easier they will be to blend.
Blend. Add the celery stalks into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Use a tamper to push the celery down into the blade. I don't ever have to add any water when making celery juice in my Vitamix. However, if you don't have a high-speed blender that comes with a tamper, you might need to add a little bit of water, up to ¼ cup/60 ml, to help the blending process. If your blender is struggling, use the pulse function first to allow the blade to engage the celery. Celery is quite fibrous, so the blend will never be completely smooth, but there should be no large pieces left. The juice will look like a thick smoothie at this point.
Strain. Pour the content of the blender into a nut milk bag placed over a pitcher or a bowl. Using your hands, squeeze the nut milk bag to get as much juices out as possible. You can also use a fine mesh strainer and press on the solids with the back of a spoon.
Store. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days though best when fresh. The juice will separate as it sits, which is completely normal. Just give it a good stir before serving.