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Vegan Tuscan Celery Balls

December 10, 2024Faraway Courtney

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 15 celery balls

Tuscan Celery Balls aka Polpette di Sedano: A Star is Born

Celery is often overlooked, relegated to a supporting role in soups and salads. But today, we’re giving it the spotlight it deserves. These Tuscan Celery Balls (Polpette di Sedano) are a true showstopper—crisp, flavorful, and versatile. Pair them with a classic marinara sauce as an elegant appetizer, or toss them with angel hair pasta for a complete Tuscan-inspired meal. This recipe is a creative way to make use of all that extra celery you have just sitting around.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Ingredients, Bold Flavors: This recipe transforms humble celery into golden, crispy bites bursting with Italian-inspired flavors.
Vegan and Wholesome: Made with nutritional yeast and a flax egg, these celery balls are a satisfying plant-based option for any occasion.
Flexible Serving Options: Perfect as finger food for entertaining or as a hearty dinner when paired with pasta.

Tips for Success

Don’t Skip the Resting Time: Allowing the mixture to rest before forming the balls ensures they hold together during frying.
Customize the Flavor: Add a pinch of Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes to the mixture for a flavor boost.
Make Ahead: These celery balls can be formed ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to fry.

Celery has never shined brighter. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or looking for a fun twist on Italian classics, these Tuscan Celery Balls are bound to impress. Try them out, and let me know how you enjoyed this star-worthy recipe! Because lets be honest, it’s about time that celery got its moment in the spotlight.

Ready to make these Tuscan-inspired bites? Let me know how they turn out in the comments below!

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  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 1 hour
  • Serves: 15 celery balls

These vegan celery balls are a tiny bite of Italian magic. Earthy celery and fragrant garlic are blended with breadcrumbs, the fried until golden. It's humble, flavorful and irresistibly satisfying, proving that even the simplest ingredients can shine. And don't ever throw your celery away!!

Ingredients

Vegan Tuscan Celery Balls

  • 1 lb celery, halved
  • 1/2 yellow onion, quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 and 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 flax egg, (1 flax egg = 1 tablespoon flax meal mixed with 3 tablespoons water)

Method

Vegan Tuscan Celery Balls

  • 1)
    Boil the Veggies: In a large pot, boil the celery, onion, and garlic for 15 minutes. Strain and allow the vegetables to cool slightly.
  • 2)
    Prepare the Mixture: Once cooled, finely mince the boiled vegetables. Combine them in a bowl with the salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, panko breadcrumbs, and flax egg. Use your hands to mash everything together until well incorporated.
  • 3)
    Rest the Mixture: Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up.
  • 4)
    Form the Celery Balls: Roll the mixture into 15 evenly-sized balls. For an extra crisp texture, roll each ball in breadcrumbs. If time permits, let them rest in the refrigerator to firm up further.
  • 5)
    Fry to Perfection: Heat oil (about 0.5 to 1 inch deep) in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the celery balls until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side.
    Serve:  Side of marinara for dipping or over angel hair marinara pasta for a hearty entrée.
    Top: Fresh parsley

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