From veggie burgers to hearty soups, celery and carrots are staple ingredients in cooking. That being said, learning how to mince celery and carrots is one of the most important skills you can learn.
That’s why we created this guide for mincing celery and carrots and included our many tips for making the process even easier.
Table of Contents
How to Mince Celery
The best way to mince celery involves flattening the “hump” in each stalk. This will make it easier to slice the celery into strips, which can then be minced into smaller pieces.
Also, as always, it’s important to use a knife with sharp blade. This will not only make mincing celery easier, but safer too!
Here are the steps for mincing celery:
1. If you haven’t already, chop off the bottom and tops of the celery stalks. Using a chef’s knife, slice each stalk into 2- or 3-inch pieces.
2. To flatten a piece of celery, place it on your cutting board, “bump” side facing up. Lay the flat side of your knife on top of the bump.
3. With your other hand, place the base of your palm on top of the knife. Firmly press down to flatten the celery.
(If this feels uncomfortable for your wrist or hand, you’re welcome to skip this step and move on to step 4.)
4. Slice the piece of celery lengthwise to create strips, about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Cut the slices into thinner strips, if needed.
6. Gather the strips and cut across to create 1/4-inch wide cubes.
7. Gather the cubed celery. Place your knife across the celery and lay your non-dominant hand on the blunt top. Rock your knife back and forth, moving across your cutting board, to mince the celery into smaller pieces.
8. Your minced celery is now ready to use in recipes.
How to Mince Carrots
The steps for mincing carrots involve a similar process. Again, make sure to use a sharp knife.
Here’s the best way to mince carrots:
1. If you haven’t already, peel the carrots and chop off the tops.
Cut each carrot into 2- or 3-inch pieces.
2. Slice each piece in half, lengthwise.
3. Place the flat sides on the cutting board. Slice each piece lengthwise to create planks.
4. Slice into thin strips, about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Gather the strips and cut across to create small cubes, about 1/4-inch wide.
6. Gather the cubed carrots. Place your knife across them and lay your non-dominant hand on the blunt top. Rock your knife back and forth, moving across your cutting board, to mince the carrots into smaller pieces.
7. You can now use the minced carrots in recipes.
FAQ
Can you mince celery in a food processor?
Yes, it is possible to mince celery and other veggies in a food processor. But know that this method will create a mix of small and large pieces of celery. Hand-mincing is a better option if you want more uniform pieces.
What does minced mean?
Minced refers to the process of cutting vegetables into very small pieces. These pieces will be much smaller than cubed or diced veggies but larger than pureed pieces.
What is the difference between chop and mince?
Chopping means to cut your vegetable into large pieces, typically bigger than diced pieces. Mincing, on the other hand, refers to cutting your veggies into very small pieces. These pieces are smaller than diced vegetables.
How to Use Minced Celery and Carrots
Minced celery and carrots are staple ingredients in cooking. You can use them in recipes like:
- Vegan Spring Minestrone Soup — Celery and carrots are basic ingredients in this hearty soup.
- Vegan Potato Salad — Add raw minced celery and carrots for extra crunch and flavor.
- Vegan Egg Salad — Elevate your next vegan egg salad with minced celery and carrots.
- Chickpea Salad Sandwiches — Just like with egg salad, minced celery can be added to chickpea sandwiches to give them a satisfying crunch.
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Mincing Magic
The key to mincing hard veggies like celery and carrots is to carefully take the time to carefully slice the vegetables into long strips first. Doing this helps ensure uniform pieces and makes mincing a breeze.
What is your favorite way to use minced carrots or celery? Let us know in the comments section below.
How to Mince Celery and Carrots
Ingredients
- Celery stalks Leaves and bottoms removed
- Carrots Peeled and tops removed
Instructions
How to Mince Celery
- Chop the bottoms and tops of the celery stalks, and slice each stalk into 2- or 3-inch pieces.
- To flatten the celery, place it on your cutting board, “bump” side facing up, and use the flat side of a large chef's knife to press down firmly.
- Slice the celery lengthwise to create strips, about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the slices into thinner strips, if needed.
- Gather the strips and cut across into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Gather the cubed celery. Place your knife across the celery and lay your non-dominant hand on the blunt top. Rock your knife back and forth, moving across your cutting board, to mince the celery into smaller pieces.
How to Mince Carrots
- Peel the carrots and chop off the tops. Cut each carrot into 2- or 3-inch pieces.
- Slice each piece lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/4-inch thick.
- Gather the strips and cut across into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Gather the cubed carrots. Place your knife across them and lay your non-dominant hand on the blunt top. Rock your knife back and forth, moving across your cutting board, to mince the carrots into smaller pieces.
Notes
- Always use a sharp knife. This will make mincing vegetable safer and easier.
- If flattening the celery feels uncomfortable for your wrist or hand, feel free to skip this step.
- Avoid overcutting vegetables, especially when mincing celery. Otherwise, they might become mushy and fall apart.
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About the Author
Kirsten Nunez
Contributing Writer
Kirsten is a journalist who focuses on healthy food and cooking. Her vegan and plant-based recipes have appeared on VegNews, eHow, Shape, and more. When she’s not creating and photographing vegan recipes for Clean Green Simple, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen and sharing plant-based meals with friends and family. More articles by Kirsten.
[email protected]
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