Description
This Caesar Stuffed Celery recipe offers a delightful twist on classic celery snacks by filling crisp celery sticks with a creamy, tangy Caesar-inspired mixture. Enhanced with bacon, horseradish, and Clamato juice, this appetizer is perfect for parties or light bites, combining savory, spicy, and fresh flavors with a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Celery and Garnishes
- 1 bunch celery
- Bacon bits (for topping)
- Chopped pickled beans or asparagus tips (optional, for topping)
- Tiny shrimp (optional, for topping)
- Sprinkle celery salt or smoked paprika (for garnish)
Caesar Filling
- 1 package cream cheese (softened, 8oz/250g package)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Clamato juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp prepared horseradish (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp hot sauce (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp celery salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cooked bacon
- 2 tbsp finely chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare Celery: Wash the celery thoroughly and cut it into sticks suitable for stuffing. Pat each stick dry very well to ensure the filling adheres properly.
- Mix Cream Cheese and Mayonnaise: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Flavors to the Mixture: Incorporate Clamato juice, Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and lemon or lime juice into the cream cheese mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired to make it spicier or tangier according to preference.
- Fold in Bacon and Green Onions: Stir in the finely chopped cooked bacon and green onions evenly throughout the mixture.
- Fill Celery Sticks: Spoon or pipe the prepared Caesar filling into each celery stick carefully, filling the groove completely.
- Chill: Refrigerate the stuffed celery sticks for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the filling to firm up slightly.
- Add Optional Toppings and Serve: Before serving, garnish each stuffed celery stick with additional bacon bits, a sprinkle of celery salt or smoked paprika, and optionally chopped pickled beans, asparagus tips, or tiny shrimp for extra flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of horseradish and hot sauce based on your spice tolerance.
- Clamato juice can be substituted with tomato juice if unavailable, though it will alter the flavor profile slightly.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use vegetarian bacon bits or smoked paprika to maintain smoky flavor.
- Chilling the stuffed celery helps the filling firm up, making it easier to handle and enhancing the taste blend.
- Serve immediately after garnishing to keep celery crisp and fresh.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
