Substitute for Celery Seed
Tiny seeds with an intense celery flavor, used in coleslaw, potato salad, and pickles.
The Best Substitute
The Professor's top pick for replacing celery seed is Dill Seed at a ratio of 1 teaspoon dill seed = 1 teaspoon celery seed. This works well for coleslaw, potato salad, pickles, bread. There are 2 total substitutes listed below, each suited for different situations. Scroll down for complete details on every option, including what to use each one for and what to avoid.
Best Substitutes
Dill Seed
Flavor impact: Different flavor (dill vs celery) but serves a similar aromatic role in cold salads and pickles.
Dairy-freeCelery Salt (reduce other salt)
Flavor impact: Same celery flavor plus salt. Adjust other salt accordingly.
Dairy-free
Celery salt is just celery seed + salt. If you have celery salt, you have celery seed. Just reduce the other salt in the recipe.
The Bottom Line
If you are out of celery seed, the best all-around substitute is dill seed. Pay attention to the ratio, since substitutes rarely work at exactly 1:1. Consider what role celery seed plays in your recipe; whether it provides flavor, texture, acidity, or structure; and choose the substitute that best fills that specific role. When in doubt, start with less and adjust to taste.
Source: Culinary reference | Last verified: March 19, 2026 | Our methodology