Cream Cheese & Olive Stuffed Celery Sticks

🌿 Cream Cheese & Olive Stuffed Celery Sticks 🧀

This appetizer is a timeless classic—crunchy, fresh celery loaded with a tangy, herbaceous cream cheese filling and briny olives. It’s easy, retro, and surprisingly satisfying! Perfect for a party or a light snack. 🎉

🛒 Ingredients 

What You’ll Need (The Essentials):

• The Vessel:

  • 1 bunch Celery Stalks 🌿 (washed, trimmed, and cut into 2-3 inch pieces)

• The Creamy Filling:

  • 8 oz package Cream Cheese 🧀 (full-fat or Neufchâtel, softened to room temp)

  • 1/4 cup Mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt for a lighter option) 🥄

  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 🍋

  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 🧄

  • 1/2 tsp Dried Dill 🌿

  • A pinch of Salt & Black Pepper 🧂⚫

• The Toppings (The Flavor Pops):

  • 1/2 cup Green Olives, sliced (pimento-stuffed work well!) 🫒

  • 1/4 cup Pimentos or finely chopped Red Bell Pepper (for color!) 🌶️

Getting Ready (Quick Prep):

1. Take the cream cheese 🧀 out of the fridge at least an hour before starting so it can soften.

2. Wash and dry the celery stalks 🌿 thoroughly. Cut them into serving-sized pieces (about 2-3 inches long).

3. Slice the olives 🫒 and finely chop the pimentos/red pepper 🌶️ (if using whole).

🥣 Mixing the Filling & 🥄 The Stuffing

Step 1: Whip the Creamy Base 🧈

1. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese 🧀 and mayonnaise 🥄.

2. Use a hand mixer or a sturdy spatula to beat the mixture until it is completely smooth and fluffy. No lumps allowed! 🚫

3. Add the lemon juice 🍋, garlic powder 🧄, dried dill 🌿, salt 🧂, and pepper ⚫. Mix thoroughly to combine the seasonings.

Step 2: Fold in the Flavor 🫒

1. Gently fold in half of the sliced green olives 🫒 and half of the chopped pimentos 🌶️ into the cream cheese mixture. Save the rest for garnish! 🌟

2. Taste the filling. Adjust the salt or add a little more lemon juice if needed. 👍

Step 3: Stuffing the Celery 🥄

1. Use a small spoon or a piping bag (for a cleaner look 🎂) to fill the “trench” of each celery piece 🌿 with the cream cheese mixture.

2. Overfill slightly to create a generous, rounded top, similar to the photo.

3. Repeat until all the celery pieces are stuffed. 🥳

✨ The Garnish & 📰 Culinary Context

Step 4: The Final Touch and Chill 🧊

1. Sprinkle the remaining sliced olives 🫒 and pimentos 🌶️ over the tops of the stuffed celery pieces for a colorful garnish.

2. Dust with a light sprinkle of paprika or extra dried dill for presentation.

3. Arrange the stuffed celery on a serving platter.

4. Cover the platter and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to firm up and the flavors to meld. 🧊😋

Retro Revival: The Enduring Charm of Stuffed Celery

Stuffed Celery is a quintessential appetizer with deep roots in mid-20th-century American entertaining. Often featured in cookbooks and cocktail party menus from the 1940s through the 1970s, it embodies a style of cooking that valued simplicity, elegance, and presentation.

• A Perfect Appetizer: The genius of this dish lies in its contrasts. The fresh, crisp celery 🌿 provides a delightful, clean crunch, while the cream cheese filling offers richness and tang. The briny olives 🫒 and bright pimentos 🌶️ add bursts of intense flavor that cut through the fat. 💥

• A Nod to Nutrition: In a modern context, stuffed celery has found renewed popularity as a favorite among those following low-carb or keto diets. It’s naturally low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats, making it a guilt-free yet indulgent snack. 💪

• The Evolution of Filling: While the classic recipe often featured Roquefort cheese or sometimes canned tuna, the Cream Cheese and Olive version remains the most beloved. It’s quick, vegetarian-friendly, and relies on readily available ingredients, ensuring its place as a quick-prep appetizer that never truly goes out of style. 🎉

• Vintage Charm: Today, serving stuffed celery is a nod to vintage sophistication. It proves that a great appetizer doesn’t need to be complex—it just needs the right balance of texture and taste. 🏆