Sileo Celery Salad — A Family Antipasti Favorite
I’m delighted to share this Sileo Celery Salad, a simple, bright recipe that has been handed down through generations on my mother’s side of the family. Growing up in an Italian-American household, this crunchy, tangy salad was always part of our antipasti spread for gatherings and holidays. It’s an easy make-ahead dish that adds texture and zip to a platter of cured meats and cheeses.
Thinking about this recipe being passed down makes me feel warm inside. The salad is deceptively simple—just celery, garlic, pepperoncini, roasted red peppers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper—but the combination creates a lively, crunchy bite that complements antipasti perfectly. In honor of Mother’s Day weekend, I asked my mom to measure the ingredients she usually “eyeballs,” so I could share the family formula exactly as she makes it. She humored me, and the result is authentic and delicious.
This celery salad is versatile. Serve it as part of an antipasti platter or use it to top sandwiches and large leafy salads. As a child I loved folding a slice of provolone around salami with a spoonful of this celery salad—an impromptu antipasti “taco” that was fantastic. The flavors also continue to develop in the fridge, so leftovers are often even better the next day.
- 8–10 large celery stalks (about 4 cups), peeled and cut into a large dice
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 toothpicks
- 1 cup sliced pepperoncini (from the jar), drained and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and very finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Peel each celery stalk with a vegetable peeler to remove the outer stringy layer, then rinse and pat dry.
- Trim the ends, cut the stalks lengthwise down the center, and slice into large dice. Alternatively, chop into large bite-sized pieces.
- Place the diced celery in a large mixing bowl. Pierce each garlic clove with a toothpick—this makes the garlic easy to locate when serving and prevents the cloves from getting lost in the salad. Add the garlic to the bowl with the celery.
- Add the chopped pepperoncini, roasted red pepper, and black pepper; toss gently to combine so the flavors begin to mingle.
- Stir in the olive oil and continue tossing until the celery is evenly coated.
- Sprinkle in the kosher salt, toss to distribute, then add the red wine vinegar and give the mixture one final toss to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving; it’s best after resting overnight. The salad keeps well for 5–7 days refrigerated and often tastes even better the next day as the flavors mellow and meld.
- Serve alongside cured meats, cheeses, olives and crusty bread as part of an antipasti platter.
- Use the salad as a crunchy topping for green salads, grain bowls, or sandwiches.
- Adjust the heat by swapping pepperoncini for mild banana peppers or for something spicier, add a few sliced hot cherry peppers.
- If you prefer, mince the garlic into the salad for a more distributed garlic flavor rather than leaving whole cloves on toothpicks.