Italian cooking can work without celery.

Celery is a traditional part of soffritto, usually cooked with onion and carrot at the start of sauces, braises and soups. It adds savoury depth rather than a strong celery flavour, which is why it can be easy to miss once the dish is finished. It also appears in many stock cubes, broths and seasoning mixes, so checking the label matters even when the recipe itself does not mention celery.

Use onion and carrot in the same general role, adjusting the amount to suit the dish. Garlic, parsley, mushrooms or a little extra olive oil can add further savoury character, but they do not need to be combined every time. For a sauce or stew, a verified celery-free stock, tomato, wine or water can provide the liquid and depth that celery-based stock would otherwise contribute.

Check every stock cube, ready-made broth, seasoning blend, celery salt and jarred sauce before either person commits to a dish. Compare the ingredient list on both phones or on the shared shopping list, since a familiar brand can change its recipe. Nomme can keep the safe choices visible to both people, so one person does not accidentally buy an ingredient the other has already ruled out.