Celery Free Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and Capers
Raw beef done right is one of those dishes that sounds intimidating but comes together with just a sharp knife, a little patience, and genuinely good ingredients. Thin-pounded tenderloin gets draped across a platter and dressed with bright lemon, a whisper of ginger, and grassy extra-virgin olive oil — the kind of combination that tastes far more sophisticated than the effort involved. Peppery baby arugula piled in the center adds freshness and a slight bite, while briny capers and chopped parsley give every forkful a little pop of contrast. The whole thing is built from clean, straightforward components — beef, citrus, herbs, and good oil — so there's nothing hiding in the ingredient list that could cause concern for anyone avoiding celery or celery-derived additives. Restaurant-style carpaccio often comes with sauces or garnishes that can sneak in unexpected ingredients, but here you control every element from start to finish. The brief freeze before slicing is the real trick: it firms the tenderloin just enough to get those paper-thin, nearly translucent rounds without any special equipment. Use the freshest beef your butcher has, keep everything cold until the last second, and this elegant platter will absolutely steal the show.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the carpaccio
- 8 oz beef tenderloin, trimmed of any sinew
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Wrap the beef tenderloin tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 25–30 minutes, until the exterior is firm to the touch but not frozen solid — this makes slicing and pounding much easier.
- 2
Remove the beef from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a very sharp knife, slice the tenderloin crosswise into rounds as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch thick.
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