It’s winter so I find myself eating more soups and stews. They can be so good on a cold day.
But IMO celery tastes horrible and only subtracts from the flavor of soup by covering up other flavors. Why is it such a common ingredient? Do people actually like enjoy or is it serving some other purpose?
(Yes I avoid it in other foods too. Not to go off topic but water chestnuts are a fantastic substitute if you like the crunch. Try them instead of celery next time you make stuffing.)
It is a basic ingredient in mirepoix, which is used as a base for a variety of sauces, soups, gravies, and stews. It’s just one component of what is basically just a fresh vegetable mix. You can always just substitute whatever you have on hand or local that fits, just like you would with a stir-fry or fried rice. It’s less about the specific vegetables than it is about the way they are prepared and what they contribute. Onions and carrots add sweetness. Celery balances those with its saltiness. Celery and garlic feel to me like a bridge to the other proper herbs like parsley and thyme that usually go in the mirepoix I combine with a good roux to make gravy.