Nine Ways to Use Dandelions Next Spring

One of the most popular weeds to forage is dandelions. Most people do it for the young, tender greens in early spring. They are packed with nutrition, abundant, and—best of all—free. However, for the eager forager, there are many other ways to use dandelions.

The entire dandelion plant is edible. It was brought to the United States from Europe as a food plant, but for some reason, it has since been demoted to something many gardeners and lawn lovers hate to see.

But, with the fringe popularity of dandelion greens, that negative response to dandelions is changing. Once all of these cool uses for dandelions become a little more common, no doubt the plant will get even more love.

Won’t it be great to be part of the comeback? Here’s what you can plan to do with dandelions next spring.

1. Salad Greens

Especially for salad greens, picking the young dandelion leaves is important. These are tender and lack the bitterness the older foliage has. Along with chickweed, spring onions, lambsquarter, and sorrel, they are a great addition to foraged spring salads.

Fresh, young dandelion greens can also be whizzed up to make something akin to pesto for those who would rather not wait for heat-loving basil. They can feature in green juice or smoothies.

2. Cooking Greens

Dandelion greens can also stand up to being cooked. They can be sautéed alone or with cultivated spring greens like spinach and kale. They can also be tossed into stews and soups, or they can be steamed as a tasty side. Put them on pizza, or substitute them for spinach in lots of recipes.

3. Pickled Buds

The tiny unopened flowers of dandelion plants are soft and bitter. They are found just before the dandelion stalks shoot up and make flowers. These buds are great pickled and can be subbed for capers. Put a cup of them in white wine vinegar with ½ teaspoon of salt and another of sugar.

4. Edible Flowers

After those buds do their thing, it’s time to start gathering up the dandelion flowers which are also delicious and edible. They have a crunchy texture and mild sweetness. A favorite thing to do with dandelion flowers is to make flower fritters. They can also be used to make jams and syrups.

5. Infused Oil/Vinegar

Another great thing to do with dandelion flowers is to infuse olive oil or vinegar with them. Pack a jar or bottle with dandelion flowers and fill it with vinegar or olive oil. Let this sit for several weeks so that the flavor permeates into the liquid. It’ll be a secret ingredient for those lovely summer salads.

6. Dandelion Wine

Also made from the flowers, or at least the dandelion flower petals, dandelion wine is beloved by those fortunate enough to have sampled it. Making a good wine requires tons of flowers, like a shopping bag’s worth. Using sugar and water, citrus zest, citrus juice, a few raisins, wine yeast, and time, those dandelion petals become a beautiful wine.

7. Roasted Roots

Dandelion roots are highly regarded for aiding the digestive system and getting rid of toxins in our bodies. The flavor is bitter and often compared to coffee. To use dandelion roots as a homegrown caffeine-free coffee substitute, dice and roast the roots low (200 F) and slow (2-3 hours) then grind them.

8. Tonic Tea

Dandelion tea is also great for cleansing the body. It’s said to Support the liver, reduce inflammation, aid the gut, prevent kidney stones, balance blood sugar levels, and more. A good tonic tea can be made from roots, flowers, and leaves. Add a leaf (or packet) of stevia to sweeten it.

9. Soil Amendment

In the end, despite the wishes of many gardeners that dandelions didn’t exist, they are pretty good for the garden bed. They have deep taproots that naturally break up compacted soil, and they have minerals in their foliage that will add nutrients to the topsoil as it decomposes.

In short, by all means, take advantage of those lovely dandelion greens, but don’t stop there. The dandelion is a wonderful all-purpose crop to have growing around the yard and garden.

Related Content:

• 8 Plant-Based Dandelion Recipes
• Zero-Waste Hack: How To Use The Leaves, Flowers, and Roots of a Dandelion [Video]
• Forage for Dandelions: They’re Plentiful, Nutritious, and Perfect as Fresh Produce
• How to Forage and Use Delicious Dandelions
• Banana Dandelion Pancakes [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

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