Spring means flowers. And guess what? Beyond admiring their scent and colour, you can eat them, too! Here are some edible flower recipes that aren’t just pretty – they’re tasty and healthy, too!
By Lora O’Brien
Who doesn’t love flowers? Whether you’re receiving a gorgeous bouquet as a gift or arranging them as your dinner party centrepiece, they’re always a joy. But did you know that flowers can be eaten, too? They offer some impressive health benefits, as well!
From hot tea and iced coffee to salads and desserts, there are plenty of ways to enjoy edible flower recipes. But before you go into your garden to find yourself a yummy floral snack, let’s look at which flowers are actually edible (FYI some are not).
Which flowers are edible?
Not all flowers are safe to eat. But those that are edible are vibrant with a unique flavour which will improve all kinds of dishes.
Below is a list of some popular flowers that you can add to food:
- Anise
- Camellia
- Calendula
- Cape Jasmine
- Chamomile
- Dandelion
- Forget-me-nots
- Freesia
- Hibiscus
- Honeysuckle
- Lavender
- Lilac
- Magnolia
- Nasturtium
- Pansy
- Rose
But there are many others, too!
Here below are some edible flower recipes that are perfect for everything from fancy dinners to everyday breakfasts.
Main image credit here.
15+ Flowers You Should Be Eating
1. Dandelion
Many of us remember picking a bouquet of sunshine-yellow dandelions as children. But little did we know that we were holding a highly nutritious flower! In fact, the roots, stems and leaves of the dandelion are all edible – and super good for you.
Health benefits: Dandelions help to stimulate the appetite and digestion. They also contain antioxidant properties which can boost the immune system and detox the liver. The leaves do act as a diuretic though, which might make you pee a little more frequently!
Flavour: The greens are bitter, whereas the flower is sweet and honey-like when picked young.
How to use: Toss the leaves and flowers into a salad, bread and fry them for a fancy floral entree, or just use the roots to make tea.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Being easy to make, and it’s fun to forage for the flowers, too.
A really tasty way to eat them is to turn them into dandelion shortbread.
Get the recipe here.
2. Lavender
Lavender has always been known as a natural way to soothe and relax the body. But it also comes with lots of benefits to infusing your food with it, too!
Health benefits: Lavender helps with anxiety, insomnia, depression and restlessness. Sipping on lavender tea can also be helpful if you’re experiencing sickness, gas, an upset stomach or abdominal swelling.
Flavour: Lavender has a pungent floral aroma, with subtle notes of mint and earthiness.
How to use: If you want to infuse your food with lavender, it works best with sweet dishes, often complimenting savoury ingredients.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Giving a delightful twist to your morning coffee.
Lavender shortbread, ice cream and cake are popular sweet treats. But if you want something soothing to sip on, you can either steep lavender in a drink, like this coffee below, or make a lavender syrup to infuse your beverages.
Get the recipe here.
3. Hibiscus
Often grown in tropical climates around the world, the hibiscus is a stunning and exotic plant. It can be found in an array of colours, from red, white, yellow to various pink hues.
Health benefits: The hibiscus plant is rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and anthocyanin. It fights inflammation, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and supports liver health.
Flavour: Citrusy and zesty.
How to use: Hibiscus flowers can be eaten straight from the plant, but they’re usually used to make delicious teas, relishes, jam and salads. The tea is a brilliant red with a very sour flavour, which can be thirst quenching over ice on a hot summer day.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Serious versatility. From meat substitutes to candies, you can do it all with hibiscus.
Believe it or not, these flowers make the perfect stuffing for hibiscus tacos! When cooked, the flowers lose their taste, but they adopt a chewy, meat-like texture making them perfect for this dish. The best part? You can make tea and use the flowers afterwards to make tacos, so they’re multi-purpose and no waste, yay!
Get the recipe here.
4. Rose
The rose, often symbolic of love, has over 150 species in almost any size and colour. And the best part? They’re ALL edible! Although they won’t all yield the same taste. A good rule to follow before harvesting roses to eat is that if they smell lovely, they’ll likely taste great, too. Ditch the leaves though, they’re pretty gross!
Health benefits: Rose is a natural astringent and diuretic and is naturally anti-inflammatory. It can also be used to help boost your mood, ease signs of PMS and soothe a store throat.
Flavour: Very sweet and floral.
How to use: Roses can be used in lots of different ways. Fresh petals can be muddled and added to liquid to create rose-infused beverages, jams and jellies. Rose syrup also makes a wonderful addition to fancy drinks, or you could make a liqueur for your next cocktail.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Sweet treats.
There’s so much you could make with roses! Your own chocolates with a rose filling, or a delicious vegan rose ice cream, like this recipe below. It helps promote relaxation, too!
Get the recipe here.
5. Chamomile
This is a floral herb that has an extensive history of being used in cooking as well as traditional medicine. Chamomile tea is probably one of the most popular ways to enjoy this herb. It’s like a cup of comfort!
Health benefits: Chamomile can help to improve rest by helping you to fall asleep easily. It can also be used to alleviate anxiety as well as provide relief from stomach ailments. Chamomile is also great on skin irritations.
Flavour: Sweet with an apple-like aroma.
How to use: The flowers, which resemble a daisy, provide a subtly sweet and earthy flavour to foods. Both leaves and flowers are usually dried and then used to make tea, but they can be used fresh also.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Promoting relaxation.
Chamomile tea is probably the most popular way to use chamomile flowers, but this iced chamomile latte with vanilla is the perfect way to enjoy it as summer approaches.
Get the recipe here.
6. Borage
Borage is very pretty, and it’s a herb that is known to produce delicate star-shaped flowers. The blossoms will usually be blue, but they can also be white or pink.
Health benefits: In the medicinal world, borage is used to treat many respiratory ailments from a cough to bronchitis. It can also provide relief to a cold and can ease a sore throat. If you’re looking to increase your milk supply while breastfeeding, it might help, too!
Flavour: Borage is similar to the taste of crisp cucumber.
How to use: In the kitchen, whether you use borage to decorate fancy desserts or cook them to add to soups and sauces, you’ll never run out of fun ways to incorporate borage into dishes as both the leaves and flowers can be eaten.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Bringing incredible health benefits and a refreshing flavour.
As borage has a crisp profile, it works perfectly in a refreshing salad such as this borage/cucumber salad below. Not only does it taste delicious, it is also a common ingredient in herbal medicine, providing many health benefits, too.
Get the recipe here.
7. Calendula
Calendula is a hardy herb that will grow pretty much anywhere. It also grows well in pots so you can grow it in your own garden and then harvest to use in your cooking.
Health benefits: Calendula has high amounts of flavonoids which are plant-based antioxidants that work to protect cells from being damaged by free radicals. Calendula is also known to fight inflammation, viruses, and bacteria.
Flavour: Calendula has a mildly sweet taste that is a tad bitter.
How to use: To prepare calendula for eating you’ll need to pluck the petals from the green flower base (this bit tastes a little medicinal). And then they can then be enjoyed raw or cooked.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Protecting your skin from free radicals.
Add the petals to salads, salsa, quiche and even vegan frittatas! Or, like the recipe below, make these gorgeous, summery calendula spring rolls.
Get the recipe here.
8. Clover
Many of us grew up picking clover flowers from our gardens, and they’re edible, too!
Health benefits: Red clover contains isoflavones, which have been proven to be beneficial to help with conditions such as menopause, hot flashes, cardiovascular health and osteoporosis.
Flavour: The flowers taste like raw green beans with a little sweet hint.
How to use: Both the greens and flowers are edible. The fresh flowers can be added to salads, cocktails and even to garnish canapes!
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Those on a budget.
The flowers can be dried to make a wonderful stir fry, such as the recipe below.
Get the recipe here.
9. Marigold
Many confuse marigolds and calendula for being the same, but they’re not. Though they’re both members of the sunflower, marigolds are members of the Tagetes genus, while calendula are part of the Calendula genus with a much smaller species.
Health benefits: Thanks to their natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, marigolds work to support the healing of the skin. They can also reduce eye infections, and protect from UV and oxidative damage.
Flavour: Marigolds with yellow, orange and red are a little spicy and bitter, much like arugula.
How to use: Marigolds can be eaten raw or cooked and used in everything from teas, drinks, soups, desserts, and even more savoury dishes! If you want to make an impact, sprinkle your marigolds over a vegetable tart to make it look vibrant. Marigolds can withstand a longer cooking and infusion time, too, so they can be used with dishes such as rice or a stew.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Making dinner parties look all the fancier.
This vegan cheese with marigolds is a beautiful dish to serve to guests. Watch their jaws drop!
Get the recipe here.
10. Zucchini Blossoms
If you’ve ever grown summer squash then you’ll likely be aware of their delicate flowers. The most popular type comes from a zucchini. These flowers are bright yellow with a long, bell shape.
Health benefits: Zucchini blossoms help with healthy skin and improve eyesight. They’re also an excellent source of vitamin C, which is vital for healthy teeth, gums and body tissues. They’re also high in potassium which is beneficial for digestive health.
Flavour: A very delicate and soft flavour, not dissimilar to zucchini.
How to use: Zucchini flowers can be eaten raw, or used to garnish salads.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Creating a unique side dish.
Stuff the blossoms and fry them until the delicate petals have turned crispy, as in this amazing fried zucchini flower recipe below.
Get the recipe here.
11. Lilac
Lilac flowers are edible and have many medicinal qualities. If you eat a single lilac you will discover an explosion of flavour so they’re best as an edible display rather than part of a whole meal.
Health benefits: Lilac flowers contain astringent and aromatic qualities. Astringents tighten, draw, and dry tissues such as skin, so a great use for lilacs would be to use them as a skin toner. You could also use them to apply to cuts, rashes and other skin ailments.
Flavour: A little bitter but also floral.
How to use: Lilacs are used in lots of versatile recipes. A lilac syrup is delicious drizzled over pancakes, while lilac wine is a refreshing beverage. They’re also a gorgeous garnish and food decoration!
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Making the perfect cake for any celebration, whether a wedding or birthday!
If you want to truly appreciate the beauty of the lilac flower, then put them in a cake, as in this recipe below.
Get the recipe here.
12. Pansy
Pansies are a pretty flower to look at, and they’re equally as fun to eat. The small blossoms exist in many colour variations. But purple, blue and yellow hues are most popular.
Health benefits: Pansies are a rich source of many potent plant compounds which are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They also help to improve skin health.
Flavour: They have a mild, fresh and lightly floral flavour.
How to use: There are so many colour variations of pansies! So they make a fabulous decorative addition to all kinds of desserts.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Making any baked good prettier. Think pastries, cakes and cookies – like these shortbreads, below. Looking for something easier? Simply chop them up and pop them atop a leafy green salad for a fun meal.
Get the recipe here.
13. Butterfly Pea
Butterfly pea is a plant native to Asia. You may recognise it from its striking blue flowers which in turn create a brilliant blue-hued dried power. This can be used as a natural dye for foods, drinks – and even cosmetics!
Health benefits: Butterfly pea flower is rich in antioxidants. It’s also linked to several health benefits, including weight loss, and blood sugar control. It can even improve the health of your hair and skin!
Flavour: Similar to a green tea, which is earthy and woody.
How to use: You can pretty much add dried butterfly pea powder to anything and watch it transform into a brilliant blue.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Using in smoothies, ice cream, and even desserts like this decadent cheesecake below.
Get the recipe here.
14. Nasturtium
The vibrant nasturtium blossoms add a unique savoury flavour to dishes! Both the leaves and flowers are edible, and you can enjoy them raw or cooked in dishes. The blossoms themselves are milder than the leaves.
Health benefits: Nasturtiums aren’t just a pretty face. They also contain a variety of minerals and health-promoting compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Flavour: Peppery, similar to watercress.
How to use: These funnel-shaped flowers can be orange, red or yellow. They instantly add vibrancy to any recipe, but they’re especially beautiful when used as a garnish for cakes, pastries and salads. You could even blend them up to make a fun pesto!
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Adding to salads, like this delish recipe below.
Get the recipe here.
15. Banana Blossom
Banana blossom is just what the name suggests – the blossom of a banana tree.
Health benefits: Banana blossoms are rich in potassium, and calcium as well as vitamins A, C and E. These can help to alleviate joint pain and increase bone density.
Flavour: Unlike the name, the flavour is neutral much like tofu.
How to use: Banana blossom is brilliant in vegan recipes! When cooked, it has a similar texture to flaked fish. The edible flour has a neutral taste, so it’s the perfect meat or fish replacement in dishes.
One of the best edible flower recipes for: Acting as a sub for meaty stuff. Like this vegan ‘fish’ and chips recipe, below!
Get the recipe here.
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