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This is a simple, Italian-inspired dandelion greens recipe you can use as a master recipe whenever you want to cook tender greens, wild or farmed.
I have no idea why it took me so long to post a dandelion greens recipe, but it’s probably because I have been making this “recipe” (it’s really more of a master method) without thought for decades. It’s simple, fast and touches all the key flavors: salty, spicy, bitter, tart.
Before I get into it, you should know that while dandelion greens are around much of the year, they are only good to eat in cold or cool weather. Once temperatures start climbing above 80F, they can become unpleasantly bitter, and are damn near inedible in August.
This is a major reason why some people who have tried dandelion greens don’t like them. But picked in spring or fall, or even winter in warm places, they’re awesome. Only slightly bitter, like arugula or radicchio, dandelion greens are a time-honored spring tonic. And they are far more nutritious than spinach.
According to the University of Rochester, in equal servings of dandelion greens and spinach (1 cup), dandelion greens have:
- About the same amount of Vitamin A and beta carotene;
- Twice the protein, iron, potassium and Vitamin C;
- Three times the amount of fiber and calcium; and,
- Four times the amount of Vitamin E and carbohydrates.
Most of you reading this have them in your yard or nearby. If you dig them up with a weeding fork, taking the root, dandelion greens will keep for several weeks in the the fridge. When you are ready to serve, wash them well in the sink, then soak them in ice water for 30 minutes or so.
This removes some bitterness and keeps the greens hydrated.
The recipe
OK, so the recipe is simple: Lots of olive oil, lots of slivered garlic — slivered keeps the garlic large enough so you notice it when you’re eating, and I like that — some hot chile, maybe some onion, too. If you want, lemon juice or a splash of vinegar right as you serve.
In the pictures I used ramp stems as the onion element, but shallot or yellow onion would be just as good. Cook that in olive oil until soft, then add the garlic and chile, which can be fresh or dried peppers, or even red pepper flakes, which is more traditional in Italy.
I like to finish not only with lemon juice, but also freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of really good olive oil. This is where you’d use those herb or citrus-infused oils.
Dandelion Greens Variations
While this is designed as a dandelion greens recipe, I’ve done the same thing with spinach, chard, lambsquarters, amaranth greens, purslane, and mustard greens — wild or farmed.
You can play with this, too. I like to add mozzarella pearls or shrimp or shredded poultry or rabbit. It’s phenomenal as a base for simply seared fish. Add boiled fingerling potatoes or roasted red peppers and you take it in another direction.
Think of this recipe as a jumping off point.
Once cooked, your dandelion greens will keep a day or two in the fridge, but are really best made and then eaten. Lord knows you probably have plenty in your yard!
If you liked this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below; I’d love to hear how everything went. If you’re on Instagram, share a picture and tag me at huntgathercook.
Simple Dandelion Greens
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, slivered
- 1 to 3 small chiles, such as Thai (or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- 1 pound dandelion greens, washed
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice, to taste
Instructions
- Wash the dandelion greens and set them in a large bowl of ice water. Let them sit at least 15 minutes before proceeding. Move them to a colander to drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until they're soft, but not browned. Add the garlic and chile and cook another minute.
- Move the dandelion greens to the pan, where they will pop and spatter a bit. Stir-fry them until they all wilt, then sprinkle salt over everything. Cook another minute or three — the older the greens are, the longer you will need to cook them — then turn off the heat and add the black pepper, a little nice olive oil, and some lemon juice. Serve at once.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I used radish greens, rather mature, cooked them a bit longer to soften the bitter. Loved this recipe!
Would it work on fiddleheads?
delicious 1
Nice channel, Hank. Thanks!
I have an old sea kale plant in the dry and stony part of the garden, which I’ve been cooking like this for years. The leaves can be very leathery so I often give them 5 minutes in salted boiling water before sauteeing them.
I also use anchovy fillets in place of some of the salt. Gives it all a bit of delicious umami flavour!
Cracking an egg or two over them for the last couple of minutes is also a nice touch, for a more substantial lunch.
Yes to gathering dandelion greens in season. But give yourself the time to clean them meticulously as the ones I gather are rich in insects and dirt, and a bit like leeks, that dirt gets embedded deeply between the rosette. I start with a rough cleaning in a bucket of cold water outside to avoid clogging the sink. Then separate the rosettes for further cleaning inside.
Anither important use for dandelions and other edible fresh herbs is the famous greek pita pies made with cornmeal and sour Greek cheese like mizithra or romano when the Greek grocer is not at hand.
David: Absolutely! I used to cook a lot of Greek food a decade ago, and this was one of my favorites.
This similar to what my mom did every spring. The difference was 1) she blanched them where they grew by putting a clay flower pot over them and 2) she fried several slices of bacon and used the grease to fry the onion and pepper; then crumbled the back into the grease and added vinegar to make a dressing for the greens. Sometimes she added sliced mushrooms to the mix. It looks like our yard was growing flower pots in the spring.
Kate: Southern style! Really good option.
Beautiful, easy and delicious. I go through a ton of what I call “yard greens” every spring and this is a nice addition to the roster of recipes. Thanks Hank!
My mother is Korean, so we have always eaten dandelion greens with sesame oil, salt and garlic 🙂
Mary: That sounds great, too!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I did not know about the temperature affecting the bitterness of the greens. Thanks for that info. I’ve also heard that the greens from a flowering dandelion are too bitter to eat. is this true?
Leroy: No, but it’s a proxy for heat. If the dandelions are blooming but it’s still cool, the greens will be more bitter than before, but I still like them. Once temps get above 80F for a few days, though, the blooms pop like crazy and the greens get too bitter for me. So that’s a long way of saying kinda… but not always.
I learned that when I cook garlic mustard and it was too bitter I put in a larger proportion of a sweeter green like spinach. Love your recipes.
Been making this for years.
Great as a sub also.