If cauliflower is the closest you’ve been to cooking with flowers, you’re missing out. From ancient Roman salads topped with blooms to European royalty’s garnishing blossoms, edible flower recipes have been around for centuries. It’s obvious that they make the presentation of food pop, but do they really taste good? So here is a wonderful collection of the 10 Best Tasting Edible Flowers for Your Next Recipe!
Each edible flower has a distinct taste, and many types have appealing flavors. Some, like the daylily, taste similar to asparagus, while others, like the many flowers of the mint family, have refreshing flavors. Check out the top 10 best-tasting edible flowers for baking and cooking below.
1. Honeysuckle
If you remember this plant from your childhood, you already know it holds sugary nectar. The blossom also has a sweet taste and achieves a honey flavor without any beehives. Make sure you avoid the berries because they are poisonous.
Turn these flowers into a sorbet or jelly by soaking or boiling the blooms to bring out the flavor. You can also infuse the flavoring in cupcakes, then top them with the pale yellow flowers as a garnish.
2. Zucchini Blossoms
The flowers from the zucchini plant, also known as courgette, taste like the vegetable that grows on them. The golden flowers don’t overpower you due to their delicate taste.
This edible flower can be prepared in a variety of ways. Some people eat them raw, but others fry them and stuff them with ricotta or another soft cheese. The fried blooms puff up and become a lightly crispy appetizer.
3. Lilacs
With a hint of citrus flavor, these mauve buds are a fun ingredient to bake with. The pungent flower has a powerful taste, so use it in limited quantities.
The lilac flavor can spruce up your desserts or drinks, as it is often made into a simple syrup. Remove the tiny buds from the hard stalk that serves as their stem to enjoy them as a garnish or as candied flowers.
4. Roses
Perfect for a romantic gesture, these aromatic flowers can also complement your cuisine. The petals come in many colors, from a bright pink to a deep scarlet, and they also enhance many foods and drinks like jams, salads, tea and desserts.
Their soft but fruity flavor is a welcome treat, with a strawberry or spicy aftertaste depending on the type. You can eat any kind of rose, but the deeper- and darker-hued ones have a stronger flavoring that’s better to cook with.
5. Nasturtiums
These blooms, which range from reddish-orange to yellow, have a zesty kick. Known for their peppery flavor, nasturtiums are surprisingly robust and even nutritious.
Nasturtiums make an appetizing pesto, or they can be stuffed like zucchini blossoms. You can pair this flower with many savory dishes like baked lamb shank or roasted potatoes.
6. Hibiscus
A bit tangy but overall sweet, this tropical bud is picturesque and useful in dining. Tea and co*cktails can benefit from its tart notes, but desserts and main dishes incorporate its flavor, too. Hibiscus quesadillas and enchiladas are two surprising ways to use the edible flower.
7. Pansies
Pansies represent remembrance, and after you’ve cooked with this flower, it’s appealing flavor will be difficult to forget. Its earthy but minty flavor can improve many desserts and act as a lovely topping. From tartlets to hors-d’oeuvres, place these blooms on your next cooking project.
8. Lavender
With its natural calming effect, lavender is a gentle but sweet-tasting flower. Use these blooms in desserts with berries or in lemony drinks to bring out the right flavor. Combine it with fresh thyme or rosemary in savory dishes.
9. Chamomile
Usually used in tea, chamomile’s grassy but light taste can expand to other applications in baking and cooking. Include it in rice pudding or churn it into ice cream for a natural and subtle flavor. You can even use these flowers in dry rubs for meat or fish.
10. Borage Blossoms
Borage blossoms are star-shaped blue flowers with a cool flavor. Almost like cucumbers, they can upgrade shellfish dishes or summer salads. Any part of the flower is edible, so throw the leaves, bud and stem into your next dish.
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Include The Best Tasting Edible Flowers in Your Next Recipe
Edible flowers offer variety and beauty to your cooking endeavors, so take advantage of the most delectable types next time you’re in the kitchen. Turn blossoms into simple syrup or use them as a garnish to tie together your presentation.
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