Edible Flower Chart
Flower Flavor Suggested Uses
Candy them Pansy Slightly minty Use for decorating food (See recipes)
Pepper flavor; best eaten Nasturtium Toss petals into a salad raw
Chop the petals and mix with sugar. May be tasteless, sweet, Roses Let them infuse for a week; use for or slightly spicy baking and desserts
Flavors range from spicy to bitter, tangy to Sprinkle petals on soups, pasta, rice peppery. dishes, herb butters and salads Calendula Taste resembles saffron. Petals add a yellow tint to soups, ONLY THE PETALS ARE spreads and scrambled eggs EDIBLE Flowers are sweetest Good raw or steamed. Can be made when picked young. Buds into wine are tastier than the Dandelions Use dandelion petals like confetti over flowers. Sweet, honey-like rice flavor.
Slightly mild vegetable Stuff like squash blossoms flavor, like sweet lettuce Garnish with a composed salad platter or zucchini. To use the Decorate a frosted cake Daylilies petals in desserts, cut Sprinkle the large petals in a salad them away from the bitter In the spring, gather shoots 2-3” tall white base of the flower. and use as a substitute for asparagus Marigold Gem hybrids Citrusy tarragon flavor Use petals in deviled eggs (only good-tasting one)
Use as you would oregano Leaves and petals can be used in fruit Bee Balm Tastes like oregano & and regular salads (Monarda didyma) mint Leaves can be used in a tea that will taste like Earl Grey tea
Sweet, clove-like taste Infuse petals in water for tea, or top a Pinks Remove individual petals cracker and cheese with several petals and other DO NOT EAT WHOLE Makes a delicious sorbet Dianthus
Flavor ranges from pea to Use petals as a low-calorie substitute Tulips bean-like for chips with dip
Tangy, bitter; they range in taste from faint peppery to mild Blanche, then scatter the petals on a cauliflower. salad Chrysanthemum BLANCHE FIRST The leaves can be used to flavor ALWAYS REMOVE vinegar BITTER FLOWER BASE USE PETALS ONLY
Sprinkle over salad or pasta for their Flavor similar but milder concentrated flavor and a spark of Basil than the plant. color
Add to lemonade, punches, gin & tonics, sorbets, chilled soups, cheese Borage Mild cucumber flavor tortas and dips Beautiful as well as flavorful!
Add to salads Broccoli Flowers Mild broccoli taste. Use as a garnish Alliums Flavors range from mild Cook leaves as a flavoring with other (Leeks, Chives, onions and leeks to vegetables in soups Garlic, Garlic stronger flavor Add to salads Chives)
Anise flavor Add at the end of cooking FLAVOR IS LOST WITH Chervil or TOO MUCH DRYING OR Sprinkle fresh, raw chervil in salads HEAT
Strong herbal flavor, like the leaves and seeds. Sprinkle to taste on salads, bean Cilantro/Coriander USE RAW; flavor fades dishes and cold vegetable dishes when cooked.
Use with desserts or cold soups Fennel Mild anise flavor Garnish entrees
Tea Sweet floral flavor with Desserts (see recipes) lemon and citrus notes Add to salads Lavender Note: A little goes a long Sub for rosemary in bread recipes way! Use too much, and Use the spikes or stems for making your dish will be bitter. fruit or shrimp kabobs
Fry Stuff with soft cheese - eat raw or Squash Blossoms Slightly sweet & savory baked Add to pasta sauce