Vegan Crown Daisy Recipe in Tahini Sauce
Have you ever had crown daisies (also known as chrysanthemum greens)? This delicate, herbal Asian green is a favorite of mine. This is my go-to vegan crown daisy recipe, and it only takes about 5 minutes to make! Blanched chrysanthemum greens are topped with a creamy, luscious, slightly spicy tahini sauce, and garnished with sesame seeds. Served chilled or at room temperature, it’s a perfect side dish to any meal.
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This post was updated 2/9/24, but no changes were made to the recipe.
Finding New Produce
I often go to the local Asian grocery store, H-Mart, to explore their large, diverse and inexpensive produce section. My local Stop & Shop will have two or three types of mushroom, but H-mart will have 10-none costing more than $4 (when I first wrote this in 2017- now in 2024 they certainly have mushrooms above the $4 mark). Occasionally I’ll find a vegetable I’ve never heard of there and take it home, hoping I’ll be able to make something delicious and new. It was through one of those experiments that I first tried crown daisies (also called chrysanthemum greens). When I got them I imagined they would be a little bitter, like dandelion or mustard greens (which I had been eating a lot). I was pleasantly surprise when I first cooked them, and learned that crown daisy was like nothing I had ever had before. Rather than being bitter, they are gentle, soft, floral, and almost herbal, but not overwhelmingly so. A great new find! A few of my other Asian grocery store finds that have become staples in my diet include persimmons, kabocha squash, pomelos, and stem lettuce.
What is Crown Daisy?
Crown daisy is a green by many names (including chrysanthemum greens, kikuna, and crown marigold) are a nutritional powerhouse. They’re cultivated and grown in Asia, and are picked wild in Greece. Additional, they may be found growing wild in some parts of North America. Here’s something that I discovered less than a year ago, and I gotta say once I read it I was floored it hadn’t occurred to me earlier. Those fall flowers everyone is obsessed with putting on their porches, mums, are in fact chrysanthemums. Of course. Crown daisy is not actually the same plant as the autumnal porch variety, but it is a close relative.
Chrysanthemum greens are delicate and tender. They have floral notes, and remind me of some sort of herbal tea-spinach hybrid. I typically find them at Asian groceries, but you can also grown them yourself if you’re so inclined (I’m told they’re even tastier homegrown). They are often added to stews and soups, but doesn’t require much cooking to become tender. With a quick blanche in boiling water, they’re tender and soft without being mushy. Try a little before you try a lot, as it causes some peoples stomach upset. Nutritionally, they are low in calories and fats, and have high levels of antioxidents. They contain 30% more calcium per serving than bananas, and high levels of Vitamins K, A, and C, as well as good amounts of iron and manganese.
Cooking with Greens? Try one of these other recipes!
- Stir-Fried Stem Lettuce Recipe with Peanuts
- Garlic Mustard and Spinach Saag
- Watercress Soup with Tofu and Vegan Broth
- Hoover’s Breakfast Greens and Tofu
- Creamy Umami Baby Bok Choy Recipe
- Stir-Fried Stem Lettuce Recipe with Peanuts
- Collard Greens and Maitake Steamed Buns (Hen of the Woods)
- July’s Peach and Daylily Salad
- Swiss Chard Recipe: Ohitashi & Japanese Pickled Stems
- Quick Vegan Creamy Pasta with Kale
- Creamy Roasted Romaine Soup (Vegan)
- Vegan Spinach and Chickpea Curry
- Spring Salad: Fennel and Dandelion Leaf Recipe
- Stinging Nettle Vegan Green Minestrone
- Hearty Bean Dinner Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Dressing
- Bitter Greens Recipes: 15 Greens and Vegan Recipes
Got Tahini? Try one of these recipes!
- Roasted Mini Eggplants in Tahini Sauce
- Zucchini-Ganoush- An Easy Vegan Zucchini Recipe
- Smokey Butternut Squash Hummus
- Crispy Sesame Spiced Tahini Quinoa
- Creamy Fresh Chickpea Hummus
- Massaged Mustard Greens Salad
- Vegan Baba Ganoush Pasta Recipe
- Greek Goddess Vegan Quinoa Salad
- White Bean Watermelon Gazpacho with Seaweed Granola
Making this Vegan Crown Daisy Recipe
Vegan Crown Daisy Recipe in Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of crown daisies (also called chrysanthemum greens)
- 2 tbsp. tahini
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
Instructions
- Put a medium sauce pan of water on the stove to boil. While that heats up wash the crown daisies and chop them roughly in half so that one half has the thick stems, while the other is thinner with the leaves.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, garlic chili sauce and sesame oil.
- Once the water has boiled, add the thick stems to the boiling water and quickly blanch for 30-50 seconds. Remove the stems from the pot (save the boiling water!) and let drain in a colander. In the same boiling water add the half of the greens with leaves, and allow to blanch for 15-30 seconds. Add the leafier parts of the greens to the colander, and shock with cold water to prevent any further cooking. Gently squeeze out as much water as possible and leave to drain for a few minutes.
- In a serving bowl toss the greens in the tahini sauce. For a finishing touch, sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.
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Looks yummy! I’ll have to search for some crown daisies!
Sounds amazing – never come across crown daisies before! I bet they’re really nutritious too!
Hi Nancy,
They are great for you! They have a large amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and potassium as well as smaller amounts of other micronutrients. Definitely keeping your eye out!