How to Make Quick Pickled Magnolia Petals
Light, fresh, and peppery, these pickled magnolia petals are a wonderful foraged condiment to add to you refrigerator. These beautiful, foraged pickles are delicate and fresh, perfect on sushi, in sandwiches, salads, with rice, mix in a “tuna” or egg salad, top burgers, mix in pasta salad, add to a veggie dog, and more! They add a really special note to your meal. Additionally, you can use the brine as an infused vinegar once your magnolia pickles have been eaten. Happy Foraging!
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Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
Foraging Magnolias
My plan has a to-do item on it- “Steal Magnolias”. And no, I didn’t just misspell the title of a classic 1980’s film with Julia Roberts, Sally Fields, and Dolly Parton. I had some floral pilfering to accomplish. Now I don’t recommend you stealing from your neighbors, but where I live magnolias only grow where people have planted and tended them. One of those trees grows a block or so from me, and the flowered branches hang over the street, basically calling to me to lighten it’s load by a few flowers. One day, Dougie the dog and I wandered by and discretely let a few fall into a bag I just so happened to have with me. I knew I wouldn’t be caught, because even if we were seen, it’s basically impossible to look at us and not focus on how cute Dougie is. But still, stealing is technically wrong, even if you have a fool-proof plan. So do as I say, not as I do, and don’t steal magnolias. And if you’re my neighbor reading this, I’m totally joking. I got my magnolias somewhere else, not from you.
Magnolia flowers come in some different shapes, sizes, and colors. Amazingly, they have been around for over 20 million years, which is a good 18-19 million years before the first primate in the genus homo, and around 16 million years before the first bipedal primates. None of which is really relevant to foraging for magnolias, but I got a minor in Anthropology so sometimes you just have to deal with me sharing this stuff. Magnolias are native to parts of Asia, South America, and the southern parts of North America. They are planted other places as decorative trees, because their wide, cup-shaped pink and white flowers are just plain beautiful. Before you try a magnolia flower, identify which species you are picking. While there is no magnolia toxicity that I know of, there isn’t a ton of information on the safety of every species, so make sure the type you’re picking has been verified as safe. Check out this post for a little more information on different magnolia species. Magnolias taste a little like ginger and black pepper, with the crisp, freshness of cucumbers. They are great raw, but I prefer them pickled. I have read that the whole flower is edible, although again I only ate the petals as I don’t know much about eating the center of the flowers.
Feeling Flowery? Try one of these Vegan Flower recipes!
- Pink Hibiscus No Mayo Pasta Salad
- Daylily Flower Vegetable Lo Mein
- Vegan Date Scones with Pistachios and Rose Glaze
- Spring Stinging Nettle Pasta with Vegan Parmesan
- Creamy Pink Hibiscus Salad Dressing
- Garlic Mustard Recipe: Laminated Wild Ravioli
- Milkweed Mushroom Moo Shu
- Chilled Lemony Wood Sorrel Soup
- Hibiscus Flower and White Bean Vegan Tostadas
How to Make Pickled Magnolia Petals
This recipe is for quick pickles, also known as refrigerator pickles, which means they should be kept in the fridge and are not shelf stable. They will last for a good long time though! Making these pickles is really easy. Once you get your flowers, remove the petals and rinse them under cool water. Shake them dry, and gently pack them into jars. Also add some garlic and a star anise, although you can change it up a little if you like. Add some black peppercorns, a bay leaf, red pepper flakes, or other herbs and spices you want to enhance your pickles.
Make the brine with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. You can also use other vinegars if you prefer, but I think that rice vinegar compliments the taste of the magnolia petals well. Heat up the brine and whisk to help the salt and sugar to dissolve. Pour the warm brine over the petals, and throw them in the fridge. Let it sit overnight. The petals will absorb some vinegar, release water, and the flavor of the petals will also infuse into the vinegar. And you’re pickles are ready! Enjoy, my lovely vegan flower children!
How to Make Quick Pickled Magnolia Petals
Ingredients
- 6 oz. magnolia petals (about 25 blossoms)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 star anise (optional)
- 2 cup rice wine vinegar (you can substitute ½ of this for white vinegar, if you like)
- 2 tbsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. sugar
Instructions
- Gently rinse the magnolia blossoms in cool water to clean, making sure to always handle them delicately to avoid unnecessary bruising. Remove the petals from the flowers center, reserving only the petals. Use two pint-sized mason jars, and place one clove of garlic and one star anise in each. Divide the petals in half, and pack them into the two jars.
- Add the vinegar, salt and sugar into a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until all the salt and sugar is dissolved into the vinegar. Pour the brine over the petals in both jars, so that the jars are full. Add a lid, and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, the petals will have lost water and reduced, leaving the jar about half full of liquid and half petals. Your pickles are now ready to be enjoyed! Eat on sushi, sandwiches, or my favorite, in a cucumber salad. Store pickles in the fridge.
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Loved your bit on stealing Magnolias…. ours will be out someday in Buffalo!
Thanks Kent! I imagine you have a bit of a wait for Spring in Buffalo- has the snow stopped falling yet?