Spring Salad: Fennel and Dandelion Leaf Recipe
What if I told you there were highly nutritious, delicious, and totally free greens available on almost every corner and lawn? There are- dandelion leaves, as it were. And if you’ve got a hankering to try them, let me share this dandelion leaf recipe to get you started. It’s a simple preparation of peppery dandelion leaves, sweet fennel bulb, and the delicate onion flavor of purple shallots in a basic lemony dressing. Easy and bright, the perfect ending to an afternoon foraging.
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How to Forage for Dandelions
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 be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
Dandelions are a common plant, often considered a weed, that grow most places in the world. They love lawns and gardens and disturbed earth. Dandelions thrive well in partial shade, but can tolerate full sun as well. These hardy plants have bright, yellow flowers that grow singly from a hallow stem. As the flowers age they become a white puffball to disperse the seeds. The leaves, which we are using in this recipe, grow from a basal rosette. They have some variation in shape, but are oblong and jagged, with pointed “teeth” that point downwards. Sometimes they may exude a milky sap when harvested.
Because dandelions are just about everywhere, a key to harvesting them is to make sure you’re harvesting somewhere that hasn’t been sprayed and is not overly polluted. Dandelion leaves can be harvested at any time (depending on your climate), but the most tender and least bitter leaves are larger ones harvested in the spring.
Dandelions have a few lookalikes, but no toxic ones that I am aware of. Still, make sure you know how to identify dandelions properly. As the saying goes, “There are old foragers, and there are bold foragers, but there are no old, bold, foragers”.
You can use the leaves, roots, and blooms of dandelions. The leaves are peppery and somewhat bitter, and can be used similarly to arugula and other bitter greens. They can be served raw or cooked. Dandelion greens are incredibly healthy. They are low in calories and fat. And while they have some protein, where they really shine is in micronutrients. They have healthy amounts of Vitamins A, C, E, and K (they’re particularly high in Vitamin K). The leaves also contain plenty of minerals- calcium, potassium, iron, folate, and magnesium. Top that off with a good dose of beta carotene and polyphenols.
Looking for Dandelion Recipes? Try one of these!
Looking for Fennel Recipes? Try one of these!
- Vegan Mung Bean Dal Fennel Frond Recipe
- Fennel and Apple Salad in Belgian Endive Cups
- Stinging Nettle Vegan Green Minestrone
- Vegan Caramelized Onion and Fennel Pizza
How to Make Fennel and Dandelion Leaf Salad
While I love salads with tons of ingredients chopped up small, this is not a salad like that. I intentionally kept this salad simple, using only a few ingredients that would have a big impact. That way the work for this dandelion leaf recipe will be simple after taking the time to forage, and the dandelion leaves themselves will really shine. This salad is made up of a homemade dressing that you can whip together in the same bowl you put your salad in. It also contains the dandelion leaves themselves, half a bulb of fennel for added flavor, sweetness, and crunch, and thinly sliced shallots bring it all together.
This recipe is for a nice, large salad. You’ll need to forage 4 to 5 ounces of dandelion leaves, which is about the same as four cups packed. I find that when I pick dandelion leaves I need to do a second pick through them after (especially if my significant other helped with the picking) because I get a decent amount of grass and dandelion stems mixed in with the leaves. Give the leaves a good wash. If you have smaller leaves you can just leave them as is, but if they’re on the larger size you’ll want to give them a rough chop. The shallots and the fennel should both be cut into very thin slices.
To make the dressing, simply place all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Use a whisk or fork to quickly beat it together. Once the dressing is made, throw the greens, fennel, and shallots into the bowl and toss to coat the leaves in the dressing.
And that’s it! Enjoy this dandelion leaf recipe, and tuck in.
Spring Salad: Fennel and Dandelion Leaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-5 oz. dandelion leaves (about 4 cups, packed)
- ½ fennel bulb
- 1 medium shallot
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. whole grain mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the dandelion leaves, taking a few minutes to pick through and remove any stems or grass that might have gotten mixed in. Place on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. If your leaves are large, cut or tear them roughly into bite-sized pieces. Cut the shallot and fennel into thin slices. If you do have fennel fronds, you can also finely chop a few sprigs to add, but they are not necessary.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced garlic, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and some salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine. Add the dandelion leaves, fennel, and shallots. Toss to combine, so all the leaves are coated in the dressing.
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