Spring’s in full swing, and our garden is bursting with dandelions. Their long leaves and bright blooms are tucked among the grass, which is springing back to life, a sure sign the season has arrived. Last year, I tried my hand at dandelion honey—a plant-based twist on honey that’s been around for centuries. But this time, I’ve got a different plan: I’m using the whole plant, from root to flower, starting with dandelion tea. It’s an easy way to make the most of what’s right at my feet, and it keeps the garden from being completely overrun with seeds.
Foraging dandelions isn’t just about keeping them in check; it’s a way to turn these so-called “weeds” into something nourishing. Dandelion flower tea is light, delicate, and a little sweet with soft floral notes. Sticking to just the flowers delivers the gentlest flavour, perfect if you’re new to using dandelions in tea. Adding the leaves brings more of a bitter edge, but you can mellow it out with a drizzle of dandelion honey, your favourite sweetener, or by blending in a few other herbs.
There’s something incredibly satisfying utilising these often-overlooked edible plants, then transforming them into a tea that reflects the changing seasons.
Harvesting and preparing
Pick fresh dandelion flowers from a clean, pesticide-free area. Be sure to remove any green parts (sepals) as they can add bitterness.
The flowers can be used fresh or dried, but always remove the green parts to avoid any unwanted bitterness.
Shake and rinse the flowers to remove dirt or bugs, but try not to wash away too much pollen, as it adds flavour. It’s easiest to handle this before drying—either pull out the petals or snip them off with scissors.
Drying and storing
To air dry, spread the dandelion petals on a paper towel on a drying rack or cake rack.
Place the rack in a warm, well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight. Turn the petals occasionally to ensure even drying. Once they are completely dry and brittle, they’re ready to store.
Alternatively, you can use a dehydrator or an oven set to 40–65ºC. Spread the petals on a lined baking sheet and, after cooking, turn off the oven. Once the temperature drops below 100ºC, place the tray inside, checking and turning the petals occasionally until they’re fully dried.
Making dandelion flowers tea
Whether using fresh or dried petals, the process is simple: Add them to boiling water. How strong you make it is up to you, but about 1 tablespoon per cup is a good starting point or half as much if using fresh.
More Foraging Recipes
There’s more to spring flowers than just daffodils. As a forager, our season begins with sweet violets, which blanket the riverbank as the sun warms the earth through the trees. Sweet violet vinegar and colour-changing sweet violet gin are both featured in our recipe calendar. Later in the season, it’s elderflower time. These fragrant blooms make a delicious cordial—a perfect homemade Christmas gift.
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I’ve always been interested in foraging, but I was afraid I’d forage the wrong plants and make myself sick . I live in Kentucky and my yard is full of beautiful yellow dandelions. There are so many I hate for them to go to waste . So I was wondering if there was a way to keep them long term and if they would still be as good.
Hello Cindy,
I like to dry them, but with flowers like violets I free-flow freeze them for future use – I haven’t tried this with dandelions but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. with dried herbs you use twice as much as fresh, the same applies to dandelion flowers. Find a foraging book that is local to your area if you want to become familiar with what’s around you, there are so many uses for lots of plants that are also free. You could also try dandelion honey for a home made sweetner too.