Are you looking for a recipe for dandelion vinegar that will add a unique and delicious twist to your dishes? Making your own wildly infused vinegar is super easy, and this dandelion vinegar recipe is a great place to start to make the most of Spring’s abundance of dandelion blooms.
An incredibly versatile and plentiful flower, the Dandelion is an instantly recognisable plant that most are familiar with. Though the dandelion is often treated as a weed, it has a long versatile list of culinary and medicinal uses.
Dandelion vinegar has a delicate sweetness that pairs well with the sharpness of the vinegar. The yellow hue of the vinegar, after infusing with the dandelion blossoms, adds a lovely touch of colour to your salad dressings or homemade mayonnaise!
Dandelion flowers have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, such as digestive disorders, liver and kidney problems, and skin conditions. Dandelion flowers are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, and they also contain minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium. So dandelion vinegar is not only a delicious addition to your salads, but also has some potential medicinal benefits too! You can find out more about foraging for dandelions in our handy guide.
Incorporating dandelion vinegar into your diet is an excellent way to introduce the many benefits of dandelion flowers into your body. This infusion is simple to make and uses only two ingredients – yellow dandelion blossoms and mild vinegar. You can experiment with different vinegars and ratios of blossoms to vinegar to create your own unique flavour combinations. So next time you’re out for a walk, consider gathering some dandelion flowers and infusing them into vinegar for a healthy and delicious addition to your meals!
1 cup yellow dandelion blossoms
1 cup mild, light-coloured vinegar (such as white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar)
Pick dandelion blossoms on a warm, sunny morning. Make sure you pick them from an area that is not near a road and has not been sprayed with any chemicals. When picking, always be sure to leave plenty for the pollinators to indulge in!
Lay the dandelion flowers on a tea towel outside for 15 minutes, to allow any insects to escape.
If you’re feeling patient, pinch off the calyx from the flowers – the little green casing the petals sit within. It’s not strictly necessary, but the calyx can be bitter.
Add your petals to a clean jam jar, then fill the jar with the mild vinegar of your choice, making sure the blossoms are fully covered.
Put the lid on the jar and let it sit at room temperature for approximately two weeks. You can leave it for longer if you want a deeper flavour, but 2-3 weeks should be plenty.
After the infusion period, strain the vinegar through a cheesecloth to catch any small flower pieces, then discard the dandelion pieces.
Your vinegar should now have a yellow hue and a delicate sweet floral honey flavour.
Store it in a sterilised jar in a cool place, where it will be ready to add to a salad whenever you need it!
Another great was to use dandelion vinegar is as a pickle liquor for wild garlic seed capers, in a homemade mayonnaise or bearnaise sauce!
Here are a handful more ideas and recipes featuring dandelions:
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To learn more about foraging for dandelions, check out our foraging guide.
Dandelion is a member of the Aster Family (Daisy family) – therefore not suitable for those allergic to daisies!
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