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This Sautéed Dandelion Greens recipe is an easy way to enjoy this nutritious vegetable! Simply sautéed with garlic and olive oil and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, these greens are a great seasonal side dish with your favorite protein or even on their own with some rustic Italian bread.
What Exactly are Dandelion Greens?
Dandelion greens are the green (and sometimes red) serrated leaves that grow from the hollow stem of the dandelion plant (technically, taraxacum officinale and sometimes known as a Swedish mum)–the wild yellow flower that rears its head in springtime worldwide. Its name actually comes from the French dent de lion (lion’s tooth), presumably referring to its jagged-looking leaves.
Traditionally, dandelion greens were foraged in the wild (and still are in many places). Check out my story on “Picking Dandelion Greens on the Side of the Road” for my own personal experience with this! They’ve actually been a staple of Italian cooking, where it’s known as cicoria, since the 1800s and were especially very popular during the Depression Era due to it being so plentiful in the wild.
Dandelion Greens have a sharp, bitter flavor along with notes of spice and pepper (like arugula) and are one of the bolder tasting veggies out there. Like many other dark leafy greens, the younger and smaller dandelion leaves tend to be more mild and tender than the robust, fibrous and bolder-tasting larger, more mature leaves.
And, while they might be considered an acquired taste due to their unique, bitter flavor, dandelion greens are a nutritional powerhouse, making them a great accompaniment to any meal. According to healthline.com, they are “loaded with vitamins, minerals…are rich in fiber” and antioxidants and have numerous other benefits.
Best Ways to Enjoy Dandelion Greens
They’re great either raw or cooked. I generally keep it simple when preparing dandelion greens and tend to enjoy them in either a light dandelion salad or a quick sauté. In this sautéed dandelion greens recipe, they’re wilted with lots of garlic and extra virgin olive oil then finished with a splash of fresh lemon juice.
If I have a lot of these greens, I’ll sometimes turn them into a pureed soup with white beans, a pesto (substituting them for basil) or a more bold version of greens and beans.
Like other bitter greens, dandelion tastes best when balanced with plenty of fat, like extra virgin olive oil or bacon fat, and acids like lemon juice or vinegar. They’re also can handle and love bold flavors like anchovy and soy sauce. Mangia bene!
How to Select and Prepare Dandelion Greens
Make sure the dandelion leaves are firm and rich green without yellow or brown spots. They should not be wilted but rather firm and should stand straight like flowers.
When you get them home, wrap the greens in a damp paper towel in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator right away and use within a few days.
To clean dandelion, either give them a good thorough rinse under running cold water or swish them around in a large bowl filled with water to remove residual dirt. Repeat if necessary.
The bottom of each dandelion stem tends to be tough and bitter. So, chop off and discard up to right around where the leaves begin. Further chop into bite sized pieces, then they’re ready for sauteed dandelion greens or any other recipe.
How to Make Sautéed Dandelion Greens
- Cut off and discard any tough ends from the dandelion leaves. Then, cut the greens into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a bowl of cold water and swish them around to shake off excess dirt. Rinse them well and repeat as needed.
- Heat olive oil, chopped garlic cloves and red pepper flakes in a large sauté or frying pan over medium heat and cook until the garlic begins to soften and lightly brown and turn fragrant.
- Add the prepped dandelion leaves to the pan and stir to mix well. Work in batches if necessary. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until your desired level of tenderness and long enough to allow any residual liquid in the dandelion to evaporate. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
- Serve hot or at room temperature with an (optional) squeeze of fresh lemon juice. That’s it!
More Delicious Vegetable Recipes
- Roasted Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs
- Sautéed Brocccoli Rabe with Garlic and Olive Oil
- Roasted Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar
- Stuffed Zucchini
- Easy Pesto Roasted Potatoes
- Creamed Spinach with Croutons
- Grilled Marinated Eggplant
- Sautéed Escarole
- Smashed Sicilian Cauliflower with Seasoned Breadcrumbs
Frequently Asked Questions
When in season, you can find them at farmers market and possibly the grocery stores in the produce section by other dark leafy greens like kale and chard. A CSA box from a local farm may be another great source for dandelion greens. Talk to local growers about when they’re most abundant in your area.
Blanching (i.e., briefly immersing the dandelion leaves in boiling water) is actually the best way to take some of the bitterness out of the dandelion greens. Using this technique, some of the bitterness leaches into the water in as little as one minute. Be sure to always plunge the greens into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and preserve the color. Then squeeze out as much water as possible from them before proceeding to sauté.
These days, dandelion greens that you find at the market are more commonly cultivated. But they still grow in the wild as weeds in fields and in large patches of grass. They peak at the beginning of spring and go through mid-summer.
Some also grow them in their home gardens for the edible leaves. Cultivated dandelion tends to be more mild and tender that their wild counterparts.
TOP TIPS FOR SAUTÉED DANDELION GREENS
- Rinse the Greens: Though not as filled with dirt as the dandelion greens we foraged years ago, they still tend to hold a good amount. Rinse the greens in cold water as many times as needed to remove all residual dirt.
- They Shrink! Like broccoli rabe and other dark leafy greens, dandelion leaves will wilt down significantly in volume, so be sure to start with a heaping pile if you want several portions.
- Olive Oil: I suggest using the good extra-virgin olive oil here. With so few ingredients in this recipe, the flavor of the oil will shine through significantly in the finished dish.
- Serving Suggestions:
- Enjoy with your favorite protein, such as chicken cutlets, Italian sausage or roast chicken.
- Turn into a bruschetta on some grilled or toasted Italian bread that’s been lightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Why not? (See photo above.)
- Add sautéed dandelion greens to any number of hot sandwiches, such as eggplant or chicken parm or a saucy meatball sub. Try them with Italian sausage and sharp provolone on a soft long roll for a flavor explosion! Or, fold them into your morning scrambled eggs or frittata for a nutritional and flavor boost.
- Recipe Variations:
- Sometimes, I’ll add 2-3 anchovies to the pan along with the garlic and let is dissolve into the oil for a serious hit of umami (savoriness).
- Instead of lemon juice, you could also use a splash of red or white wine vinegar (or just leave out the acid entirely).
- To remove some of the bitterness, blanch the greens briefly in salted boiling water. (See Frequently Asked Questions above.)
- Sprinkle the finished sautéed dandelion greens with some grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese.
- Leftovers: Leftover Sautéed Dandelion Greens can be held in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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Easy Sautéed Dandelion Greens (Cicoria)
Equipment
- Large Sauté Pan rondeau or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds dandelion greens
- 4-6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped or thinly-sliced garlic
- Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
- To taste salt and black pepper
- Freshly-squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Cut off and discard any tough ends from the dandelion leaves (the part right up to where the leaves begin). Then, cut the greens into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a bowl of cold water and swish them around to shake off excess dirt. Rinse them well and repeat as needed until all residual dirt is gone.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)About 2 pounds dandelion greens
- Combine the olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until the garlic begins to soften and lightly brown and turn fragrant.4-6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup chopped or thinly-sliced garlic, Pinch crushed red pepper
- Add the prepped dandelion leaves to the pan and stir to mix well. Work in batches if necessary. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until your desired level of tenderness and long enough to allow any residual liquid in the dandelion to evaporate. Add a splash of water to the pan if you think it needs a bit more time to cook and the pan is getting too dry. You can also put the lid on and let the greens steam a bit.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature with an (optional) squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Rinse the Greens: Though not as filled with dirt as the dandelion greens we foraged years ago, they still tend to hold a good amount. Rinse the greens in cold water as many times as needed to remove all residual dirt.
- They Shrink! Like other dark leafy greens, dandelion leaves will wilt down significantly in volume, so be sure to start with a heaping pile if you want several portions.
- Blanch to Remove Bitterness: Though I did not do this here, you can blanch the dandelion leaves (i.e., briefly immerse in boiling water) to remove some of their bitterness. Using this technique, some of the bitterness leaches into the water. As little as one minute in salted, boiling water will make an effect. Be sure to always plunge the greens into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and preserve the color. Then squeeze out as much water as possible from them before proceeding to sauté.
- Blanch and Freeze: Blanched dandelion freezes really well and should be frozen after blanching and before sautéing. If you plan on freezing it, immediately immerse the blanched broccoli rabe in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and retain its beautiful green color. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Blanch and Hold: Similarly, the dandelion can be blanched and held in the refrigerator for a couple of days before sautéing it. If you plan on doing this, immediately immerse the blanched dandelion in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and retain its beautiful green color. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Leftovers: Leftover Sautéed Dandelion Greens can be held in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Sometimes, I’ll add 2-3 anchovies to the pan along with the garlic and let is dissolve into the oil for a serious hit of umami (savoriness).
- Instead of lemon juice, you could also use a splash of red or white wine vinegar (or just leave out the acid entirely).
- To remove some of the bitterness, blanch the greens briefly in salted boiling water.
- Sprinkle the finished sautéed dandelion greens with some grated pecorino or parmigiano
- Enjoy with your favorite protein, such as chicken cutlets, Italian sausage or roast chicken.
- Turn into a bruschetta on some grilled or toasted Italian bread that’s been lightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Why not?
- Add sautéed dandelion greens to any number of hot sandwiches, such as eggplant or chicken parm or a saucy meatball sub. Try them with Italian sausage and sharp provolone on a soft long roll for a flavor explosion! Or, fold them into your morning scrambled eggs or frittata for a nutritional and flavor boost.
- Make sure the dandelion leaves are firm and rich green without yellow or brown spots. They should not be wilted but rather firm and should stand straight like flowers.
- When you get them home, wrap the greens in a damp paper towel in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator right away and use within a few days.
Oh the memories this recipe brings back!