Fried Dandelions (Appalachian Style)

Rating: 4.93 stars
15 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 14
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0

This is a recipe handed down by my mother and is a local favorite back in West Virginia, up in the Appalachian Mountains. This recipe consists of picking the largest dandelion flowers and leaving the entire stem behind, battering the flowers up and frying them in butter. Has a flavor similar to that of mushrooms. One word of caution...to avoid a bitter taste, make sure the dandelion flowers you're picking have not been sprayed by dogs or pesticides.

By Micah Funk
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Ingredients

8
Original recipe yields 8 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Combine the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until evenly combined; set aside. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl, then stir in the dandelion blossoms until completely coated.

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  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove half of the dandelions from the egg, and allow the excess egg to drip away. Toss in the flour until completely coated, then remove from the flour, tossing between your hands to allow excess flour to fall away. Cook the dandelions in the melted butter until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining dandelions.

Editor's Note

The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the breading ingredients. The actual amount of the breading consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

Cook's Notes

Prepare the dandelion flowers ahead of time by submerging them in a bowl of room-temperature water with about 1 tablespoon of salt added to the water. This rids the flowers of any insects that could be in the blossoms. Soak for about 10 minutes. Rinse the flowers in fresh water. Using a salad spinner works nicely to rinse and dry the dandelion flowers.

Tips

There is a variety of the dandelion that has a thin solid stalk and this is NOT the flower to use. Make sure the dandelions you pick have the tubular stalk.

Tips

As an option, canola or vegetable oil can be used to fry the dandelions in but the flavor will change accordingly. Try using some other spices, like garlic powder, in seasoning to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
265.8 calories; 7.2 g protein; 27.2 g carbohydrates; 123.5 mg cholesterol; 821.1 mg sodium. Full Nutrition

Reviews (13)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

leslie
Rating: 5 stars
03/25/2012
Delicious! Cheap and easy, and everyone will be amused with your resourcefulness! Feel free to add any spice you desire to the flour and salt/pepper mixture. I add cinnamon and sweet basil in place of salt and pepper and serve with hot fudge syrup or syrup of choice!! Read More
Helpful
(14)
15 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 14
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
leslie
Rating: 5 stars
03/25/2012
Delicious! Cheap and easy, and everyone will be amused with your resourcefulness! Feel free to add any spice you desire to the flour and salt/pepper mixture. I add cinnamon and sweet basil in place of salt and pepper and serve with hot fudge syrup or syrup of choice!! Read More
Helpful
(14)
americanmom82
Rating: 5 stars
03/04/2012
My grandma made Fried Dandelions when I was young and they were always so delicious. Thanks for this recipe! Just like grandmas! Read More
Helpful
(9)
cookincat743
Rating: 5 stars
04/17/2013
I have made these for a few years now I found a similar recipe (I use oil though not butter) and tried it with my small kids as something fun to do. We went out for a nice walk in a nearby field and picked dandelions then came home and fried them up. I wasn't expecting for them to taste DELICIOUS and for my three and two year old to beg me to make them again and again!! I always describe them as tasting like fried green beans without the juiciness of fried green beans. These are just crunchy little bites of heaven. To this day the minute dandelions appear in the spring my kids ask me to make them. I love the tip for soaking them in salt water to get rid of any bugs! Next time I will definitely do that. Read More
Helpful
(7)
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Jan Deligans
Rating: 5 stars
04/02/2017
This is outstandingly tasty and easy. One small point of confusion though in the ingredients list it says to use "unopened" dandelions which is not correct. You should use fully opened ones and the larger ones are better in my opinion. Also the next time I make it I might try to think of a dipping sauce to add more flavor. But it was great as it was. They are also best served immediately. I also used way less flour than the recipe said. Read More
Helpful
(6)
debbierogers1
Rating: 5 stars
05/06/2015
Good recipe! never had tried anything from the yard before was pleasantly surprised I will say that I prob. had more than 80 heads and made half the breading mixture and it was more than enough. Be careful to shake off extra flour before frying it burned the butter to quickly after cleaning the fry pan out I did a half butter half oil and it burned less but also had less buttery good flavor. Read More
Helpful
(3)
Megs
Rating: 5 stars
06/14/2018
I was skeptical but i made them tonight. Omg. So good. The kids went crazy for them. I made a couple changes, used fully opened flowers and salt free seasoning, then fried them in olive oil because I didn't have any butter, turned out great. Definitely a keeper. Read More
Helpful
(3)
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st753m
Rating: 5 stars
05/07/2016
Really good! Next time I make this I'll only use half as much flour/salt/pepper however. Read More
Helpful
(2)
Pokygirl
Rating: 4 stars
05/09/2018
This is pretty good. I also battered the opened yellow flowers this way and the tiny unopened buds found at the middle of the plant. Read More
Helpful
(1)
Myla
Rating: 5 stars
05/14/2020
It's very simple to tell a tubular stem to one that is well, something like a rose stem. This posting and the recipe...perfect. Read More
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