Spring Salad with Edible Flowers ~ this simple side dish is spring in a bowl! I’ll show you how to identify, source, and use edible flowers to make this celebratory salad for weddings, showers, holidays, or any spring gathering.
This palate refreshing edible flower salad is uber simple.
I’ve tossed a mix of baby spring lettuces with finely shaved sweet onions, and then accented the whole thing with brilliant edible blooms. The salad is light and airy, and spectacular to look at. It’ll be the showpiece of your table.
what you’ll need:
- fresh spring lettuce mix
- a sweet onion such as Vidalia, Maui, or generic sweet variety
- edible flowers, either a colorful assortment, or a single type.
Which flowers are edible?
Let’s do a little edible flowers 101 ~ spring is the perfect season to find and use colorful edible flowers as a garnish in special dishes because by the time summer rolls around many of them have come and gone. Below is a list of the more common edible flowers so you’ll know what to look for. Any of these colorful spring blooms would be perfect for a salad like this. Here are some you’re likely to come across (I’ve highlighted in green the ones I used in my salad) ~
- carnation
- chrysanthemum
- citrus blossoms
- cornflower
- dandelion
- day lily
- dianthus
- daisy
- geranium
- hollyhock
- honeysuckle
- impatiens
- jasmine
- lavender
- lilac
- marigold
- nasturtium
- pansy
- passionflower
- clover
- rose
- snapdragon
- sunflower
- violet
How to prep edible flowers for salad
Washing edible flowers is an important step in preparing them for consumption, as it helps to remove any dirt, debris, or potential contaminants. Here are the steps to follow when washing edible flowers:
- Start by gently shaking the flowers to remove any loose dirt or debris.
- Rinse the flowers gently under cool, running water. Be careful not to use too much water pressure, as this can damage delicate petals.
- If the flowers are particularly dirty or have insect debris, you can soak them in a bowl of cool water for a few minutes.
- After soaking, lift the flowers out of the water and drain them on a clean towel or paper towel.
- If you plan to use the flowers immediately, pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Alternatively, you can let them air dry for a few minutes.
- If you use whole flowers, remove pistils and stamens before eating. Alternately you can pluck off the petals.
- I recommend adding flowers at the very last minute to your salads, no need to dress them, just scatter them on top.
- If you are not using the flowers right away, store them in a sealed container lined with a damp paper towel in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.
It’s important to note that some delicate flowers, such as pansies, can be easily damaged during washing, so it’s important to be gentle and handle them with care. Additionally, it’s essential to use only organically grown edible flowers, as flowers that have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals should not be consumed.
Where can I find edible flowers?
Source your edible blossoms in one of several ways ~ you can buy them in some supermarkets, just look in the same area where you find the fresh herbs. I know Melissa’s Produce sells them. You can use blossoms from your own garden. You can ‘borrow’ blossoms from friends and neighbors. Check with your local nursery ~ some now have edible flower sections. Flowers from a florist are likely to have been treated with pesticides or chemicals, so avoid them.
light dressings for your salad
As for dressing, use a light vinaigrette type , nothing thick or creamy that will weigh down your salad. I have lots of great SALAD DRESSING RECIPES on the blog. I think my RHUBARB VINAIGRETTE, or my LEMON POPPY SEED DRESSING would be especially nice with this salad.
TIP: Don’t pour your dressing over baby greens and try to toss them, the dressing will saturate the delicate leaves, and they’ll wilt and stick together. Not a good thing. I suggest one of two things: either serve the salad dry, and let everyone drizzle dressing on their own plate, or put the dressing at the bottom of the bowl, top with the lettuce, and toss just before serving, right at the table.
The secret to a super fresh (super quick) salad
I buy triple washed spring greens in the plastic tubs, that way they’re clean and dry. I prefer the tubs over the bags because I find that they’re much fresher that way.
I try to avoid washing delicate greens like this because it’s time consuming and very difficult to get them completely dry. The tubs are well worth it!
What do edible flowers taste like?
I’m not gonna lie ~ I use edible flowers more for their color and drama than for their taste ~ but that doesn’t mean they taste bad. Some of them are slightly spicy, some are grassy, some are sweet ~ just give them a nibble to see. If you want to dip your toes in the whole edible flower experience, I recommend starting with pansies or marigold petals, they’re easy to come by, and have a big impact.
Do you follow me on PINTEREST? I hope so! Check out my Edible Flower Pinterest board for tons of inspiration!
more edible flower recipes
- How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies
- Pansy Salad
- Purple Kale and Pansy Salad
- Wild violet lemonade
- Lilac Sugar Shortbread
- Honeysuckle Ice Cream
- How to Make Bee Balm Tea
Spring Salad with Edible Flowers
Ingredients
- 5 ounce clamshell pack of baby spring greens mix
- 1 small sweet onion such as Vidalia, Maui, or any generic sweet onion
- assorted edible flowers
- 1/4 cup dressing of your choice
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onion into paper thin rounds. The easiest way to do this is with a mandoline slicer. if you don’t have one, just get them as thin as you can. Separate the rings.
- Put the dressing at the bottom of a very large salad bowl.
- Put the greens and onions into the bowl, but don’t mix with the dressing.
- Scatter the edible flowers across the top of the salad.
- Bring the salad to the table and toss with the dressing just before serving.
- Alternately you can serve the dressing on the side.
Notes
- Be careful to only use the blossoms of these edible flowers…other parts of the plant, such as the leaves, etc., may be inedible.
- To store edible flowers for a short time, either put them in water, if they still have their stems, and put that in the refrigerator, or line a plastic storage container with a damp paper towel and lay them out in a single layer, cover, and put in the refrigerator. Plan to use them asap.
- If you have a green thumb, you can buy collections of edible seeds to grow an edible flower garden right in your own yard.
Nutrition
Notes:
- Be careful to only use the blossoms of these edible flowers…other parts of the plant, such as the leaves, etc., may be inedible.
- To store edible flowers for a short time, either put them in water, if they still have their stems, and put that in the refrigerator, or line a plastic storage container with a damp paper towel and lay them out in a single layer, cover, and put in the refrigerator. Plan to use them asap.
- If you have a green thumb, you can buy collections of edible seeds to grow an edible flower garden right in your own yard.
Don’t forget to pin this spring salad with edible flowers!
Hello, I would add a caution to not use flowers from a florist as they could be treated with pesticides. Only buy from the produce section of your grocery store.
Hey Sue,
Do you have an updated link for the edible garden seeds thats mentioned above?
Yes Sam, here’s an updated link, and I changed it in the post..https://www.amazon.com/Edible-Flower-Seed-Kit-Instructions/dp/B06XK39D8S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1541135956&sr=8-5&keywords=edible+garden+seeds
No hesitation and no doubt about it: this is the loveliest salad I’ve ever seen. I love the fact that it could double as a bouquet! 😉 You’re so inspiring!
You’ve made my day 🙂
I’ve never seen white nasturtiums. They look as delicious as this salad. GREG
how much beauty in a salad you made up here, in love with it, and i really enjoy being stumbled upon your blog so i get to know you! greetings from Italy!
Thanks Elisabetta ~ so glad to welcome you in!