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Cream of Dandelion Soup Recipe
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Care2 Green Living
The oft-maligned dandelion has taken a bum rap in the American diet. What a shame! This steadfast and happy plant offers amazing nutrition and medicinal benefits, and can be as tasty as greens can be. Try this recipe for Cream of Dandelion Soup and elevate dandelions from troublesome weeds to celebrated greens.
There is a traditional soup in France, creme de pissenlits, which balances dandelion’s spiciness and subtle bitterness with other savory flavors. It is delicious, and in my opinion is the perfect way to eat dandelion greens. The traditional French recipe uses Dijon mustard. I think it adds some lovely depth, but you may prefer it without.
See Eating Dandelions for more information about harvesting and preparing dandelions.
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds (about 6 cups) dandelion greens, trimmed and washed
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock
2 large leeks, white and light parts only, cleaned and sliced
1 carrot, cleaned and diced
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dandelion buds and/or flower petals for garnish
1. If using more mature or very bitter tasting greens, blanch them in a pot of boiling salted water, then drain and squeeze out the excess water, chop and set aside.
2. Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium high heat, add greens, carrot and leeks and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
3. Add stock and simmer for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in milk, cook stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
4. Puree mix in a tightly-covered blender until smooth, taking care with the hot liquid. Season with salt and pepper, and add Dijon if you like.
5. Serve in bowls and garnish with flowers or buds.
More on Soups & Salads (328 articles available)More from Melissa Breyer (125 articles available)
27 comments
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- Simone S. says
- Apr 30, 2008 7:06 PM
Keeping alive age old recipies is wounderful to see. Our Elders knew how to make the most out of things and seemed to have a pretty tasty diet too.
- Dennis White says
- Apr 13, 2008 8:55 PM
dandelion salads, greens.. long, long time family tradition with us. Spied this recipe and could NOT wait to try it as our dandelions are just now "coming to size."
We all enjoyed it. And readers, please believe me, my family members pride themselves as being "dandelion" critics in every possible way. EVERYONE who tried this soup really enjoyed it; including our neighbor who is NEW to dandelion greens!!!
I personally THANKYOU you for this recipe, and it will REMAIN within the archives of our family's dandelion recipes. As bacon has always been a dandelion staple of the past, we added chopped bacon bits, and discovered that dry mustard works well as a substitute for the Dijon.. as will regular, plain ylw mustard. THANKS AGAIN. Wonderful. A keeper.. a treasure. DW
- Anne Soden says
- Apr 11, 2008 6:26 PM
I was raised with dandelion (chicoria). It is very good for you and all the supermarkets in my area carry it. If you buy it when it has flowers, it is too bitter. The younger the better.
- Julie M. says
- Apr 8, 2008 7:45 AM
If you can find Sheep's Milk youi will greatly increse teh nutrituional value of any dairy-based recipe. Sheep Milk, including Feta Cheese, is as high in Antioxidant Omega 3 as Salmon and Tuna! (Goat Milk will also be better than Cow's Milk. Since that milk flavor can be stonger, maybe go with it and also add elephant garlic a pinch of Tumeric.) Please contact your local/regional organic Sheep Farmers - and ask them for milk products!
- Darcy Demianoff-thompson says
- Apr 2, 2008 12:11 PM
Has anyone tried this recipe without the milk? If you take the milk out what can you use in it's place?
- Dee B. says
- Apr 1, 2008 4:47 PM
I tasted dandelion wine once - it was yummy! Have known family members that cooked these greens but I've never tried them. Maybe now's the time...
- Pat Tyler says
- Mar 30, 2008 10:35 AM
Dandelions are considered weeds by so many and sprayed with roundup and other pesticides, people dig them out of their lawns as if they were mutants,only the pesticides are! Let the Monsanto's of the world know that they are destroying our planets eco system.
Pat Tyler ND
- Lydia P. says
- Mar 30, 2008 7:51 AM
My father in law made us Dandelion wine, it was pretty good as I recall.
- Monica A. says
- Mar 29, 2008 10:32 AM
My grandmother used to go out and pick dandelions along the roadside as well as wild mushrooms and elderberries and cook them up into soups and stews and feed her family for free. This was in post war Austria when food was scarce and expensive and she was the matriarch and my hero to this day, dead for going on 30 years. I love recipes that bring her memories alive since most of her receipes died with her.
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