Wild and Creamy Dandelion Soup Recipe

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This hearty soup is easy to prepare and is perfect for those chilly days when you want something warm and comforting, like nettle or rosehip soup. It is a delicious and satisfying treat with cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties.

In this recipe, I will explain how to make a delicious wild dandelion soup and clarify its benefits.

• Extra virgin olive oil. Or any other neutral oil.
• Garlic minced
• Onions finely chopped
• Dandelion greens. Preferably tender if you prefer lower the bitterness.
• Potatoes. Any, including sweet potatoes, will do.
• Vegetable stock
• Lemon juice to balance the flavor
• Sour cream

See the recipe card for quantities.

Knowing the right time to harvest dandelion leaves is crucial. They can be a gourmet if collected before flowering in early spring. With more sunlight and slower growth, they become very bitter. So to get the best flavor, harvest young tender leaves from inside the plant.

Choose a patch away from roadsides or areas sprayed with pesticides. Your garden is the safest place.

You can also buy them in food stores, farmers' markets, and specialty foods stores.

Dandelion leaves are a highly nutritious food source, packed with essential vitamins such as A, B6, and C and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. They also support good digestion by stimulating the flow of gastric juices and increasing the excretion of bile. Additionally, they are rich in inulin, which helps beneficial bacteria in your gut thrive. Furthermore, dandelion greens exhibit a strong diuretic effect, which helps to flush out the kidneys and bladder."

First step: Prepare dandelion leaves.

Wash the dandelion greens thoroughly and remove the tough stems. Chop the greens into small pieces.

Second step: sauté onion and garlic.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, and simmer until the onion becomes translucent.

Third step: Add broth and cook the potatoes.

Add the cubed potatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, until they soften.

Fourth step: Add dandelion greens.

Add the chopped dandelion greens to the pot, and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally, until the greens wilt.

Fifth step: Blend the mixture.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it's smooth and creamy. For additional creaminess, stir with a whisk a dollop of sour cream. This will create a rich and creamy texture and mellow out the bitterness of the dandelion greens.

Sixth step: Season

Add one tablespoon of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the homemade soup hot, garnished with chopped dandelion greens, flowers, or roasted sunflower seeds.

To substitute dandelion greens, spinach or kale have a similar texture and flavor and are packed with nutrients.

Use other starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, or parsnips in your soup. Alternatively, use red lentils for extra protein and fiber.

You can substitute veggie bouillon with chicken or beef stock instead.

If you don't have lemon juice, you can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar to add tang to your soup.

Add sautéed mushrooms to your delicious soup for extra depth of flavor. You can use any mushrooms you like, such as cremini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms.

A pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes gives this soup heat. You can also add diced jalapeno peppers for an extra kick. I like to add a cumin too.

Add a can of diced tomatoes to your soup for a tangy and sweet flavor. You can also add fresh herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, or oregano to complement the tomatoes.

Add steamed kale, cauliflower, or broccoli to the soup to balance the bitterness.

• If you're not used to eating bitter greens, use fewer in the soup. While the greens add a pleasant and subtle bitterness to the soup, it may not appeal to everyone, especially kids. Starting with a smaller amount of dandelion greens may be a good idea.
• When you miss the young leaves and use matured dandelion leaves that are more bitter, boil them in a pot of water for around 5 minutes. This can help to reduce their bitterness and make them more palatable.

Dandelion soup has a unique and slightly bitter taste. The level of bitterness varies depending on the freshness and age of the greens, as well as the other ingredients used in the soup.

Allow it to cool completely at room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. I like to use glass container one and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Homemade sunscreen with coconut oil and dandelions

Vegan dandelion honey, aka Dandelion syrup

Green smoothie recipe with nettle and dandelions

Dandelion tea recipe: (from flowers, greens or roasted roots)