Roasted Dandelion Root Fries

April 14, 2022

Dandelion is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring, this yellow ray of sunshine brings the hope of spring after long dark winters here in Maine. I eagerly await the arrival of spring each year, so I can see the fields on the farm turn into a sea of beautiful yellow.

Dandelions have a long history as a staple food and medicine. Many of our ancestors would use the yellow blossoms for wine, fritters and baking, and eat the tender green leaves and roots as a springtime tonic to help cleanse the body and support the liver and kidneys.

I’ve always felt that if more people understood the virtues and benefits of this sweet plant, people might think twice about poisoning their lawns and the environment with harmful herbicides. Herbicides can cause serious damage to our livers and kidneys and recent legal decisions have affirmed that some can cause cancer. They’re harmful to us, but to other plants, pollinators, animals, birds and insects, leaching into streams, rivers and polluting our precious sacred water systems.

So stop using herbicides and start harvesting this amazing plant!

When harvesting any plant make sure you know the land and where you're harvesting from to make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals.

I harvest Dandelion throughout the year for food and or medicine and primarily harvest only from my gardens. If you don’t have gardens of your own, reach out to your local organic farmer—guarantee they’ll be eager for someone to pull up some dandelions for them!

All parts of the plant are edible and medicinal but today we’re going to talk about the roots.

The tender roots can be gathered in the spring for food and gathered in fall for medicine. Harvesting dandelion roots is a journey into the underground. Their long taproots will take you deep into the earth. I always love to imagine each layer of soil as I dig them up with my hands. Feeling the shapes of rocks and soil structure and how many earthworms I encounter.

My absolute favorite way to eat the tender spring dandelion roots is roasting them! I like to gather the roots and cut them into sticks then rub with olive oil, salt and pepper, and divide them into two groups. One group gets smoked paprika rubbed on them and the other nutritional yeast. I bake them in the oven until soft with a slightly crunchy outside. Basically dandelion baked fries. SO Good.

ROASTED DANDELION ROOT FRIES

FRIES

A couple of handfuls of tender dandelion roots
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

OPTIONAL SPICES (A DASH OR TWO EACH)

Smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper
Smoked cayenne
Cumin
Nutritional yeast

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Baking sheet

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Thoroughly wash and dry the dandelion roots, making sure to cut off the green tops. Cut the roots lengthwise into the shape of thin fries. Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Then sprinkle on a dash or two of any or all of the wonderful spices from the options list. Mix thoroughly, making sure each fry gets nice and coated with the oil and spices.

Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes or until cooked to your liking. I like mine nice and crunchy, borderline burnt, so I usually leave them in a little longer for that texture. Just check on them every 2 to 3 minutes until they reach the desired roast.

These are so good and can be enjoyed with any sort of tasty aioli, hot sauce, vinegar or—my favorite—all on their own.

April Dandelion Plant of the Month Herbal Medicine Making Kit

Want to learn more about Dandelions and how to work with them? Sign up for our Plant of the Month Medicine Making Kits. Dandelion is the Plant of the Month for April!

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