Dandelion Root Coffee Recipe
Ever thought of using your weeds to made a tasty coffee-substitute?
The History of Dandelions
Like many common weeds, dandelions are often vastly under-estimated, under-used and misunderstood. Despite being cultivated in parts of Britain, France and North America for over 150 years (1), they are still often considered just a 'weed' that needs eradicating. Similarly, coffee-substitutes are easily linked to events like the Second World War, when people resorted to roasting grains, acorns, cleaver seeds and dandelions roots instead of or to bulk up rationed coffee. Though in the 1900s it was also sold as an inexpensive coffee.
Dandelion roots can be used to create a caffeine-free coffee substitute, but dandelion coffee is also a drink in its own right. Made from roasting and grinding the roots, it gives off a pleasant aroma and has a slightly bitter after-taste, reminiscent of coffee or dark chocolate. Here I share step-by-step how to make homemade dandelion coffee.
1. Identify Dandelion Roots
How well do you know your dandelion roots? This might sound obvious to you, though I often see dandelions being misidentified. To complicate things (but only slightly), there are around 250 different types of dandelion. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) has toothed leaves, a hollow, branch-less stem with a milky sap and yellow flowers. Thankfully, this is also the most common dandelion.
2. When and How to Dig Up Dandelion Roots
The tooth-shaped leaves of spring and summer mark where I needed to dig. The roots of dandelions are long and thin and can be up to 25 cm in depth, not that I'm measuring. It is easy to snap them near the top if you don't carefully dig around the root, and even then, I normally have a few that mostly remain in the ground. So take your time. The slightly older ones are said to be the best, 1 or 2 years of age are a good size and not too bitter. If you’re digging on your own patch you might get to know your dandelions this intimately.
I find flower beds and vegetable patches the easiest to dig from, as the soil tends to be looser there. I've also made the mistake of accepting the offer of digging up a lot of dandelion roots from a friend's grass lawn. Yes, I did rid them of their dandelion roots, but I also left them with a lot of muddy holes. I wasn't invited back. In the UK you need permission from the landowner to dig up roots, though there’s always people who’ll happily let you do their weeding for you.
Autumn and Winter is the perfect time for digging up the roots. In the colder, darker months, the plant's energy is concentrated in the roots, making them sweeter and more nutritious. I like to time my digging with the waning moon too, when the pull towards the earth and those roots is strongest.
3. Preparing the Roots for Making Coffee
The roots need to washed well, then pat them dry and leave them in a warm place for 2-3 days to dry further. This will reduce the amount of time they need in the oven and concentrate the flavours. During this drying process the weight of the roots will halve. Next, finely chop the roots and preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C and dry roast the roots for 30-40 minutes (turning halfway through). The roots are ready when they are dark brown. Leave to cool and store in a clean jar. Grind for drinks and other recipes as needed.
Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee Recipe
Makes 50 g (7-8 tbsp)
Ingredients
280 g freshly dug up dandelion roots (tops removed)
Dig up the roots, wash well and leave to dry in a well-ventilated area for 2-3 days (this will reduce their weight by about half). Chop small and place on a large baking tray. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C and dry roast the roots for 30-40 minutes (turning halfway through). The roots are ready when they are dark brown. Leave to cool and store in a clean jar. Grind for drinks and other recipes as needed.
To make 1 mug of roasted dandelion coffee, grind 1 and 1/2 tbsp roots and place in a small pan with 350 ml water. Bring to a simmer and allow to gently bubble for 10 minutes. Strain and drink (or flavour with milk and sweetener and drink).
I teach about seasonal, edible weeds on my monthly foraging courses, with lots of tips for recipes, identification and hands on learning. Follow me on instagram or facebook to see regular posts and information, or sign up to the newsletter, oh and do tag me if you try any making this, I'd love to hear from you! @rachellambertwildfoodforaging
References and Credits
- Irving, M. (2009) The Forager Handbook - A guide to the edible plants of Britain
Top photo by: Jamie Mills, the rest by Rachel Lambert (copyright).
29 comments on “Dandelion Root Coffee Recipe”
Leave a Reply
Tags: coffee-substitute, dandelions, edible weeds, Taraxacum officinale, wild coffee, winter foraging, winter roots
[…] with homemade dandelion coffee. You’ll also need to look at my recipe for making good roasted dandelion coffee. Alternatively, you can buy dried dandelion roots and dandelion coffee at health food stores or […]
[…] you seen my dandelion coffee recipe? Dandelion roots and cleaver seeds are two wild edible plants I teach on my late summer, autumn and […]
Thank you very much! It's hard to find instructions on how to use the ground root. Most places assume you're going to boil up roasted root pieces without grinding. Also, I previously couldn't figure out how much water to how much ground root I should use. Have you tried different proportions to see which tastes better? And do you pour it through a coffee filter afterward?
Hi Marcy, Yes you can use a coffee filter or simply a tea strainer. Like tea or coffee, amounts are a personal preference so definitely worth experimenting with.
[…] Šaltiniai:https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/kiaulpiene/https://www.wildwalks-southwest.co.uk/dandelion-root-coffee-recipe/https://www.tea-and-coffee.com/blog/dandelion-coffee-benefits#h-dandelion-coffee-benefitshttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dandelion-benefitshttps://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/dandelionhttps://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-dandelion-root-89103 […]
[…] Closer to home, the same issues pushing up prices of other goods are affecting the cost of coffee, too. Think: wages, rent, cleaning products to keep that bathroom sparkling, even the electricity used to power the grinder. Plus, the price of milk is up, as is the price of oat milk—the latter also linked to climate change, as oat harvests are down due to poor growing seasons. It’s enough to make a person switch to brewing foraged dandelion roots instead—almost. […]
[…] Closer to home, the same issues pushing up prices of other goods are affecting the cost of coffee, too. Think: wages, rent, cleaning products to keep that bathroom sparkling, even the electricity used to power the grinder. Plus, the price of milk is up, as is the price of oat milk—the latter also linked to climate change, as oat harvests are down due to poor growing seasons. It’s enough to make a person switch to brewing foraged dandelion roots instead—almost. […]
[…] down as a consequence of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as an […]
[…] harvests are down because of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] Closer to home, the same issues pushing up prices of other goods are affecting the cost of coffee, too. Think: wages, rent, cleaning products to keep that bathroom sparkling, even the electricity used to power the grinder. Plus, the price of milk is up, as is the price of oat milk—the latter also linked to climate change, as oat harvests are down due to poor growing seasons. It’s enough to make a person switch to brewing foraged dandelion roots instead—almost. […]
[…] Closer to home, the same issues pushing up prices of other goods are affecting the cost of coffee, too. Think: wages, rent, cleaning products to keep that bathroom sparkling, even the electricity used to power the grinder. Plus, the price of milk is up, as is the price of oat milk—the latter also linked to climate change, as oat harvests are down due to poor growing seasons. It’s enough to make a person switch to brewing foraged dandelion roots instead—almost. […]
[…] are down resulting from poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as an […]
[…] are down attributable to poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down as a result of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down resulting from poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as an […]
[…] are down resulting from poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down resulting from poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down attributable to poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down because of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down on account of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] harvests are down because of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down on account of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as an […]
[…] harvests are down because of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] are down attributable to poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]
[…] Closer to home, the same issues pushing up prices of other goods are affecting the cost of coffee, too. Think: wages, rent, cleaning products to keep that bathroom sparkling, even the electricity used to power the grinder. Plus, the price of milk is up, as is the price of oat milk—the latter also linked to climate change, as oat harvests are down due to poor growing seasons. It’s enough to make a person switch to brewing foraged dandelion roots instead—almost. […]
[…] are down attributable to poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as an […]
[…] are down on account of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual swap to brewing foraged dandelion roots as an […]
[…] Closer to home, the same issues pushing up prices of other goods are affecting the cost of coffee, too. Think: wages, rent, cleaning products to keep that bathroom sparkling, even the electricity used to power the grinder. Plus, the price of milk is up, as is the price of oat milk—the latter also linked to climate change, as oat harvests are down due to poor growing seasons. It’s enough to make a person switch to brewing foraged dandelion roots instead—almost. […]
[…] are down on account of poor rising seasons. It’s sufficient to make an individual change to brewing foraged dandelion roots as a […]