• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sweeter Than Oats

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe
  • Get in Touch
  • Build your Plant-Based Pantry
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Recipes » Accompaniments

Published: Jan 18, 2022 · Modified: Jun 2, 2022 by Freya · This post may contain affiliate links ·

How to Cook Salsify

Share this Recipe!

0 shares

How to cook Salsify. It's another instalment of cooking with unusual and seasonal ingredients, featuring Salsify this week! With this series, I like to demystify and cook with those ingredients you might have seen at your local farmers market or deli, and had no idea how to use them! Read on to find out what salsify is and for some recipe ideas for salsify.

a bunch of raw salsify
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Jump to:
  • What is Salsify?
  • How do you prepare Salsify?
  • Try my other delicious vegan vegetable recipes
  • 📋 Recipe

What is Salsify?

Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) is a seasonal root vegetable, belonging to the dandelion family. It has a long tapered root and is either creamy white in colour, or the Spanish variant, which is black (scarzonera). It is easily identifiable in the summer by the pink, daisy-like flowers.

You can eat the leaves raw and freshly picked, but it is the root that was once a highly prized food source, dating back to Roman times. It was thought in the middle ages that it could even cure snakebites!

A plate of braised salsify

It is very high in minerals, much like carrots and parsnips, and has a similar flavour and texture, although less sweet. In fact, it is more akin to the subtle, nutty taste of Jerusalem Artichokes. It is sometimes referred to as the "oyster plant" because of it's visual similarity to oysters when prepared.

Today it is not a plant that you will see lining the shelves of your local supermarket, but you might be lucky and catch some from a particularly adventurous deli or, like me, buy from Natoora. I am also in the process of persuading a work colleague to try and plant some seeds for me in her allotment, so watch this space.

How do you prepare Salsify?

a bunch of raw salsify

Again, like parsnips or carrots, they are best roasted or mashed. However, I have given two recipes below for braised and "chipped" salsify.

To prepare salsify, you need to give it a good scrub to remove any loose soil, then, using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer peel.

INgredient List text
A plate of salsify salad

This is the stage where you can either cut into chunks ready to boil in salted water (for mashed salsify), or parboil and then roast them in a hot oven. I think they would also be delicious prepared like vichy carrots, simmered with vegan butter and brown sugar. Of course, in my kitchen, there is very little that brown sugar and vegan butter can't improve!

For my braised Salsify, I steamed them first, rather than boil. Steaming gives you a similar texture to boiling but you retain the nutrients. When you boil veg, you lose a lot of the useful minerals in the water.

Once the salsify is knife-tip tender, I sauté them in olive oil, then add some maple syrup and walnuts. Much like parsnips, Salsify becomes alive when you add something sweet to it!

I then serve these braised, toasty lengths of salsify on a bed of bitter salad leaves, like chicory or radicchio.

Try my other delicious vegan vegetable recipes

  • Roasted Carrots with Labneh
  • An easy Broad Bean and Pea Pesto
  • Spicy Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
  • Vichy Carrots
  • Brussel Sprout tops

Or follow my unusual ingredient journey here!

📋 Recipe

A plate of braised salsify

Braised Salsify with Maple Walnuts and Salsify Chips

How to prepare Salsify two ways
5 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate Join
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: British
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan
Keyword: Easy Side Dishes, Unusual Ingredients
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 124kcal
Author: Freya

Ingredients 

  • 4 Salsify roots
  • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
  • 3 tablespoon Walnuts chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Parsley finely chopped
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

To make Braised Salsify with Maple Walnuts

  • Peel your salsify, and cut it 3" long chunks
  • Steam it for about 10 minutes, or until knife tender. I steamed mine in my Ninja Foodi but however you steam veg is fine.
  • Drain and dry on paper towel.
  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan and add the salsify.
  • Saute on all sides until it is golden in colour.
  • Add the walnuts and maple syrup to the pan and quickly toss everything together.
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and season for taste.
  • I love to serve this on a bed of leaves, but it also makes a delicious side dish.

To make Air Fryer Salsify Chips

  • Cut your prepared salsify into thin rings.
  • Soak in a bowl of cold salt water for 15 minutes. This removes the starch and prepares them better for crisping.
  • Preheat Air Fryer to 190c.
  • Drain and dry your salsify rings on kitchen paper.
  • Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt, pepper and spray with a little oil
  • Arrange in your air fryer in one layer, and cook for between 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Repeat if you have more salsify to cook.
  • Serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcal (6%) | Carbohydrates: 4g (1%) | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 12g (18%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 45mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 13mg (1%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweeterthanoats or tag sweeterthanoats!

More Accompaniments

  • How to Make Vegan Smoked Salmon
  • How to Make Vegan Blinis
  • How to make Vegan Lefse
  • How to Make Vegan Vichy Carrots

Reader Interactions

Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Freya! I'm a plant-based foodie, obsessed with true crime, collecting cookbooks and photographing everything I eat.

More about me →

Popular

  • How to Make Vegan Rock Cakes
  • How to Make Vegan Keto Chocolate Truffles
  • Roast Sweet Potato with Marmalade Dressing Salad Recipe
  • The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe - chewy, chocolatey and perfect!

Social

Latest

  • The Most Incredible Veggie Burger Recipe (Easy, Vegan and Full of Flavor!)
  • The Easiest and Yummiest Vegan Spicy Bean Burgers in the World
  • Cranachan - a Vegan, Creamy, Fruity and Easy Scottish Dessert
  • Vegan Lentils with Tomatoes and Tamarind - a simple, quick and delicious supper dish
  • Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Biscotti (rich, dark and perfect for an edible gift!)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact Me
  • FAQ

Sweeter than Oats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material without express and written permission from this site's owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sweeter than Oats with appropriate and specific linking to the original content.

Copyright © 2022 Freya Erickson Plant-Based Recipes with ❤️