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    Home » Leafy Greens » Dandelions

    Dandelion Capers with Ramps and Lemon

    Published: Jan 21, 2016 Modified: Feb 6, 2023 Author: Alan Bergo

    Jump to Recipe

    A simple pickle you can use for pickling unopened dandelion buds and making "capers". You can add the finished pickles to soups and sauces.

    Dandelion Buds for Capers

    This is a variation on my original wild caper recipe, which at the end of the day is just simple pickle (the original is lacto-fermented). You can flavor the seasonings any way you like, but make sure to let them age a month or two before opening to age and let the flavors meld. Also, make sure to only pick the smallest, tightest dandelion buds, since mature ones will tend to open a bit as they sit in the pickling liquid.

    You can use them just like you would regular capers, they're vinegar-salty punch add excitement to everything from salads to pickle plates, but my favorite it tossing them into a lemon-wine sauce for piccata, scallopine, or fish, or mixing in with tomato sauce and a bowl of pasta.

    Preserving

    Canning your dandelion bud capers 

    You can also preserve these for long term storage by processing pint jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, some of the capers may open up a bit though since they get cooked through the canning process.

    Another method is to simply pour boiling vinegar brine into the jars, filling the jars up to the brim. When the jars are completely filled, put on the covers and then immediately turn the jars upside down. When the jars are completely cooled, you'll find they have formed hermetic seals, just as if you'd used a water bath canner.

    Making sure the buds are tender

    Raw, pickled, or just fermented in brine, some capers will be great (nasturtium are my favorite), some will need a little help. Dandelion capers, if not canned in a water bath, should be simmered in water to make them tender, then chilled, and pickled or fermented.

    Dandelion Capers with Ramps and Lemon

    Dandelion Capers with Ramps and Lemon
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Pickled Dandelion Capers with Ramps and Lemon

    A simple pickle recipe for making dandelion caper pickles. Feel free to cut the recipe in half according to your needs. Yield: 4 pint jars
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Capers, Dandelions, Pickled Ramps
    Servings: 30 Servings
    Calories: 2kcal
    Author: Alan Bergo

    Equipment

    • 1 wide mouth pint mason jars
    • 1 2 quart sauce pot

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups water
    • 1.5 cups champagne vinegar or another vinegar you like
    • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
    • About 7 loosely packed cups of unopened dandelion buds you may be able to fit more in jars depending on the size of your buds
    • 4 cleaned ramps green leaves removed
    • 4 two inch pieces of lemon zest white pith removed

    Instructions

    • Bring a pot of water to a simmer, then add the dandelion buds and cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes, then drain and reserve.
    • Meanwhile, heat together the water, vinegar and salt together until the salt is dissolved, then cool.
    • Take the dandelion buds and fill half pint canning jars with them
    • Press the buds down to decrease air pockets, in each jar place a piece of lemon zest and a ramp. Leave at least ½ inch to an inch of headspace in each jar.
    • When you've pressed the buds down, fill the jars with the boiling vinegar brine, jostling them around with a toothpick to remove air pockets, then turn the jars upside down and cool, which should seal them, or refrigerate, and wait at least a few weeks before enjoying. See note.

    Notes

    Dandelion capers need to be cooked to soften them somehow. I like giving them a blanch to tenderize them, and pour the boiling pickle liquid in the jars to avoid boiling a waterbath in the summer, but you can also pour the liquid into the jars with the raw buds and process in a waterbath for 15 minutes to store them at room temperature. Both ways work. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1oz | Calories: 2kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.03g | Protein: 0.005g | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 5mg | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg

     

    « Lily Bulbs
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lara

      April 27, 2021 at 9:29 am

      Have you ever tried making capers with the buds of bidens alba? I don't see many dandelions in my area, but those plants are everywhere.

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        April 27, 2021 at 10:37 am

        I haven't

        Reply
    2. Calvin

      May 21, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      I'm new to pickling and recently made the fiddlhead recipe on this site as well. I was wondering why that recipe calls for pouring the pickling liquid into the jars when it's hot and then inverting the jars to seal the lids, but this recipe calls for pouring in the liquid once it is cooled and doesn't mention inverting the jars. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        May 21, 2020 at 2:23 pm

        Sorry that was unclear. I adjusted it to read better. See the note in the bottom of the recipe.

        Reply
        • Calvin

          May 21, 2020 at 3:11 pm

          Thanks for the quick reply! Looking forward to trying these!

          Reply
    3. Alex

      April 25, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      After picking the buds (only the tightest/smallest) I could find, I washed them to remove grass bits and they bloomed while I prepped the rest of the recipe. I am using them anyway and hoping for the best. Do you think they will be bitter because of blooming?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        April 25, 2020 at 3:42 pm

        You'll be fine. Make sure to taste them after a while for tenderness, if they're not tender to your liking, simmer them in the liquid for a bit and they'll soften. Most other capers don't have that issue with tenderness, only dandelions.

        Reply
    4. Deb

      May 07, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Where we live, "ramps" are another name for wild leeks...is that what your recipe refers to?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        May 07, 2018 at 2:50 pm

        Yes.

        Reply
    5. Lehanna Green

      February 24, 2018 at 9:25 am

      I found this recipe (link) on your latest post about venison. Amazing recipes. I am going to share this one at my page on Facebook @Lick My Dish Lovely recipes and ideas. I've been following for a couple of years now. Thought I'd drop you a line to show my appreciation. Onward...

      Reply
    6. McRae Anderson

      April 01, 2017 at 9:51 am

      Can't wait... I have a plethora of dandelion, are you buying ramps or finding them in Minnesota? I've planted some I brought back from North Carolina but they need to mature. Also, do you have anything to make with creeping Charlie....I've got a bunch of that too.

      Reply
    7. Jus

      March 10, 2017 at 8:52 am

      I have a (probably stupid) question. Do you pick these unopened buds when they first appear, or after they have opened, then closed again before opening up into seed?

      Reply
    8. Will K.

      January 25, 2016 at 4:06 pm

      Sounds good- bet that recipe would work well with common cat's ear buds, too.

      Reply
    9. Bob lesnikoski

      January 22, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      Please add me to your email list

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        February 01, 2016 at 10:49 am

        I can't do that manually, there is a button on the homepage where you can subscribe though.

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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