Roasted Fiddlehead Ferns highlight these seasonal gems so well. Have you ever tried fiddleheads? They are only available a few short weeks of the year.
Depending on where you live you might not even know what they are. Fiddleheads are actually edible ferns that are used as vegetables.
You can find them in grocery stores and farmers’ markets, but they are very seasonal and disappear fast.
Ontario Pork was thrilled when I created a fiddlehead stir-fry recipe for their site. In fact, they even published it in On The Go Magazine. Pop by and grab the recipe.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this fiddlehead recipe can be found at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients You Will Need:
A simple recipe that showcases these tasty little gems.
- fresh fiddlehead ferns
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- feta cheese
As a child, I remember my mom actually going off into the woods and picking fresh fiddleheads. The first time she did this I thought she brought weeds home for us to eat. This wild produce was certainly much different than the morel mushrooms she would pick.
Harvesting Fiddleheads
This little edible fern also called “ostrich fern” can be a little difficult to find. The fiddlehead season is VERY SHORT. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some, be sure to grab them!
Your best bet is checking out your local vegetable markets. Some grocery stores will carry them. You can also SOMETIMES find frozen ones in specialty stores.
I am always excited to find these in the store or market. Unlike my mom, I have yet to venture into the woods to pick them for myself. I try to make sure I get my seasonal fill when these are available. I think they are the cutest little things ever.
What Do They Taste Like?
If you have never eaten fiddlehead ferns, let me try to explain what they are like. They sort of have the texture of asparagus with an earthy flavour. They are very fragile, meaning they don’t keep long, so it’s best you use them as soon as possible.
Are They Toxic?
Fiddleheads have to be cooked before you can eat them. It is not advised to eat them raw as they can contain bacteria, so cooking them will kill any bacteria that may be on them.
Here is a great article regarding the with food safety tips.
From a nutrition standpoint, fiddleheads really are a superfood. They are a great source of vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre.
Roasting Fiddleheads
The most common way to is boil and then sauté them. But with this recipe, they are roasted.
- Start by washing the fiddleheads (several times) and then patting dry (I use a kitchen towel). Trim any dry stalk and remove any brown on the fern itself. If you use these as soon as possible, you will avoid having to remove very much from them. The longer they sit, the browner they get.
- Place washed fiddleheads into a roasting dish. Coat with olive oil. I used *(affiliate) butter flavoured olive oil in this recipe for some added flavour. Season with salt and pepper. For a nice change of pace try some *(affiliate) smoked sea salt here.
- Put the dish into the oven, and roast. Since you want to make sure you kill any bacteria, roast for 25-30 minutes.
- Once cooked, garnish with feta cheese (this is optional but REALLY good) and enjoy!
I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like boiled veggies. For some reason, my mom always boiled vegetables. I don’t know if it was her generation or what, but that was the norm in my house.
Although I loved my mom’s cooking (and still miss it to this day), my kitchen sees very little boiled veggies. Roasting and grilling rules here.
Yes I do boil potatoes to make creamy mashed potatoes, but that is about it.
Simple Roasted Tomatoes are a must during harvest season. I have tasty bags of tomatoes to use is recipes and sauces all year long.
Grilled Shishito Peppers are appetizer for bbq parties.
Simple Grilled Veggies are the perfect side dish for any meal.
Grilled Garlic Scapes are another seasonal item you won’t want to miss.
I love when the vegetable speaks for itself, and you don’t have to spend a lot of time and fuss to produce a wonderful tasting dish.
If you have the chance to get your hands on some of these beautiful seasonal delights, give Roasted Fiddlehead Ferns a try. If you are like me, you will have a hard time waiting for next season.
Need a new side dish idea? Give these roasted vegetables a try:
- Roasted Eggplant Slices (a great alternative to garlic bread)
- Roasted Shallots (perfect on pizza or added to hummus)
- Roasted Red Peppers (so much better than store-bought)
- Oven Roasted Radishes (if you don’t like radishes, you will now)
- Turmeric Parsnip Fries (a fun twist on traditional fries)
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Roasted Fiddlehead Ferns
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh fiddlehead ferns
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (I used butter flavoured)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 3 ounces feta cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Wash the fiddleheads (several times) and pat dry. I used a kitchen towel.
- Remove any loose brown leaves, and trim any dry ends.
- Place cleaned fiddleheads into a roasting dish.
- Coat with the olive oil.
- Season with salt & pepper. I use smoked sea salt.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring about ½ way through.
- Remove from oven and place on a serving tray.
- Garnish with the crumbled feta cheese.
- ENJOY!
@renuza
A little squeeze of lemon on top after roasting, before the crumbled feta…SUPERB!!!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Sounds perfect to me as well. So glad you enjoyed the recipe for roasted fiddleheads.
Sean@Diversivore
I LOVE fiddleheads, and I was a bit bummed out that I didn’t get to have any this spring. The feta is a fantastic idea, and wonderful for adding some salt and sharpness to the green, earthy ferns. Beautiful pictures too, btw. Cheers!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much. I have not had fresh ones this year either due to the pandemic issue.
Ben Laprade
Superstore has them right now in Atlantic Canada. Following this recipe now 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
AWESOME….I will see if I can find some.
Jo
I’ve never had fiddleferms before, but I have always wanted to try. Someone when I get to travel again, will definitely try it. I love the roasted version, it looks delicious!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
These are super delicious. I hope the weather warms up soon so they grow.
Alena
I’ve always wondered how to cook or prepare fiddlehead ferns! This was such a helpful and informative post – thank you!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
You are welcome. I hope you will be able to give these a try one day.
Charity
I love trying new foods. Wondering where I can find them since I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them in the store. Are they a cold weather plant?
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
They are available in the late spring. You might be able to find them in the frozen veggie section of the grocery store. Or farmer’s markets.
@mindfulness_babe
This recipe is EVERYTHING 🔥
I almost didn’t purchase the fiddleheads when I found them at Whole Foods. I’m so grateful I followed my curiosity instead of listening to that “what the heck will you do with these” voice.
This morning I made roasted fiddleheads with Chilean sea bass for breakfast and it was so delicious‼️
Gratitude for not only offering a mouth watering recipe but also giving me some insight on this magical fern.
Feeling filled up with nourishing, tasty food while feeling a deeper trust for my intuitive guidance. . . It’s a enlivening combination of feelings‼️
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
OMG I am thrilled you loved this recipe. Fiddleheads are a seasonal delight. Glad you gave them a try.
Laura Arteaga
Love finding recipes to use seasonal food especially when it’s just found in the woods! We have asparagus here in Spain growing everywhere, and when it’s the season we have loads of meals including them.
This recipe looks lovely!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I love asparagus….such a great ingredient to work with.
Kathryn
I’ve never had a fiddlehead fern before but I’m going to have to see if I can find some so I can try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I wish they were easier to find…and lasted longer in the season too.
Paige
I have seen these at the farmers market and havent had the courage to try them, but now I will! Looks delish and I love all vegetables!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY….they are a nice change…and very seasonal.
Sharon
Such an easy and unique side dish. They are a great side dish for grilled chicken or beef.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
The perfect side dish to many meals. ENJOY!
Anna
What an unusual and unique recipe. I must admit, I never had fiddlehead ferns before, but I love forage for food, so this is right up my street! I will be checking out if they are available here in the UK, and heading out to the woods to get some!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Happy harvesting, hope you can find some.