Edible flowers do more than beautify a dish—they add flavor, texture, and an unexpected burst of personality. From the best edible flowers for cakes to the perfect edible flowers for cocktails and every bite in between, this list of what flowers are edible will get your culinary mind blossoming with all sorts of creative ideas.
Here are five of my favorite edible flowers to recommend, complete with tasting notes for each plus ways I’ve used them recently in my dishes to help you get inspired.
5 Types of Edible Flowers I Use Frequently in Recipes
The edible flowers I use most frequently are ones that I grow in my garden, or are easy to source organically and pack a visual punch:
1. Nasturtium
- Flavor: Bright and peppery, like arugula
- Try it in: Salads, herbed cheese-stuffed blossoms, compound butter, or pressed into pasta dough for color and flavor.
2. Chive Blossoms
- Flavor: Pungent, oniony, subtly sweet
- Try it in: Sprinkled over eggs or potatoes, whipped into butter, or steeped in vinegar for dressings.
3. Calendula
- Flavor: Slightly bitter, tangy, hint of saffron
- Try it in: Rice dishes, scrambled eggs, spice blends, or garnishing lemon tarts and creamy soups.
4. Viola (Pansies, Violets, Johnny Jump-Ups)
- Flavor: Mild, lightly sweet or grassy
- Try it in: Pressed into cookies, topping cakes, candied for decoration, or infused into syrups and creams.
5. Marigolds
- Flavor: citrusy, slightly bitter, peppery flavor with a hint of spice and tang
- Try it in: Infuse them in syrups, add them to a sophisticated shortbread, or dry them for cocktail garnishes.
What Flowers Are Edible?
You might be surprised to learn just how many different types of flowers are, in fact, edible! Here’s a list of some of the most commonly available edible flowers to choose from:
- Pansies/Violas: Mild, slightly grassy; beautiful on cakes and tarts
- Marigolds (Tagetes): Citrusy, tangy, sometimes slightly bitter
- Calendula: Mildly peppery, like saffron; petals used as colorful garnish
- Borage: Cucumber-like flavor; pretty blue star-shaped blooms
- Chamomile: Apple-like sweetness; used in tea and desserts
- Lavender: Floral, slightly sweet; great in baked goods and syrups
- Roses: Delicate and perfumed; used in syrups, jams, desserts
- Hibiscus: Tart and cranberry-like; often used in teas and cocktails
- Chive Blossoms: Garlic-onion flavor; perfect for savory dishes
- Violets: Sweet and perfumed; often candied or floated in drinks
- Dianthus (Pinks): Clove-like scent; colorful garnish
- Lilacs: Perfumed, citrusy; used in syrups and jellies
- Fennel Flowers: Licorice-like flavor; beautiful atop seafood
- Squash Blossoms: Delicate, slightly sweet; delicious stuffed and fried
- Basil Blossoms: Sweet and spicy
- Mint Blossoms: Fresh and cool
- Oregano Blossoms: Strong, earthy
- Thyme Blossoms: Subtle, herbaceous
- Cilantro Blossoms: Delicate, citrusy-herb
Edible Flowers for Salads
My Chive Blossom Salad recipe celebrates the fiery punch of this striking edible flower with creamy artichoke hearts, rich sun-dried tomatoes, salty kalamata olives, and nutty parmigiano Reggiano.
Edible Flowers for Cocktails
When it comes to edible flowers for cocktails, a small yellow rose takes this raspberry orange mimosa over-the-top.
Edible Flowers for Breads
This detailed focaccia art cross adorned with edible rose petals looks both elegant and inviting.
Focaccia rolls decorated with edible flowers are almost too pretty to eat!
Delicate edible flowers—here, miniature pansies—adorn this focaccia bread art, which is accented with orange beets, peppers, and dried cherries.
Edible Flowers for Charcuterie Boards
A display of dried fruits becomes even lovelier with edible flowers, like my freshly dried fruit board with dried marigolds and thyme blossoms.
These elegant yellow/brown pansies make stunning edible flowers for charcuterie boards, which visually pop amongst the other offerings.
Here one of my focaccia bread art creations called Spring Herb Garden, before baking. Notice the elegant purple basil blossoms amongst the other fresh herbs. The basil blossoms add stunning visual interest and hints of spice to the freshly baked focaccia bread art. featured below.
