ROAST DANDELION ROOTS: INTRO
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I decided that it would be a good idea to write a post explaining how to Roast Dandelion Roots after I completed my last Dandelion Root Recipe. Many people enjoy using roasted roots in their herbal tea, but they are more expensive than raw roots.
Some HTH readers actually pick their own dandelion roots, but they are unsure how to roast them. This guide contains a simple method to Roast Dandelion Roots that is sure to save you time and money.
Discover the power of Dandelion Root Weight Loss on my related post.
ROAST DANDELION ROOTS: GUIDE
Why Roast Dandelion Roots?
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Make sure to talk to your doctor before consuming roasted dandelion root tea. Although this form of herbal tea is considered fairly safe, it has the potential to interact with certain prescription and OTC medications. I always recommend playing it safe by getting clearance from a healthcare professional prior to consuming any herbal tea.
Dandelion Root Tea (aka Dandelion Coffee) is a popular herbal tea that uses dandelion roots as the primary ingredient. Many people use raw dandelion roots, but others prefer to use roasted dandelion roots.
The roasted dandelion roots give the tea a different flavor profile. Roasted dandelion root tea is much bolder and stronger than raw dandelion root tea. The roasted roots make the tea taste very similar to coffee, and it is often consumed as a healthier substitute.
Roast Wild Roots
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You can use these instructions to Roast Dandelion Roots that you pick growing in the wild. Make sure that you only pick dandelions that have not been treated with harmful chemicals or pesticides. You should also be sure that the area has not been used as a restroom for wildlife. Purchasing raw dandelion roots online is fairly inexpensive, so it is a great alternative.
Buy Raw Roots
Raw dandelion roots are often cheaper than roasted dandelion roots. You can purchase the raw dandelion roots in bulk, and roast them using the instructions below. This price point is obviously a great advantage for those of us who are on tight budgets – but still like to indulge in a little herbal tea from time to time!
If you Roast Dandelion Roots yourself, you can also control the flavor by selecting the bake time. This is nice because no two dandelion roasters are truly the same. For instance, I actually prefer to roast them for a little less time than does my roommate. He REALLY roasts them as he swears that it produces a bolder flavor (I do tend to agree with him on that front).
For those of you searching for a great brand of raw dandelion roots, I have included my favorite brand below. By no means is this the ONLY high quality offering of roast dandelion root, but it is certainly among the best of the best. In particular, I like it because it seems to “drink a little smoother” than do some of its competitor brands!
Starwest Raw Dandelion Roots
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My favorite brand of raw dandelion roots is Starwest Botanicals. These dandelion roots are extremely fresh (and they stay that way because of the resealable bag), and they taste great roasted.
This is a one pound bag, so it will last a long time. The roots are sourced from Croatia, and they have already been cut & sifted. Buying dandelion root that is already cut and sifted is a GREAT idea because of the amount of time it saves you. Sure, you could do the cutting and sifting yourself, and it wouldn’t be too hard, be we like to spend more time DRINKING our herbal teas and less time preparing them!
As a result, they are ready to consume in herbal tea or bake for roasted dandelion root tea. If you would like to see other dandelion root options, check out my List of Best Dandelion Roots.
Instructions to Roast Dandelion Roots
This is a simple method for creating roasted dandelion roots. All it requires is dandelion roots, a knife, cutting board, baking sheet and oven. I have personally used this method to roast dandelion roots several times. Remember, there is plenty of room for a little deviation and creativity in the below recipe! That is part of the fun, after all!
Easy to Follow Instructions
If you have purchased raw dandelions that have already been cut, you can skip to step #6
- Pick wild dandelions from an area that has not been treated with chemicals. You should also avoid areas that have animal waste.
- Remove the roots from the rest of the plant by using a knife and cutting board. Be careful not to cut yourself.
- Clean the roots in your sink. Remove as much dirt and debris as possible. This might require multiple rinses!
- Allow the roots to dry for 1-2 hours. I do this by placing them in an interior area of my kitchen that benefits from a little indirect sunlight.
- Chop the dried roots into small pieces. I usually cut them into pea to marble-sized pieces.
- Heat your oven to 250° Fahrenheit
- Spread your chopped dandelion root pieces on a baking sheet
- Bake the dandelion roots for 25 minutes. You can bake longer for a stronger roasted flavor (~ 30 minutes). The root should begin to turn brown when they are ready.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and allow to cool!
CONCLUSION
I hope that this simple guide has helped you learn how to Roast Dandelion Roots. I did my best to include all of the important details, without getting you bogged down into what I feel are largely unnecessary (or otherwise self explanatory) steps. I don’t like confusing instructions and I bet that you don’t either!
This can be an easy way to roast raw roots that you have purchased or to roast roots that you have picked. You will love the taste of your roasted dandelion roots in herbal tea. It produces a very unique flavor that I like to describe as being “earth smooth”. You’ll see what I mean when you brew up a cup for yourself!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Comments
Do you have any tips to roast dandelion roots? Do you tend to work with the roots you self source? Or do you buy the pre-cut and sifted roots on the open market? Perhaps you have followed our instructions from above? Maybe you know of a different way to accomplish the same result?
Please share your comments and knowledge with the HTH community by posting below. I personally read every comment and usually post a response within 24 hours!
For $3, I will probably just pay the extra and buy it online. Roasted is better IMO
Totally understand, thanks for reading.
Hello. I am searching for recipes for roasting dandelion roots and also chicory roots to blend for a coffee substitute drink. Forgive the “stupid” question, but are you referring to fresh, undried roots here, or are you referring to roots that have already been dried? (As in, I ordered dried roots from an herbal company, like Mountain Rose Herbs?) I’d actually like to learn to roast both options, as I’d eventually like to wildharvest my ingredients, but right now, have the dried from MRH on hand.
Just not sure if I need to DRY the roots first or if I can use raw, just dug up ‘wet’ roots.
Thanks!