Top 10 Edible Flowers That Can Be Used to Create Delicious Dishes You Should Know About

The Diền Điển plant typically grows in swamps and rice paddies, especially abundant in the Mekong Delta. The flower has a striking yellow color and is also known as the ĐIền Thanh flower or the Mường Rút flower, thriving in marshy lands and submerged fields.

This flower is featured in many dishes like sour Diền Điển soup, stir-fried Diền Điển, Diền Điển salad, and is often dipped in hotpot. The inclusion of Diền Điển flowers enhances the color and flavor of these dishes. When eaten, the flower has a subtle sweet taste, with a slight bitter aftertaste. You might try recipes like stir-fried Diền Điển with shrimp or sour Diền Điển soup with fish.

Beyond being a tasty addition to meals, Diền Điển flowers are packed with nutrients. They are used in traditional medicine for cooling the body, detoxifying, promoting urination, and have calming effects on the mind.

The Lotus flower is a well-known symbol in Vietnam, cherished for its gentle fragrance and pure, elegant beauty. Recently, studies have shown that not only is the Lotus flower edible, but it also contains numerous nutrients beneficial to the body!

Famous for its graceful beauty, the Lotus is also a high-end ingredient in fine dishes. For centuries, it has been used in royal cuisine, creating delicate and refined meals. Few people know that in addition to being used for decoration and tea, the Lotus petals can be fried to create an intriguing and appetizing dish. Lotus seeds are often used in sweet soups and are also paired with rice or sticky rice for a delicious, savory combination. The Lotus flower is not only admired for its beauty but can also be savored for its taste, offering a truly unique culinary experience.

In Vietnam, fresh Artichoke flowers can be found in places like Da Lat and Sapa, where they are commonly used by homemakers as a nutritious ingredient with medicinal benefits. These flowers are highly valued not only for their health benefits but also for the unique dishes they add to family meals.

Artichoke flowers come in both green and red varieties, and they are rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, helping to strengthen the immune system and support overall health. The Artichoke is a versatile ingredient, often used in dishes like Artichoke soup with pork leg or Artichoke soup with ribs. The soup made from Artichokes is known for its sweet, fragrant taste, refreshing qualities, and miraculous beauty-enhancing effects.

The Chrysanthemum flower is not only known for its gentle beauty, with its delicate white petals and a larger, golden-yellow center that draws the eye, but it is also transformed into an edible ingredient, offering a unique and refreshing flavor experience.

Rich in antioxidants, Chrysanthemums help to promote anti-inflammatory processes in the body and are valued as a medicinal herb to treat insomnia and joint disorders.

Chrysanthemum tea is widely available, and when sipped, it offers a light, soothing fragrance and a refreshing taste. For a pleasant experience, you can enjoy it alongside some light pastries.

The Northwest region of Vietnam is home to many ethnic groups, each with its own traditional cuisine that showcases unique flavors. In particular, the Thai people of the Northwest, especially in Son La province, are known for their grilled dishes such as beef, fish, chicken, and pork, with Bauhinia flower-based dishes being especially popular.

Many would not expect that the stunning Bauhinia flowers of the forested mountains, admired by countless travelers, also serve as ingredients in local delicacies. This pure and exquisite flower brings simple yet flavorful dishes to Vietnamese cuisine, with Bauhinia flower salad, stir-fried Bauhinia flowers, or Bauhinia flower soup with pig’s trotters being favorite choices. These dishes, infused with local spices, are made even more delicious by the floral addition, offering a unique and memorable flavor experience.

Meals prepared with Bauhinia flowers have become a specialty in the region. When served with a cup of strong local wine, the sweet and refreshing taste of the dishes always receives compliments from visitors.

The Water Lily, scientifically known as Nymphaea Rubra, is a relatively easy-to-grow plant that thrives in ponds and lakes. It comes in a variety of colors including blue, red, white, and light purple, emitting a subtle, pleasant fragrance when it blooms.

In addition to its gentle beauty, the Water Lily offers significant medicinal benefits. When used properly, it has soothing properties, supports respiratory health, relieves spasms, helps stop bleeding, and promotes urination.

The stem of the Water Lily is commonly used as a raw vegetable in many dishes. It is often paired with fermented fish or used in sweet and sour salads. The Water Lily can also be boiled or stir-fried with various other vegetables for a delightful meal.

When we think of roses, we often associate them with symbolic meanings such as love, beauty, and youth. However, this familiar flower is also used to create unique and innovative dishes that many are unaware of.

Rose petals are packed with vitamins B and C, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds. With its exquisite beauty and valuable nutrients, roses are used in various extraordinary dishes, including rose mushroom salad, rose pudding, rose porridge, and even rose smoothies. The vibrant colors and the distinct taste of rose-based dishes bring joy to many people.

Thien Ly, also known as Dạ Lài Hương or Lý Flower, is a delicious food and a medicinal herb valued for its health benefits. This humble flower, commonly found in rural Vietnam, is often used to prepare stir-fries, hotpots, and steamed dishes.

Beyond its ornamental use as a beautiful decorative plant, Thien Ly flowers are edible, offering a subtly sweet taste and a fragrant, aromatic scent. Rich in various vitamins, fiber, and proteins, they are known to improve sleep quality, relieve joint pain, and have anti-inflammatory properties.

You can cook Thien Ly flowers in stir-fries or soups, and they pair easily with most ingredients, without the risk of food poisoning. Nearly every dish made from Thien Ly offers an irresistible taste that is definitely worth trying.

However, it’s best not to overcook Thien Ly flowers to preserve both their nutritional value and delicious flavor.

Banana blossom, also known as banana heart, is a popular part of the banana plant in Vietnamese cuisine. For a long time, banana blossoms have been used as a unique cooking ingredient that not everyone has access to. After being sliced into thin strips, the blossom is combined with various ingredients to create delicious dishes. It can be made into a salad or paired with soupy dishes like sour soup, vermicelli with crab, and porridge. Depending on personal preferences and creativity, banana blossom can be prepared in many different ways.

With a single banana blossom, you can prepare various dishes, from a tangy and savory banana blossom salad with shrimp and pork, to a wonderful sour soup, or even a unique and delicious dish like banana blossom cooked with black pepper that will leave you craving more!

Despite being a simple ingredient, banana blossom is rich in nutrients that are good for health. It can help treat anemia, regulate menstruation, reduce inflammation, and even stimulate milk production after childbirth.

The zucchini blossom is a well-known ingredient in Southern Vietnam, often praised for its tender, sweet flavor and ease of consumption.

With its bright yellow color, thick petals, and crisp green stem, zucchini blossoms quickly become a favorite among those who try them for the first time.

This flower is simple to prepare, yet still offers an appealing taste. Zucchini blossoms are rich in vitamin A, which provides various health benefits.

Commonly, home cooks will boil zucchini blossoms and dip them in a mix of salty-sweet garlic chili sauce. Alternatively, they can be used in shrimp and zucchini blossom soup, or even deep-fried for a crispy treat—delicious and hard to resist!