We often get asked how to use saffron. As the world’s most expensive spice, many are afraid of messing up or wasting this precious spice. To help you avoid that worry, we’ve put together six of our favorite tried and true saffron recipes.
We’ve included both sweet and savory, involved and easy, but all delicious and luxurious!
Sweet Saffron Recipes
Saffron’s floral qualities pair well with sugar to create delicious treats like ice creams, baked goods, and other desserts. Traditionally paired with rose, orange, and cardamom, all these flavors enhance the floral notes in saffron.
Saffron Panna Cotta
Saffron Panna Cotta is a delicious twist on the rich and creamy Italian panna cotta. Make this when you need an impressive, but easy dessert recipeI Served in individual portions, you won’t believe how simple this no bake and gluten free dessert recipe is to make!
Saffron Black Cardamom Fudge
Craving a unique and luxurious fudge experience? This recipe takes inspiration from barfi, a popular Indian and Pakistani sweet, but with a creamy fudgy twist! Black cardamom adds a smoky depth, while saffron brings its floral earthiness. Don’t worry, it’s easy to make – thermometer or no thermometer!
Saffron Sumac Iced Tea
Escape the ordinary with this refreshing Sumac Saffron Iced Tea! Tangy sumac meets floral saffron for a unique and flavorful summer drink. Easy to make with a stunning color!
Orange Saffron Bread
The sweet, floral and earthy flavor of saffron is a lovely addition to this quick orange bread. Fragrant, moist, and bright, you’ll find this recipe easy to make in about 45 minutes from start to finish. We often gift this bread to friends and family at both Easter and Christmas times.
Savory Saffron Recipes
You’ll find saffron in many traditional savory dishes like paella, curries, and tagines. It’s flavor is also beautiful in soups, rice dishes, and vegetables.
Confit Saffron Fennel
Saffron confit is a luscious and incredibly fragrant and delicious way to cook fennel. Fennel bulbs are cooked slow and low in a saffron infused butter and served over a harissa yogurt sauce.
Tahchin Morgh
A Persian celebration dish made with rice, saffron, yogurt, and spices and layered with chicken, Tahchin Morgh has a beautiful color and wonderful aroma and the most delicious savory nutty flavors. Known for its tahdig (or crispy saffron flavored rice crust), this is the party dish to make when you want to impress.
Why is Saffron So Expensive?
Saffron is derived from the delicate stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower. Each flower produces only three stigmas, and harvesting these tiny threads is a labor-intensive process done entirely by hand. It takes an astounding number of flowers to produce just one pound of saffron, contributing to its exorbitant price.
Beyond its cost, saffron offers a unique and complex flavor profile. Its taste is often described as sweet, floral, and slightly bitter, with hints of honey and metallic notes. This distinctive character makes saffron a versatile ingredient that can elevate both sweet and savory dishes.
We hope these recipes inspire you to dive into the world of saffron!
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