Saffron for Beginners

Saffron is one of the most treasured spices in the world, known for its delicate floral aroma and unique flavor. If you’ve ever been curious about how to cook with saffron but weren’t sure where to start, this guide will help you unlock saffron’s full potential. 

What is saffron? What does saffron taste like?

Saffron is a delicate spice that comes from the bright red stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower. Saffron is extremely labor-intensive to harvest, making it one of the most expensive spices in the world. But don’t let that intimidate you- just a small pinch can transform a dish. 

Saffron’s flavor is truly one of kind- earthy and slightly sweet, with floral and honey-like notes. Saffron’s aroma is complex and unusual, with notes of honey and grass or hay. Because of its complexity, delicacy, and depth, saffron is irreplaceable and adds a luxurious touch to any dish. 

What Dishes Work Well with Saffron?

What do you add saffron to? You might already associate saffron with classic dish like risotto alla Milanese, tahdig, or paella, but maybe these aren’t dishes you normally cook at home. Saffron can easily become part of your regular cooking, where you can enjoy not only the luxurious, unusual flavor of saffron, but also the multitude of health benefits it has to offer.

Saffron pairs beautifully with warm, aromatic ingredients. Ingredients like garlic, onions, shallots, and ginger enhance saffron’s depth and balance its floral notes. 

• The richness of dairy, like cheese or cream-based sauces, complements saffron’s delicate complexity.

• Meals based with chicken, seafood, and creamy pastas are a great place to start.

Saffron is also incredible in baking and sweet treats. Its flavor is surprising and adds a hint of luxury that will have people asking for your recipe. 

• Milk based sweets, like frosting or icing, are great with saffron.

• Citrus or vanilla flavored desserts and pastries are great places to start.

How to Use Saffron: The Key to Unlocking its Flavor

Once you’ve identified a recipe you’d like to use with your saffron, finding the best way to bring out saffron’s flavor and color can sound tricky. When do you add the saffron? What’s the best way to use saffron?

The first step is to bloom the saffron, and this is quite simple. This technique ensure saffron infuses evenly into a dish and helps the flavor and color shine, instead of getting lost among other ingredients.

Saffron is a dried spice, which means using hydration and some heat help to bring out its full flavor and color. A small amount of saffron goes a long way, a pinch (around ¼ teaspoon) is sufficient for most recipes. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Blooming Saffron:

1. Grind the saffron using a mortar and pestle (or the back of a spoon).
2. Choose a liquid from your recipe (water, broth, milk, melted butter, oil, cream, etc.)
3. Warm the liquid, then stir in the ground saffron.
4. Let it steep for at least 5 minutes- the longer it sits, the more intense the color and flavor.
5. Incorporate into your recipe as directed. If needed, let the liquid come back to room temperature.

Still feeling stuck?

One of our favorite ways to use saffron, and one of the easiest ways, is by infusing it into honey. Simply bloom saffron in warm honey and keep it on hand for an instant flavor boost. Drizzle it over yogurt, stir it into tea, or try it on cheese like one of these recipes: Whipped Ricotta with Saffron Honey, Ricotta Crostini with Saffron Honey, Whipped Feta with Saffron Honey

Ready to experiment with saffron? Try some of our favorite recipes, like saffron vinaigrette or saffron pasta