Fiddleheads: How to Cook This Delicious Spring Delicacy Safely
Fiddlehead season is here!
After a long winter, fiddlehead season has finally arrived. Not familiar with fiddleheads or just want to learn a bit more about them, and how to cook them safely? Keep reading!
You may have seen fiddleheads in the wild and not even realized it. That's because they are the furled fronds of a fledgling fern! The fiddlehead is the spiral of the plant that would unroll into a new frond of the fern plant. They are harvested before they unfurl, early in the season. Only the fiddleheads from certain fern varieties are safe to consume.
Fiddleheads should never be eaten raw and must be cooked a certain way to be safe to eat, so be sure to follow the instructions below.
Fiddleheads have been part of traditional diets in Northern France since the Middle Ages, and amongst many North American Indigenous populations for centuries. They are also popular in Asian cuisine dishes like gulai pakis.
This quintessential Canadian spring delicacy is not only delicious but packs a nutritional punch with vitamins A, B, & C, antioxidants, fibre, copper, and iron! They are also an excellent plant source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Never tried fiddleheads? The taste has been described as sort of a mix of asparagus, spinach, and broccoli.
Currently available at Jo Anne’s Place for $11.59 / lb (*May 2026)
How to Cook Fiddleheads Safely
- If fiddleheads have a brown husk on them, remove them. Rinse thoroughly in cold water.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fiddlehead ferns in the boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Discard of cooking water.
- Heat olive oil (or preferred oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in boiled fiddlehead ferns, garlic, salt, and pepper (and any additional spices of your choosing).
- Cook and stir until ferns are lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
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