Pickled Nasturtium Seeds (way better than capers!)

Name: Pickled Nasturtium Seeds
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20195 min
Ingredients: 1 cup nasturtium pods/seeds; 1/3 cup cider vinegar; 1/3 cup water; 1 T. sea salt; 1/2 tsp. sugar; 2 sprigs fresh dill

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Pickled Nasturtium Seeds are often referred to as "The Poor Man's Capers." These Nasturtium seeds can be brined and used in recipes where capers are used including potato salad. If you are a fan of capers, you just might like Pickled Nasturtium Seeds even more!

Nasturtiums, the Edible Flowers

I still remember the first time I learned that you can eat Nasturtium flowers. It was many years ago, while my mother-in-law, Marlene, was visiting us for the Summer from Arizona.

Marlene mentioned that nasturtium flowers were edible and that a good way to consume them was in salads. I tasted them at the time but wasn't crazy about their peppery taste. I decided to enjoy their beauty instead.

Since then, I've learned that not only are the flowers edible, but practically the entire plant. This includes the leaves and seed pods. This is my first nasturtium recipe but I hope to create more recipes in the future!

How to Make This Recipe

Pick nasturtium seeds from the nasturtium plants in Spring or Summer.

Place nasturtium seeds in a bowl of cold water and swirl around to remove the dirt. The dried stems and flower parts will float to the surface.

Add clean pods to an 8 oz pickling jar. Fill a small saucepan with water, vinegar, salt, and sugar, bring to a boil. Add a few sprigs of fresh dill in the jar, then pour pickling solution over the pods.

Seal and place in a dark, cool, spot. Allow to pickle for at least one to two weeks. Store in the refrigerator after that.

Using Pickled Nasturtium Seeds in Recipes

As mentioned, Pickled Nasturtium Seeds can be used as an alternative to Capers in most recipes. Here are some ideas:

Instead of capers, why not use the pickled seeds for Bagels and Lox?
Add seeds in creamy pasta dishes.
Use pickled nasturtium seeds as a topping for deviled eggs.
Add a handful of capers in with chickpeas when making hummus.
Use in green salads, for texture and a little spice.
Add to potato salad, the flavors are like a marriage made in heaven.

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

What Are Capers?

Capers are the buds of the plant "Capparis Spinosa." Capers are not seeds, but unopened flower buds that are picked before maturing. The buds are then dried and brined.

What can you make with nasturtiums?

So far I've mentioned a few ways that nasturtiums are consumed. Below you'll find a more comprehensive list.

• The flowers can be eaten in salads.
• Seeds can be pickled, similar to capers.
• Nasturtium leaves can be used in place of basil, to make pesto.
• The larger leaves can be used instead of grape leaves to make dolma.
• Nasturtium flowers can be used to make jam and flavored vinegar.
• Flowers can also be stuffed with cream cheese or other spreads.
• Finally, the flowers are perfect for decorating a cake.

If you think you might find the flavor too strong, brine the seeds in a mixture of two cups water and ¼ cup salt for 3 to 5 days. Then rinse the seeds and continue with the recipe steps.
The extra brining time mellows out the flavor, but I personally prefer the strong flavor.
Pickle the nasturtium seeds for at least 2 weeks, longer would be even better.

pickled nasturtium seeds — Nasturtium seeds used to make mock capers

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