Fiddleheads are one of my favorite things about spring, along with rhubarb, of course! And this delicious Cheesy Sautéed Fiddleheads recipe is a simple and easy side dish with parmesan cheese, feta cheese, garlic and dill. It's both gluten-free and Weight Watchers friendly @ only 3 WW points on the blue plan. And it's officially my new favorite fiddleheads recipe!
If you've never had fiddleheads before, you're in for a treat! They taste fresh (like spring 🙂 ) and are quite similar to asparagus in both flavor and texture, but they're even more cool looking and fun to eat!
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However, fiddlehead season is very short, they're not always easy to find and they can be pricey. So when my husband came home with some fiddleheads last weekend and challenged me to come up with a side dish (he knows how I love a good recipe challenge and fiddleheads) this Fiddlehead recipe was the delicious result!
💭What are Fiddleheads?
Fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens are a vegetable. They are the furled fronds of the young ferns. They are named such because they resemble the curled ornamentation (called a scroll) on the end of a stringed instrument, such as a fiddle. Fiddleheads are nutritious to eat, have antioxidant properties, are a source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and are high in iron and fiber. You can read more about fiddleheads HERE.
🥘How to Cook Fiddleheads
Steps for cooking fiddleheads (do NOT eat them raw!)
- Rinse the fiddleheads, remove any papery brown skin from the tops, and then slice off as much of the brown parts on their ends as you can. Fill a large bowl with cold water and put the fiddleheads in there for a few minutes, swishing them around with your hands to remove any dirt. * I rub the coils to loosen any dirt as well. Discard the water and repeat this process.
- Add to pot of cold water and bring to a boil. *If you plan to freeze them, see below
- Boil for at least 10 minutes (time it from the time the water is a full boil) but no longer than 15 minutes.
- Drain and pat dry. * They will be a little darker green in color. They are now ready to sauté. (See recipe card for instructions)
🌡️How to Freeze Fiddleheads
Because fiddleheads only come around once a year and the season is short, I like to buy a lot and freeze them. However, they require blanching (quick cooking, then plunging into cold water prior to freezing).
To prepare fiddleheads for freezing:
- Follow the above steps 1 and 2,
- When you get to step 3, only boil for 2 minutes (not 10).
- Immediately put into a bowl of ice cold water.
- Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towel and pat dry with more paper towel.
- Freeze in freezer bags for up to 6 months.
- *IMPORTANT: When you remove them from the freezer you MUST BOIL FOR at least 10 MINUTES BEFORE EATING (OTHERWISE THEY ARE NOT SAFE TO EAT)
So if you're looking for more fiddleheads fern recipe ideas, then you'll also want to try my Spring Salad with Fiddleheads!
And my Cheesy Fiddlehead Soup!
Whether you're a big fan of fiddleheads or have never tried them, you're going to love this Cheesy Sautéed Fiddleheads Recipe!
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📋 Cheesy Sautéed Fiddleheads Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of fiddleheads
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup feta cheese * I use light/low-fat
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese * I use light/low-fat
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon fresh dill *substitute 1 ½ tablespoon dry dill
Instructions
Cook the fiddleheads
- Rinse the fiddleheads, remove any papery brown skin from the tops, and then slice off as much of the brown parts on their ends as you can. Fill a large bowl with cold water and put the fiddleheads in there for a few minutes, swishing them around with your hands to remove any dirt. * I rub the coils to loosen any dirt as well. Discard the water and repeat this process
- Add fiddleheads to a pot of cold water.
- Bring to a boil and boil for at least 10 minutes, but not longer than 15 minutes.
- Drain and pat dry. * They will be a little darker green in color. They are now ready to sauté.
Sauté the Fiddleheads
- Heat oil over medium heat in frying pan on stovetop, add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add fiddleheads, parmesan cheese, feta cheese and dill and sauté for an additional 7-8 minutes approximately.
- Serve hot.
Notes
To prepare fiddleheads for freezing:
- Follow the above steps 1 and 2,
- When you get to step 3, only boil for 2 minutes (not 10).
- Immediately put into a bowl of ice cold water.
- Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towel and pat dry with more paper towel.
- Freeze in freezer bags for up to 6 months.
- *IMPORTANT: When you remove them from the freezer you MUST BOIL FOR at least 10 MINUTES BEFORE EATING (OTHERWISE THEY ARE NOT SAFE TO EAT)
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