• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
West Coast Kitchen Garden
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Foraging » Find Your Own Food! Wild Foods To Forage In Spring

    Find Your Own Food! Wild Foods To Forage In Spring

    Published: Mar 23, 2020 · Modified: Jan 18, 2023 by Sabrina Currie · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Foraging First Foods On The West Coast

    I love foraging, (I'm sure you can see by all my posts on wild mushrooms) but there are so many more wild foods to forage in spring. The First Nations people called these First Foods for obvious reasons. This is important knowledge to have if you might find yourself lost while hiking but it's also useful information to teach our children. It's a great family friendly activity that gets you outside-a true treasure hunt!

    Wild Foods That Taste Good

    The list of wild food sources is almost endless but I have chosen to focus on the foods that actually taste good and add important vitamins to our diet. I have also added in how to prepare, cook and use these delicious wild food gifts. And of course, don't eat anything you can't identify with 100% certainty.

    Seafood Is Easy With No Special Equipment Needed!

    Yep, you don't need a fishing rod or trap, find out online at BC Fisheries (or google your fisheries dept if elsewhere) what local areas are open for clams, oysters, mussels and more! (Search around the site, you'll see other interesting seafood you can harvest too!) You need a fishing license but you can find it online right here and kids under 16 get theirs free.

    Sometimes called a clam gun, a shovel is all you need to dig for clams. You may think you need a sandy beach but they can be found on rocky beaches too, just move the big rocks and dig under. Generally clams will be found 6 inches and deeper, often at around 1 foot depth. Different clams have different rules on size and amount you can keep so check out your local fisheries guidelines.

    Oysters are found laying on beaches, you might like to take a sturdy screwdriver to pry them off rocks if they are strongly attached. Mussels are found in clumps on rocks and either your shovel or screwdriver can loosen them and sometimes they can just be pulled off by hand. Shellfish should only be gathered when there is no risk of red tide, generally the cooler months but again, bookmark the fisheries page and check it out before you go.

    Steaming these shellfish is about the easiest way to enjoy them as they will gently open on their own as they steam. Alternatively you can pan fry them, make fritters, top a salad or pasta or make some delicious chowder.

    Try these Miso Baked Oysters. I first steamed them just til open, then added in some delicious ingredients for a Japanese riff on Oysters Rockefeller.

    Miso Baked Oyster Recipe

    Or these scrumptious and Super Crispy Pan Fried Oysters.

    Super Crispy Pan Fried Oysters With Lemon Caper Aioli (Mayo)
    Super Crispy Pan Fried Oysters With Lemon Caper Aioli (Mayo)

    Go Catch Some Crabs

    Crabs are also available though since they move pretty quick in water they can be more challenging. The idea is that you wear tall boots or hip waders and carry a long stick and bucket as you wade through shallow water (sandy and flat tends to be best). When you see a crab, you try to agitate it enough to pinch your stick, then up into your bucket it goes. I'll admit it's a little easier said than done but it is a fun activity for kids and can be done year round. If successful, who doesn't love a delicious crab cake?!? Steam or boil your crab in salty water for 10 minutes, then cool and shell to eat plain with melted butter or lemon or in your favourite recipe.

    Crab Cakes Served With Pea Shoots
    Crab Cakes Served With Pea Shoots

    Or try my low carb, Gluten Free Crab Cakes developed for my dad.

    Crispy Gluten-Free Low-Carb Crab Cakes With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
    Crispy Gluten-Free Low-Carb Crab Cakes With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

    Wildly Delicious Salad Greens

    Chickweed Is A Great Salad Ingredient
    Chickweed Is A Great Salad Ingredient

    If you have your own yard, you may find chickweed, miners lettuce, dandelion greens and plantain right in front of you. To harvest, I simply take the strainer out of my salad spinner and fill it up. Once back inside, I put it back into the spinner, fill with water and clean the greens. Easy.

    Chickweed and miners lettuce are both soft and mild in early spring (the best time to eat these). Chickweed is different from any look alikes in that it is green on it's underside and doesn't have any milky sap. Chickweed is best raw and used within a day or two of picking.

    Miners lettuce (aka Claytonia) has rounded leaves (see below) and is fairly low growing and as it matures, it will have little pink or white flowers at the base of the leaf. Depending on conditions, it can have small leaves close to an inch or get up to 6 inch diameter leaves! Soft leaves are full of vitamin C and are mild and tasty, good used raw or cook it like spinach. These two pictures were taken this week (Mid-March) in neglected areas of my yard. Have a good look around your own yard, I bet you'll find some!

    A Patch Of Miners Lettuce At The Edge Of My Yard
    A Patch Of Miners Lettuce At The Edge Of My Yard in March

    Dandelion is in the daisy family but closely related to chicory and can be treated as such. The green parts can be bitter to some but young tender leaves are great in a salad or steam them and use them in soup or pasta. The bright yellow flowers are sweeter and can be used raw or made into fritters, wine or vegan honey! Steep the flowers in a simple syrup and then reduce to the consistency of honey.

    Young Spring Dandelion Greens
    Young Spring Dandelion Greens

    Plantain is another common "weed". It has a nutty and almost mushroom flavour and is best eaten while young and tender. I first ate this ubiquitous "weed" in a fancy restaurant in Italy! It was served over tartar with shaved truffles and I was so impressed! Definitely worth trying or adding to a mixed green salad. Leaves can vary from narrow (pictured) to wide with ridges that run vertically. They sprout from a tap root and each leave begins at the base of the plant. The flowers that come later are tall and spiky. In addition to eating, plantain can give almost instant relief to a bee sting. Simple chew it up to make a paste consistency and put on the sting.

    Thin New Plantain Weed Is Good For Eating And Treating Bee Stings
    Thin New Plantain Weed Is Good For Eating And Treating Bee Stings

    Clover is also easily found in many lawns and the flowers make a sweet flavoured pretty addition.

    The next on this list is purslane. With it's lovely bright lemony taste it is a wonderful firm textured salad green.

    Purslane
    Purslane

    In more wild areas, you may find watercress, which is peppery and delicious. Found usually in or near running water or in very wet soil, this is one way to help identify it. It has round-ish glossy green leaves and will sometimes have white flowers, the stems are hollow. Watercress pairs so well with goat cheese and a blackberry vinaigrette. You can also make a lovely classic French Watercress soup too!

    Watercress
    Watercress

    The wildest of these salad greens are the nettles. Be sure to wear gloves and cook your nettles before eating. Cooking removes the sting and then these can be prepared in any way you'd use steamed spinach such as a soup, quiche, plain steamed with salt and olive oil or in a dip. I have not previously foraged for these (but it's on my to-do list) so check online or a book to properly identify this one.

    A really great resource is Bill Jones Deerholme Farm Foraging guides. He is based here on Vancouver Island and if you are in the area, you can even get foraging lessons directly from him!

    Foraging For Vegetables

    Some wild foods are more hearty such as wild asparagus, found often in sandy soils and oh so good. Wild asparagus can be treated exactly like cultivated and looks pretty much the same, though often they are a little skinnier.

    Ramps are lovely wild onions with tall green tops. They look like a cross between a green onion and a leak, and can be used as such. What about trying this warm, comforting soup recipe with them? A quick, vegan wonder that is so tasty, you'll be amazed at how few ingredients you need! If you come upon a patch of ramps, you can really get quite a few. Be sure to only harvest 10-20 % of the patch so that they will continue producing in years to come.

    Potato Leek Soup, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free
    Potato Leek Soup, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free

    Fiddleheads are baby ostrich ferns that are still firmly coiled up. You will find them in damp and wet places. They need to be cooked for safety and are like a cross between broccoli and asparagus. Fiddleheads are one of my favourites. These are substantial and really tasty, definitely worth seeking out. I have 2 recipes for them, one in a delicious pizza and the other steamed and topped with garlic and ginger. Try one of my recipes below or top with a Japanese sesame dressing for a wild Gomae!

    Sauteed Fiddleheads With Garlic, Ginger, Chili and Sesame
    Sauteed Fiddleheads With Garlic, Ginger, Chili and Sesame
    Fiddlehead Tart-Delicious Foraged Food
    Fiddlehead Tart-Delicious Foraged Food

    Salmonberry shoots can be cut and peeled and eaten raw when they are young, with a bright sweet-tart taste or gently steamed or stir fry them. Salmonberry shoots are a traditional First Food and as the berry bushes mature, they are one of the first berries to ripen as well.

    Sea Asparagus in another fun vegetable. It may be a little later in spring but once it starts, it's easy to find a LOT of it. Very salty, this is best soaked for a day or two in cold water in your fridge. Then enjoy raw, steamed, fried or even pickled. Have a look at the picture below and you'll find it easy to recognize next time you see it at the beach.

    Sea Asparagus Is Delicious And Nutritious
    Sea Asparagus Is Delicious And Nutritious

    Mushrooms Equal Forest Gold

    Classic Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto
    Classic Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto

    Ok, ok, I admit I am biased but yum! I really love mushrooms! They are a great textural substitute to meat, have wonderful flavour and in the store they can be prohibitively expensive so it feels like a gold mine when you find a good patch. Oyster mushrooms are a good spring mushroom that you will find growing off a tree, stump or fallen log in clumps. Morels are a classic spring mushroom that can be elusive but look where there has been a forest fire in the past for your best luck. These are easy to identify with a good mushroom book and don't have any close lookalikes. (Be sure to wash them carefully and if they are old, make sure there are not bugs in them.) Both of these types of mushrooms can be used in virtually any recipe using mushrooms but I am partial to sauteing them with butter and garlic and eating them on toast, this delicious Wild Mushroom Risotto recipe or a creamy, luxurious gratin casserole recipe.

    Baked Wild Mushroom Gratin
    Baked Wild Mushroom Gratin

    Bolete mushrooms can also sometimes be found in the spring, use your guide to identify these. (I am not a pro at identifying these). These are often larger, firm and meaty mushroom and are great in the Mushroom Lentil Stew.

    Healthy Hearty and Delicious Mushroom Lentil Stew- A Vegetarian Recipe
    Healthy Hearty and Delicious Mushroom Lentil Stew- A Vegetarian Recipe

    Forest Flavours

    Some delicious wild food finds are a bit strong to be eaten plain but are wonderful for flavouring such as spruce and fir tips. These fresh bright green tree tips are delicious (but strongly flavoured) with a tart resinous flavour. In a good way, I promise! Choose tips that are just emerging from their brown husks and still fairly tight and only take a few from each tree. The picture below is a little past ideal but I test them by taking a bite and if they are still soft enough for me, I pick them. I did enjoy the fir tips below in tea after rinsing well. Spruce or Fir tea needs a longer steeping time than black tea. You can store them by blending to a fine powder with salt or sugar and drying.

    Foraging for Douglas Fir Tips In Spring
    Foraging for Douglas Fir Tips In Spring

    Spruce and Fir Tips are also great used in moderation in salad or stir fry. They make a very aromatic garnish for a stiff drink and I like to use the flavoured sugar in an Old Fashioned cocktail and in baking for an unusual but very appealing flavour. The intensity of these is similar to using rosemary.

    I hope I've offered some inspiration of wild foods to forage in spring, print this out and go on the Ultimate Nature Treasure Hunt! Let me know below what you end up finding! Happy foraging my friends, stay well.

    ox Sabrina

    20+ Edible Wild Foods To Forage In Spring
    20+ Edible Wild Foods To Forage In Spring

    « Best Meatless Monday Recipes- 35 Dinners That Aren't Salad!
    Rhubarb Snack Cake with Yogurt and Olive Oil »

    About Sabrina Currie

    Classically French trained cook, photographer and food stylist living on beautiful Vancouver Island, BC.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayngelina

      March 24, 2020 at 5:14 pm

      I LOVE foraging! Spring is my favourite time of the year to get out to a spot no one else knows about 🙂

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        March 25, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        Yes! It’s like true treasure to me and so rewarding!

        Reply
    2. Colleen

      March 24, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      We love to forage, too and of course, it's very different by region. In the Okanagan, we love finding wild asparagus, wild apples, dandelion greens, chokecherries, and morel mushrooms to name a few. This is a great post that hopefully inspires more people to forage. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        March 25, 2020 at 2:52 pm

        You’re right different areas have some different choices. You’ve got some of my top choices where you are, the asparagus and morels 😋😋😋 Enjoy the spring bounty 🙂

        Reply
    3. Bernice Hill

      March 25, 2020 at 10:29 am

      Great roundup. I'm learning more and more about foraging every year and I can't wait to get out there again!

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        March 25, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        It’s so addicting, I try to find something new every year. Good luck foraging this spring Bernice!

        Reply
    4. Kristen

      March 25, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      These ae such awesome ideas, I'm definitely going to have to takr a look to see what I can find close to me here in Alberta. Such a great way to spend a day.

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        March 25, 2020 at 2:56 pm

        Yes! It’s a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. Once you start finding your own food, it’s hard to stop!

        Reply
    5. JustineCelina

      March 26, 2020 at 10:16 am

      This is such a useful resource! I'm always eager to learn about new ingredients to forage. Thank you!

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        March 29, 2020 at 2:18 pm

        You’re welcome Justine! I hope you have fun!

        Reply
    6. Terri

      March 30, 2020 at 9:09 am

      This is a great post ! I wish I could forage for seafood, but being landlocked , it's not possible. However, I did clam dig on the west coast on a vacation and it was an incredible (bucket list) experience! Fiddleheads are a possibility here luckily and one of my most fave foods! 🙂

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        March 30, 2020 at 8:37 pm

        I truly find foraging a relaxing and rewarding activity. Even without seafood there are so many wild greens and mushrooms that are all over Canada. I hope you have some luck finding sone wild food this spring 🙂

        Reply
    7. Kelly Neil

      March 31, 2020 at 5:44 am

      I love this so much! Everything is so fresh and bright and green! And as an East Coaster, I can truly appreciate the oysters. Yum!

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        April 18, 2020 at 2:26 pm

        Yes! Sometimes we buy east coast oyster’s here for a change. Cheers to spring!

        Reply
    8. Kelly Neil

      April 20, 2020 at 5:02 am

      Oh wow this is so awesome! Those miso oysters look amazing and I love the tip about taking the salad spinner into the yard!

      Reply
      • SabCurrie

        April 20, 2020 at 6:19 am

        Thanks Kelly! Happy foraging 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Join Me On Social

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    Sabrina Currie in her kitchen

    Hi, I'm Sabrina! Welcome to my West Coast Kitchen Garden. I hope to inspire you to grow, forage and shop your local farmer's market with these easy and delicious recipes using whole foods.

    More about me →

    Most Recent Posts

    • Best 75 Easy + Delicious Appetizers For Pizza Night
    • Top 20+ Easy, Healthy Salmon Breakfast Ideas and Recipes
    • Easy Strawberry, Blackberry, Banana Smoothie
    • Lavender vs Rosemary For Growing and Cooking
    • Top 40+ Tasty Day Hike Lunch Ideas
    • Easy Kakdi Koshimbir, A Refreshing Indian Cucumber Salad

    Follow to the bottom if you'd like to sign up for my latest shop sales, best cooking tips and newest recipes.

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Ooni Pizza Dough Recipe
    • Chirashi Sushi Bowl (aka Chirashizushi)
    • Miso Baked Oysters-A Quick And Easy West Coast Appetizer
    • Savory Spring Rhubarb Salsa
    • Red Cabbage Sauerkraut/Fermented Red Cabbage
    • Easy Peanut Sauce Baked Chicken
    Close up of thinly sliced sockeye salmon drizzled with white mayo based dressing and topped with arugula and a sprinkling of capers and red onions all on a blue plate.
    Best Salmon Carpaccio

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    Sabrina Currie of West Coast Kitchen Garden
    Sabrina Currie of West Coast Kitchen Garden

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Media Kit

    Copyright © West Coast Kitchen Garden 2021 - All Rights Reserved

     

    Loading Comments...