Are garlic chive seeds edible? Can they be used as a spice?

Dave D
  • Posted by: Dave D
  • October 26, 2017
  • 16964 views
  • 8 Comments

8 Comments

Miss_Karen June 17, 2018
I use Nigella (black onion seeds) they are fantastic in my Oriental salad, my onion bread & stews/soups!
 
HalfPint June 19, 2018
I second the rec for black onion seeds. A couple of months ago, I took a bagel class where we made a beet and onion seed bagel that was my favorite. The seeds add more than an onion-y flavor. There is a herb-y thyme-like profile to the flavor as well.
 
solmstea June 20, 2018
Yes, I have always used Nigella seeds as a topping on bread, though never noticed a significant impact on taste. But I will try them in some asian slaw/salad too!
 
urbangarden October 16, 2023
Nigella isn't onion seeds. It's the tiny seeds of Nigella sativa, the wild flower commonly called love-in-a-mist in the U.S. Some people call it black cumin or black coriander, but it isn't an allium or any of those other things. Grow some! It's beautiful!
 
solmstea June 16, 2018
Interesting. I was also seeking this info and also went ahead and ate some, but mine did have flavor. Tasted a bit oniony. I thought maybe they can be a substitute for Nigella seeds or onion seeds (which I also don't see used that much, but may be more decorative than anything). I have a ton of chive plants in my yard and just collected, so I guess I'll give them a try in a recipe!
 
Dave D. October 27, 2017
Thanks for your reply. I actually got a little impatient yesterday and tasted one. You are correct - no flavor. I had been hesitant to taste them only because I know that certain seeds can be toxic, like apple seeds.
 
702551 June 18, 2018
I finally harvested some seeds from my own chive plants and I took a taste. They are practically flavorless. I ate a couple with nothing else and I could barely detect an allium flavor, but one so incredibly light that it would easily get buried under other flavors.

There is no culinary usage case for my chive seeds.

I plan on using them to start some new plantings in the upcoming months, perhaps as a fall crop.

The chives I planted last year bounced back after the winter and are still chugging along. The stalks with the blossoms are too tough to use fresh, but I have started to hack away at these plants aggressively. This is stimulating growth of new tender chives which are actually useful.
 
702551 October 27, 2017
My understanding is that chive seeds are edible but don't have much flavor.

That would explain why the seeds are not sold as a culinary ingredient nor do any recipes call for them.

For many herbs and spices only part of the plant has culinary value.

For chives, the leaves have the most value. The flowers are pretty and can be included in a dish, but chives are not cultivated for their flowers as a primary goal.
 
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