14 Fantastic Ways To Use Flaxseed

Flaxseed is among the most versatile ingredients you can keep in your pantry. This is likely to come as a surprise. Even if you're familiar with the little brown seed, there's a good chance you can only think of a couple ways to use it. Flaxseed oil might seem to be the powerhouse ingredient instead; oil, after all, gets used in just about everything. But the seed itself? What can that be good for except the odd garnish and setting out for the birds?

In fact, flaxseed can — and should — be used in just about everything. For one thing, it's absolutely packed with health benefits. It boasts an impressive amount of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and potent little phytochemicals known as lignans. But this isn't just a matter of health; whether whole or ground, flaxseed is absolutely delicious. Its toasty, nutty taste can up the flavor of everything from pizza to salad — and adding it into the mix is downright easy. Ready to get more of this powerful little seed into your diet? Then you're ready to check out these 14 ways of using flaxseed in the kitchen.

Is there anyone who doesn't like breading? We doubt it. The delectable technique takes chicken, fish, vegetables, and all manner of other foods to the next level. For the most part, breading boils down to a straightforward process: Dredge the main ingredient in something that'll make breadcrumbs stick to it, coat the dredged ingredient in breadcrumbs, then fry, roast, or otherwise cook it. This simple scaffold offers more room for the imagination than you might expect, however, especially when it comes to the breadcrumbs. Sure, literal breadcrumbs are the expected choice, but ground flaxseed is just as valid an option — and potentially even more delicious.

Substituting your favorite breading — be it panko, cornflakes, or ground-up ciabatta — for ground flaxseed couldn't be simpler: Literally all you have to do is swap the former with the latter. There's no need to deviate from your usual seasonings, add more buttermilk, toss in another egg, or add in any other ingredient — just dip the to-be-breaded comestible in your choice of wet dredging material, toss it in the flaxseed and seasoning mixture, and cook it as you typically do. It works well with all manner of ingredients, keeping chicken and eggplant alike moist and tasty, and takes well to roasting, frying, or whatever other process you prefer. Plus, it's often a tiny bit crunchier thanks to flaxseed's heft, and full of nutty flavor.

Even if a person loves flaxseed to bits, it's very possible that some of the people they feed do not. Kids, for example, might balk at the sight of them simply because they're a new food, while certain adults might wish they liked them, but flinch at their texture or flavor. Even an ardent flaxseed fan might get a little tired of them now and again, while remaining committed to incorporating them into more meals. What's a cook to do at this impasse? Add flaxseed to rich and hearty stews and sauces, of course.

When added to muffins, yogurt, or toast, flaxseeds stand out in a major way. But they virtually disappear when swirled into, say, a beef stew thick with chunks of onion, potato, chuck roast, and carrot. Enchiladas are another great option; the flaxseeds pretty much vanish amidst tortillas, sauce, and all manner of fillings. Chili, chowder, bouillabaisse — the list of options goes on and on. Even the pickiest kid would be hard-pressed to pick them out of such complex medleys. Committing to everyday flaxseed consumption is a cinch with these sumptuous recipes at your disposal.

Breadcrumbs might be best known as the main component in breading, but they also play a key role in binding together things like meatballs, meatloaf, and meat patties. In fact, breadcrumbs can make or break these dishes. Under-seasoned, stale, and otherwise unimpressive breadcrumbs lead to limp, tasteless final products; fresh, tasty, and crisp breadcrumbs don't just add flavor and texture, they highlight the meat's own virtues.

Once you've figured out your own approach to binding breadcrumbs, it's tempting to never deviate from it again. After all, the dishes it contributes to are among the most beloved family favorites — why risk ruining your famous meatballs? But you owe it to yourself to try substituting ground flaxseed for your tried-and-true breadcrumb blend. Flaxseed helps these meaty creations stick together just as well as breadcrumbs do, so go ahead and banish whatever visions of crumbling meatball rubble might be dancing in your head. What's more, their rich flavor complements ground beef, chicken, turkey, and a number of other meats like a dream. Ground flaxseed also boasts an impressive degree of crunchiness and flakiness that doesn't fade, even after a day in the fridge or a spin in the microwave. Finally, using ground flaxseed isn't any harder than using typical breadcrumbs. All you have to do is make the swap, then proceed as normal.

Nuts and seeds are a load-bearing ingredient in many salads, and flaxseed is one of the absolute best. In terms of pure deliciousness, it more than delivers. Flaxseed's rich flavor works in a straight-up gigantic range of salads; it suits crisp romaine, peppery arugula, and verdant watercress. Going for a funkier salad? No problem. Fruit, legumes, grilled chicken, and hard-boiled eggs all benefit from flaxseed's warm, earthy taste. Moreover, if you're interested in salads for their healthiness, flaxseed brings all its healthy fats, protein content, and fiber to the table.

Ground flaxseed is also an excellent ingredient to add to your next salad. Yeah, we know, that sounds kind of weird. If you need to ease into it, you can start by sprinkling them atop croutons (or making your own flaxseed-based croutons, if you have the time and inclination). But simply scattering it into the mix works perfectly, and is ridiculously simple to boot. You owe it to yourself to give it a chance, as it's one of the easiest ways to incorporate this wonderful little seed into your diet. If you're worried it'll be like eating lettuce topped with dust, let us put your mind at ease — just a handful sprinkled in basically disappears into the salad. You get all the health benefits without any textural weirdness.

There's no wrong way to eat flaxseed, really. However, if you're particularly interested in its health benefits, you should be seeking out ground flaxseed more than the whole stuff. This is because whole flaxseed is entirely capable of passing through the digestive system intact, which keeps you from getting the full benefits of all those healthy fatty acids and lignans. Ground flaxseed, in contrast, lets all those healthy elements loose into the body.

One of the best ways to incorporate more ground flaxseed into your diet is through sandwiches. Sprinkling a little between slices of meat and cheese works, as does using bread made with ground flaxseed. But one of the easiest methods is to simply stir ground flaxseed into your condiments. There's no need to go overboard –- all you have to do is mix a teaspoon into your mayo, mustard, sriracha, aioli, or whatever other condiment you prefer. If you're not in love with flaxseed's flavor, you can stop there; it pretty much disappears into the condiment and the sandwich as a whole. If, however, you do like flaxseed's taste, you can increase the amount you spoon in and enjoy your sandwich's new earthy undertones. Just remember to use ground flaxseed rather than whole flaxseed, and you're golden.

No food is universally beloved, but pizza comes pretty darn close. This magical combination of bread, sauce, cheese, and toppings has charmed people all around the globe — and it happens to be another great way to get more flaxseed into your diet.

We suppose you could scatter ground or whole flaxseed over a pizza, if you're so inclined. But the most interesting, versatile, and delicious way to get it into this beloved meal is to use the pizza crust. There are basically two ways of doing this. The first is ideal for those cooks who don't want to stray too far from the traditional crust: All you need to do is mix some flaxseed into your crust dough, alongside yeast, water, flour, olive oil, and whatever other ingredients you use. This method adds flaxseed's nutty flavor and many nutrients into the crust while keeping it fairly traditional — a pizza-loving kid, for example, will probably not notice the presence of flaxseed.

The other method is ideal for those sticking to low-carb diets. It involves making a pizza crust without any flour at all, but a whole lot of ground flaxseed. Many of the other ingredients are the same; you still use salt, Italian herbs and spices, and oil. But the presence of flaxseed makes this crust a very different affair. While it takes some getting used to for many diners, it has charms of its own. Flaxseed's rich, complex flavor brings new life to pizza, and complements a number of toppings well. Even if you don't follow a low-carb diet, it's worth giving a try.

Mastering salad dressing is key to becoming an excellent cook. With a few go-to recipes in your back pocket, you can make basically anything delicious and widen your diet considerably in the process. Ground flaxseed can be a secret weapon here. It works like a charm in a wide variety of dressings, and is of particular note to folks who need to avoid dairy and/or oil.

First and foremost, ground flaxseed is delicious in salad dressing. This makes sense — its taste is often described as nutty, and nuts have a long and glorious history in salads. This flavor brings richness and depth to even the lightest salad, and incorporating it through dressing makes the whole process easier. But the real magic lies in the fact that using ground flaxseed in your dressing allows you to cut out oil or dairy. All you have to do is combine water and flaxseed, and you get a luscious, creamy emulsion ready for all the herbs, spices, and acids you can throw at it. Just take care to use ground flaxseed, rather than whole flaxseed, lest you end up with an unevenly gloppy mess.