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Saffron

Saffron is a fragrant spice used to add golden color and floral flavor to rice dishes, sauces, and desserts.

Saffron — illustrative ingredient image

About Saffron

Saffron is the dried stigma of the saffron crocus, used as a spice in rice dishes, broths, sauces, breads, confectionery, custards, and dairy-based desserts. It is valued in small quantities for both colour and aroma. The spice is the dried stigma itself, not a general flower, petal, or other crocus product.

The threadlike strands are usually red to deep orange and release a distinctive floral, honeyed, slightly earthy aroma and flavour when steeped, crushed, or cooked. Its colour disperses through liquid and gives foods a yellow to golden hue. Gentle infusion tends to spread the aroma evenly, while direct addition can leave the flavour more localized.

Saffron is sold as whole threads, broken threads, or ground powder. Threads are often steeped in warm water, stock, milk, or another liquid before being added to food. Powder blends readily but is harder to inspect visually. Crushing or infusion changes how quickly the colour and flavour disperse.

Ingredient type
seasoning

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Where saffron appears

72 linked foods

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Showing 13–24 of 72

Main dishes

Sides

Snacks

Desserts

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for saffron

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Saffron

English

Azafrán de la Mancha

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Saffron threads

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Saffron nutrition & diet

Saffron nutritional value

Spices, saffron

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
310kcal
Protein
11.4g
Carbs
65.4g
Fat
5.8g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the specifically identified saffron stigmas or threads in the small culinary amount added to a dish, and distinguish them from saffron powder or colored substitutes. Rice, broth, dairy, oils, sweets, and other carrier ingredients usually contribute more to the served preparation than the spice itself.

Compare the right form: Reference data should match genuine saffron stigmas or threads, or separately identified powder, as used in the recipe; colored seasoning blends are not equivalent.

Diet considerations

Saffron is a plant-derived spice when the identity is established. Plain culinary use is compatible with plant-based diets, but the dish may contain dairy, meat stock, egg, alcohol, or cereal ingredients. Compatibility and carbohydrate patterns therefore belong to the complete recipe and its portion.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Spices, saffron ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .