Wattleseed flavour is often described as tasting like nuts, legumes, chocolate, coffee, hazelnut, popcorn and sesame, and having an earthy umami flavour that can be a little bitter, peppery, sweet and smoky.   

Flavour varies significantly by preparation method. Most common methods are: 

1. Roasting.  Raw seed is roasted at 200 degrees for 3-10 minutes until the seed coat cracks and the seed starts to pop.  Length of roast will change the flavour profile significantly. Too much smoke will create a very bitter burnt flavour.  

   Whole roasted seed can be used as a crunchy addition to many dishes. It will also absorb moisture when added to wet dishes of all kinds. Examples include paella, risotto, stews, and soups. 

2. Grinding.  Coarse grinds are often used as dukkahs and dessert toppings such as sprinkled on ice cream or yoghurt. Finer grinds are used as substitutes for flour or hot beverages. 

3. Boiling/Simmering. This will expand wattle seed grains like rice or quinoa. This can take as little as 5-8 minutes if the seed coat has been previously cracked by roasting .  Alternatively, the flavoursome oils can be drawn out by simmering raw seed very slowly for about 7 hours using a slow cooker.  A pressure cooker can also be used to penetrate the seed coat more quickly.  

   Softened, slow-cooked wattle seed can be used just like rice, quinoa, pearl barley or lentils. For example, in soups, risotto, arancini balls, paella, added to salads or deserts such as ice cream or stewed fruit. My favourite is adding raw seed to lamb shanks in the slow cooker.  

4. Sprouted. Wattle seeds can be germinated and consumed like alfalfa sprouts or other micro-greens. They are a healthy addition to salads. Sprouting takes between  4 to 14 days, depending on the species and method used. Pre-treatment of the seed using either hot water or scarification helps to increase germination rates. 

5. Malted. This method is best suited to smaller wattle seed species. Seeds are germinated and then lightly roasted or hot air infused to release sugars and flavours. The seed can then be used in many dishes, brewing or fermenting or eaten as a delicious, healthy snack. 

Wattleseed nutrition analysis by the University of QLD (see table below) shows how wattleseed compares to other more popular grains. 

While all wattleseed contains similar energy (kilojoules) to other seeds like wheat, the energy in wattleseed comes from protein, fats and dietary fibre rather than carbohydrates, as it does in wheat.

Furthermore, the small amounts of carbohydrates in wattleseed are complex carbohydrates, which means the energy (sugar) enters the blood stream slowly, hence it is classified as a low glycaemic index food.

As well, the moderate levels of fats in wattleseed are comprised of high levels of linoleic acid, the main omega-6 essential fatty acid required by humans.  

To learn more, download the full report and Journal article below: 

1. Nutritional and Antinutritional Properties of Wattle Seed.  Y. Saltanbawa, O. Adiamo. Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food innovation, at The University of Queensland. 2023.  

2. Domesticated Australian wattle seeds (Acacia species): nutritional values, techno-functional properties and toxicological assessments after roasting.  O. Adiamo, A.D. Thi Phan, S. Akter, D. Sivakumar, F. Seke, P. Cunningham & Y. Sultanbawa. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 2023 

Australia is the home of wattles. Of the 1,500 Acacia species around the world, 1,000 are native to Australia. Wattles are relatively short-lived trees and have evolved to occupy almost every ecological niche in Australia.  

Wattles were widely used by our First Nations people as a food and for other purposes. The seed was cooked fresh in its pod or ground on stones after roasting to make damper.  The sap, which occasionally oozes from the trunk, is a very effective glue. Some species were used for medicinal purposes such antiseptic lotions for cuts and sores or post-natal smoke treatments for mothers and their babies. The timber was used for boomerangs and coolamons. 

Wattles are legumes. Just like peas, beans and lentils, wattles are especially adapted to add nitrogen to the soil. They are typically the first to re-colonise degraded landscapes, fixing nitrogen into the soil and creating a more habitable environment for other species.   

As a perennial legume, wattles offer a unique opportunity as a tree-crop that can replace annual cropping on marginal land while also aiding the growth of perennial grasses. Once trees are mature, under-tree grazing  is possible, providing manure and nutrients for the soil. As it decomposes, moisture and carbon is stored in the soil.