University of Illinois educators spice up summer with cicada-themed dishes

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WRSP/WCCU) — With millions of cicadas emerging this summer across the state of Illinois and the nation, many are curious to learn more about these critters. Some are even curious enough to eat them.

A pizza topping or tasty treat isn’t what comes to mind for most when it comes to cicadas, but for one group of University of Illinois educators, that is exactly what they thought of.

U of I extension horticulture educators Ken Johnson and Chris Enroth hosted a cicada-themed lunch late last month for their podcast Good Growing. They wanted to highlight every angle of cicadas, from what they do to how they taste.

We blanched some so basically you boil them for a minute or two, and that’s gonna clean them off if there’s any microbes in or around them, it’s gonna kill, basically gonna cook them,” said Johnson. “Eat them blanched, they're gonna kinda taste like asparagus, and then you roast them and you kinda get the real nutty aroma, kinda nutty flavor to them."

Johnson said for the lunch, they used cicadas that were freshly hatched in order to avoid wings and legs. He said if you do use older cicadas to clip off their wings and legs before consuming.

But the answer most want to know is did the cicada dishes taste good? Johnson and Enroth say yes, and recommend everyone try something new.

The periodical pesto pizza, the cicada tempura, and then finally it’s the cicada sundae,” said Enroth when describing the dishes they had at the lunch. “I wasn’t really kicking and screaming but I was hesitant to eat that first cicada. I will say it’s a fun experience, do take that opportunity, try something new.

For those who are allergic to shellfish, it is recommended that you do not try cicadas as they are in the same family as shellfish and may cause an allergic reaction.

Johnson and Enroth also advise against harvesting cicadas from areas that have a lot of heavy metals or pesticides in the soil as cicadas can absorb some of it during their many years underground.