🌿 herbsEasy to use
Pandan Leaf
Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines)Year-round (tropical); frozen/extract available globallySweet, floral, vanilla-like
Did You Know?
Pandan is often called the 'vanilla of Asia' — it is as fundamental to SE Asian baking and cooking as vanilla is to Western desserts. Pandan chiffon cake is the national cake of Singapore. The compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) creates both pandan's aroma and the aroma of fragrant jasmine rice.
Overview
Southeast Asia (Indonesia · Year-round (tropical); frozen/extract available globally · herbs
Pandan leaves (screwpine) are long, bright green fragrant leaves from Pandanus amaryllifolius. They have a sweet, floral, vanilla-like aroma with grassy undertones — Southeast Asia's most iconic flavoring.
Southeast Asia (Indonesia
Origin
Year-round
Season
Easy
Difficulty
herbs
Category
Flavor Profile
Sweetfloralvanilla-likegrassyuniquely aromatic
Storage Tips
Fresh leaves: refrigerate up to 1 week, freeze up to 3 months. Pandan extract/paste: refrigerate after opening.
Photo Gallery
How to Cook with Pandan Leaf
Recipes, pairings, substitutes, and professional tips
Cooking Tips
Tie in a knot and add to rice or coconut milk while cooking. Blend fresh leaves for green juice/paste. Use in pandan chiffon cake, kaya jam, coconut sticky rice, tropical drinks.
Best Pairings
coconut milksticky ricekayasugarjasmine ricemangocream
Substitutes
Pandan extract, pandan powder, vanilla (flavor similar but not identical)
Nutrition & Health Benefits
The nutritional profile and health properties of Pandan Leaf
Nutrition Highlights
fat
0.7
carbs
8.5
fiber
1.6
protein
2.6
calories
49
Quick Facts
Categoryherbs
OriginSoutheast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines)
SeasonYear-round (tropical); frozen/extract available globally
DifficultyEasy
Health Benefits
Traditional uses for pain relief, fever, and oral health. Contains alkaloids with potential antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pandan Leaf Photos
4 photos showcasing Pandan Leaf in its many forms
🌿
Pandan Leaf
herbs
OriginSoutheast Asia (Indonesia
SeasonYear-round (tropical); frozen/extract available globally
DifficultyEasy
Flavor Notes
Sweetfloralvanilla-likegrassyuniquely aromatic
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Pairs Well With
coconut milksticky ricekayasugarjasmine ricemangocream
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