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Stinging Nettle Pesto: A Wild Spring Recipe That’s Healthy, Easy, and Delicious
There’s something special about recipes that begin outside, with your hands in the wild and the scent of spring in the air. This stinging nettle pesto is one of those rare, simple pleasures. It’s deeply flavorful, nutrient-rich, and surprisingly easy to make. Nettles grow freely and abundantly, and when you learn how to work with them, they open up a whole new world of cooking. This pesto is a perfect way to celebrate foraging, seasonal eating, and the joy of turning wild greens into something you’ll want to put on everything.
Nettles are free, they’re good for you, and they make a pesto that’s velvety, green, and full of character. Whether you’re here for a healthy recipe, curious about foraging, or simply looking for something different to spoon over pasta or tuck into a sandwich, this one ticks all the boxes. It’s spring in a jar.
What Are Stinging Nettles, and Why Use Them?
Stinging nettles are wild plants with a bit of a reputation. Brushed against bare skin, their tiny hairs can cause a sting or a rash, but when handled properly and cooked, they become tender and flavorful. Think of them as spinach with a deeper, earthier taste.
They’re often suggested to be rich in nutrients like vitamins A and C, iron, magnesium, calcium, and protein. Some people also mention potential anti-inflammatory properties, but it’s best to think of them as part of a varied, seasonal diet. What’s certain is that they are green, fresh, and packed with possibility.
Stinging nettles.
You can find nettles in woodlands, along riverbanks, or even at the edges of quiet fields and gardens. Look for them in early to mid-spring when the leaves are young and bright. Once they get older, they become tougher and less pleasant to eat. Always forage responsibly, and make sure you’re collecting away from roads and sprayed areas.
Always Use Gloves When Picking Nettles
When it comes to harvesting, gloves are your best friend. Nettles are covered in fine hairs that can irritate the skin on contact. A thick pair of garden gloves makes it easy and safe to handle them, whether you’re clipping the tops or gathering whole stems. Spring and early summer are the best times to harvest nettles. That’s when the leaves are still tender and full of flavor. After flowering, the plant starts to toughen, and it’s best to leave it be.
Always make sure to put on gloves when picking nettles, as they sting.
Use a Good Food Processor
Once your nettles are steamed and ready, you’ll need a reliable food processor to turn them into a smooth, luxurious pesto. A weak motor or dull blade can leave the mixture gritty or uneven. I recommend this one for its power and consistency. It makes a huge difference, especially when working with fibrous greens and nuts.
Steam, Don’t Boil
To preserve both the color and nutrients of nettles, steaming is a better choice than boiling. Boiling can leach out flavor and minerals into the water, which gets thrown away. Steaming keeps the goodness in the leaves, softens them just enough, and removes the sting.
You don’t need a fancy setup. A simple steamer basket works beautifully. I use this one, which is affordable and fits in most pots. It folds down for storage and is one of those tools that ends up being useful in all sorts of recipes.
Stinging nettles are super healthy and rich in vitamins.
A Jar of Green Gold in Your Fridge
Stinging nettle pesto is one of those things that quietly transforms your kitchen. Spoon it over warm pasta with a bit of the cooking water, tuck it into sandwiches, dollop it on roasted vegetables, swirl it into soups, or use it as a base for flatbreads. Even stirred into scrambled eggs, it brings a deep, savory brightness.
With a jar in the fridge, you’re always a few minutes away from a meal. It’s one of my favorite tricks for easy lunches and fast dinners. A little goes a long way, and it’s endlessly versatile.
The Cheese Matters
In this recipe, I use a blend of Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. The Parmigiano brings a nutty, rich base, while the Pecorino adds a sharp, salty edge. The combination creates depth and contrast that takes the pesto from good to addictive. Don’t skimp on the olive oil either. It helps everything blend smoothly and gives the pesto its silky texture.
Here’s a tip. The pesto tastes even better after resting overnight. Let it sit in the fridge and you’ll notice the flavors deepen and round out. It becomes a more complete, harmonious sauce that keeps getting better with time.
Simple. Wild. Perfect.
This pesto is one of my favorite things to make in the spring. It’s wild food at its best. Easy, nourishing, and incredibly satisfying. The kind of recipe that makes you feel more connected to the season, to the land, and to your own kitchen. If you’ve never cooked with stinging nettles before, let this be your introduction. You might be surprised at just how wonderful they are.
This stinging nettle pesto is one of those rare, simple pleasures. It’s deeply flavorful, nutrient-rich, and surprisingly easy to make. I’s a perfect way to celebrate foraging, seasonal eating, and the joy of turning wild greens into something you’ll want to put on everything.
Total Time:15 minutes
Yield:1 jar 1x
Ingredients
Scale
2 liter (8 ½ cups) stinging nettles
100 g (3 ½ oz or ¾ cup) pine nuts or hazelnuts
4 dl (1 ⅔ cups) olive oil
70 g (2 ½ oz or ¾ cup) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
50 g (1 ¾ oz or ½ cup) Pecorino Romano, grated
3 dl (1 ¼ cups) basil, chopped
1 garlic clove
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Steam the nettles for 5 minutes. Let them cool a bit, then rougly chop them.
Lightly toast the pine nuts or hazelnuts in a frying pan, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor.
Pulse until a fine pesto forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
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