Last weekend I found stinging nettles in my neighbourhood market for the first time this year. To me that is the sign of spring. I bought a bag and made my favorite nettle pesto. It is super easy to make and completely vegan.
Here is how I do it.
Ingredients:
- a bag fresh stinging nettles
- a handful of walnuts, halved and toasted
- 5 cloves of garlic
- High quality olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pasta of your choice
Instructions:
- Bring a pot of salt water to a boil.
- Use the tong to load the nettles into the pot and let it boil for 4-5 minutes. Save the water.
- Remove the nettles from the pot and shock them in ice water.
- Drain and squeeze the nettles to remove as much water as possible.
- In a food processor, chop the walnuts and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
- Add nettles, half of the olive oil and salt
- With the motor running, slowly drizzle the remaining olive oil into the mixture.
- Cook the pasta in the nettle water preserved in step 2, until al dente. Leave the cooking water on the side.
- In a large bowl, toss the pasta with pesto sauce, gradually ladle in pasta water and mix until the sauce evenly adheres to the noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
Note:
I also like to use this sauce on fish such as salmon in this recipe of Pan Seared Salmon with Nettle Pesto. One more month before the first batch of Copper River Salmon arrives. Yippee! 🙂
Hmm. We don’t get nettles in South Australia but I might use rocket. I might also use tongs instead of my tongue, but then I’m not a risk-Taker! Looks great.
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Oops. You have sharp eyes. I need to correct that. Haha. Rocket would work perfectly.
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Sounds delicious
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Thank you! Feels healthy too 🙂
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Yum!
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Thanks Cindy!
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This looks amazing. I believe nettles also have some health benefits. Unfortunately nettles aren’t readily common here but I am intrigued! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
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Thanks Lynne. Yes nettles are supposed to have high amount of Vitamin A and Iron. They are really good for us. I also use the water it steeped in as hair tonic 🙂
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I have no shortage on stinging nettles. I’m going to try this recipe. Saving it. Thanks!
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Thanks Diana. I hope you will like it 🙂
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I knew nettles only for their stingy touch. I didn’t realize you could make something delicious out of them!
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Yes they do and they are so good for you, once you boiled them, they become harmless 🙂
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Looks great! I’ve never really used nettles in my dishes before. Will have to try this recipe sometime soon!
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Thanks TheTorontoHiker!
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Looks delicious. Interesting that there is no cheese in this version with nettles. I’ve always made pesto with basil. I’ll have to look for nettles in the grocery store.
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As an Asian,we don’t necessarily eat a lot of cheese and I think the starch in the little bit of pasta water I used served as a combining agent, in a way like cheese, but dairy free.
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I have always wanted to make nettles pesto. Where did you find them? I’ll have to check the co-op and see if they are in here, too!
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Hi Snuffy, I found them at the Forage & Found stand ( http://www.foragedandfoundedibles.com) at the farmers market. The other farmers stand have them sometimes too well into May.
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Oh, I did not about this! I am going to have to pay one of them a visit soon. 🙂
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This sounds really good. I love making pesto. I recently made mint-arugula pesto with hazelnuts. I’ll be posting the recipe soon.
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Oh mint-arugula sounds great. What an excellent idea. I will have to give it a try. Thanks Laci!
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You are welcome!
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Yum!
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Pesto is wonderful on so many things. I make a basil and rocket pesto which may be a little similar in flavour.. the rocket has some bite to it. Thank you for sharing.
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Pesto is life
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looks amazing!
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This looks soooo delicious 😋 I will have to try it!
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