RECIPE | NETTLE SOUP
The common nettle, Urtica dioica, is well known for its sting, but less well known for its health-giving benefits. This native Irish wild plant is rich in vitamins, minerals (especially iron) and trace elements, and it is abundant and free for all of us to use.
Nettles were traditionally used as a spring tonic, and they make a nutritious substitute for spinach in many recipes. Cooking them removes the sting, making them safe to eat. If you are new to cooking with nettles, this soup recipe is a great place to start.
NETTLE SOUP
INGREDIENTS
25g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion (peeled & diced)
1 large leek (green and white parts, trimmed & diced)
1 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
1 green chili, de-seeded & chopped (optional)
3 large potatoes (diced in roughly 1cm cubes)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1lt stock (I like to use homemade chicken stock for the best flavour, but you can also use vegetable stock, or stock cubes)
25g nettle tops, washed (roughly 20 nettle tops)
METHOD
Gently heat the butter and olive oil on a medium heat, in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the prepared onion, leek, garlic, chili, and potatoes. Stir well so all the vegetables are coated in the butter and oil mix. Season with salt and pepper and stir again. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, turn down the heat, and sweat the vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are slightly softened but not browned.
Add the stock, bring to a boil, then cover again and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through. Remove the lid, add the nettle tops, bring back to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Purée with a handheld blender until smooth.
TO SERVE
Add a drizzle of cream, herb oil or pesto, and garnish with some finely chopped soft herbs such as parsley or chives. Wild garlic flowers make a great garnish when they are in season.
VARIATIONS
This basic recipe also works well with wild garlic, sorrel, cress or lovage.
NOTE
Make sure to wear clean rubber gloves when harvesting and handling raw nettles. Only harvest fresh green nettle tops. Do not use the leaves when the plant is in flower or gone to seed.
Read my Guide to Using Nettles for detailed information on how to harvest and prepare them, with information on nutritional content and lots of recipe ideas.
LEARN MORE
If you would like to learn more about how to safely identify wild herbs and use them to enhance your health, by making tasty drinks, wild food dishes and simple herbal remedies, click on the links below to check out my in person and online foraging workshops.
Introduction to Foraging Workshop
IMPORTANT WARNING
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified nutritionist or health practitioner.
Never use any wild plant if you are pregnant, have a serious illness or medical condition or are on any medication, without first consulting your medical team.
It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure that any wild plants are 100% correctly identified. If in doubt never use any wild plant for food or medicine.
