Real Food Encyclopedia | Nettle
You may have seen nettles (genus Urtica) sold at the farmers’ market and wondered if they’re the same stinging nettles you have to avoid on the hiking trail. The answer is often yes — but don’t get scared. Properly prepared, these plants are no longer painful to eat. In fact, they’re delicious.
Not all nettles sting, but most of what you’ll find in North America is the stinging variety, Urtica dioica, a perennial herb that grows wild in forests and woodlands. A common roadside weed, they are largely foraged instead of farmed.
Did you know?
- In 2012, remains of a burial shroud made with nettle fabric were uncovered from a Bronze Age grave in Denmark. Native Americans also used nettles for textiles and fibers — resembling woven flax, it was used to make twine, fishing nets and rope.
- Nettles are referenced multiple times in the Bible.
- Many cheeses incorporate nettles, including the famous Cornish Yarg, a cow’s milk cheese that is wrapped in nettle leaves before aging.
- During World War II, British children were encouraged to help the war effort by collecting nettles, which were used to make green dye for camouflage.
What to look for when buying nettles
You may not have to buy nettles at all: If you live near a forest, stream or swampy spot in a temperate climate, you probably have them in your midst. Choose foraging locations that are less likely to be sprayed with chemicals or contaminated by car emissions — and be sure to wear gloves. For more guidance on foraging stinging nettles, check out this informative how-to video with author and forager Langdon Cook.
Nettles are best for eating when they’re young, before flower buds appear. Young plants will be shorter, about knee height; older plants will be bushier and as tall as six feet. The leaves of older plants are generally tougher, but leaves from higher up on the plant will likely be more tender. When buying them from a professional forager at the market, avoid signs of decay, such as browning or sogginess.
Sustainability of nettles
In general, nettles are not cultivated — they just grow in the wild, and in fact, certain varieties are considered an invasive species in much of the country. But in some contexts, the plant is also seen as an environmental steward. Rangers consider a nettle patch an indicator of high soil fertility, according to the Forest Service. In the U.K., nettles are considered an important native plant for wildlife — a source of food for all kinds of butterflies, moths and birds, as well as a haven for ladybugs (which keep plant-eating aphids away).
Pesticides
Because nettles are generally foraged — the main ways to obtain them are by foraging or buying from someone doing the foraging for you — there’s little data on pesticide load, though it’s fair to assume that it’s relatively low compared to commodity crops. Keep in mind that roadside beds may be regularly exposed to vehicle emissions. It is possible to cultivate stinging nettle in a home garden, one of the best ways to control exactly how it is grown, but it’s important to keep the plant under control and take measures to prevent its spread — lest it take over your entire yard (or your neighbor’s).
Seasonality
Everyone talks about asparagus and ramps being harbingers of spring, but nettles often get there first. Depending on where you live, new nettles can even start popping up in late winter. Act early: The plants will start to flower when the weather gets warm enough, at which point they’re no longer ideal for eating.
Eating nettles
Storing
Once picked, nettles are extremely perishable. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for just a few days. Wrap them in a towel and place in a loosely tied plastic bag. And remember: Until nettles are cooked, wear protective gloves while handling.
Cooking
Before cooking with nettles, you’ll need to thoroughly clean them and remove the sting by blanching for about a minute (salt optional). Drop the blanched nettles in ice water, drain, then wring them out by rolling them up in a kitchen towel and squeezing. You can also save the blanching water for stock or to add some flavor to a pasta, for example.
Like other quick-cooking greens, nettles present many opportunities to get creative in the kitchen. These greens are great in soup, pesto or sauce for delicate fish. You can throw them into a frittata or onto a pizza. Nettles play especially well with pasta: incorporated into the dough, as ravioli filling or simply braised and tossed with a short pasta like rigatoni or orecchiette. There are beverage options, too: Try a nettle tisane, using fresh leaves for tea.
Preserving
If you’ve got more nettles than time, you can easily freeze them for later — just place your blanched-and-prepped nettles in a zip top bag or other airtight container. The blanching water freezes just fine, too. You can also dry nettles for making herbal teas or even attempt your very own nettle beer.
Nutrition
Nettles are highly nutritious: One cup, blanched, contains six grams of fiber, more than two grams of protein and large amounts of Vitamin K and calcium. Nettles are also a good source of Vitamin A, iron, potassium and magnesium. The plant is also rich in chlorophyll.
In addition, the stinging nettle has long been revered as a medicinal plant — a treatment for physical ailments like gout, anemia and muscle and joint pain, according to Mount Sinai Hospital. It is an important part of the Native American medicine chest, taken to help during childbirth and reduce fevers. In recent years, it has been studied for its potential in treating diabetes, seasonal allergies and pain associated with arthritis, as well as urinary problems resulting from an enlarged prostate.
Top photo by nblxer/Adobe Stock.