If you have stinging nettles growing wild in your backyard or local park then grab your gardening gloves, a pair of scissors, and a bag and get to foraging!

Nettle pesto is so easy to make, it’s almost exactly like making basil pesto except you blanch the nettles first to deaden the stingers. Stinging nettle pesto has bright, fresh flavors with a rich and nutty depth. Sauté up some veggies and boil a pot of noodles and you’ve got yourself an incredible, creamy pasta dish! The great thing about stinging nettles is that it’s delicious fresh and free food which you don’t have to slave over a garden in order to grow!

How to harvest and cook stinging nettles

It can feel intimidating making nettle pesto for the first time but it’s very simple! I’ll give you some fast information here to help give you confidence.

When harvesting nettles wear long pants and long sleeves. Always wear gloves when handling nettles! I prefer gardening gloves over disposable as the stingers can make their way into thin material.
Harvest young nettles. Don’t harvest nettles once the plant is past its prime and going to seed.
Don’t eat the flowers!
Harvest nettle leaves from the top 1/3 of the plant, similar to harvesting basil. Those will be the best tasting leaves! Don’t harvest all the way down the plant.
Remove the stems.
Blanching nettles will shrink the volume substantially (think cooked spinach). It may seem like a lot of nettle leaves that you’re using but it shrinks up.
Blanch for 30 seconds, no more than 45. TOnce you dunk the nettle leaves in the pot of boiling water to blanch, use a wooden spoon to make sure all the leaves are fully submerged and then start your timer. The longer they are in the boiling water the more they will cook down and lose their flavor and nutrients!
Once the nettles have blanched for 30-45 seconds, strain the water and quickly transfer leaves to an ice bath. After a few seconds, remove leaves from ice bath and gently squeeze the water out. Lay the leaves on a clean kitchen towel and sop up as much moisture as possible. This is important because if the leaves are too wet, the pesto will be watery!

Want to mix up the veggies?

Go for it! I often times just use what I have on hand and it could be very different from the veggies I used in this particular recipe! Asparagus is great in this dish, yellow squash instead of green adds a pop of color, or stir in frozen green peas. Mix it up and have fun with the varieties!

Are nettles healthy?

Incredibly healthy! Nettles are rich in tons of nutrients including calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and vitamins K, C, D, and A. One cup of blanched nettles has 2.4 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 42% of the recommended daily intake of calcium!¹ Nettles have all the essential amino acids making it a complete protein. (Did you know that all plants are complete proteins, actually?)²³

Many of the nutrients in stinging nettles act as antioxidants in the body, helping to protect the body from free radical damage that causes premature aging, cancer, and other diseases. Stinging nettles have been shown to reduce blood pressure, reduce inflammation, aid with liver health, and help lower blood sugar. ⁴

There is one caveat: the health benefits from eating nettles come from the whole food, you won’t find the same benefits from taking a supplement.

Want to add more protein?

This meal is already pretty protein packed but if you’d like to add more, I love cooking up some Flavorful Golden Tofu and tossing it in!

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