Stinging Nettle Pesto
Stinging Nettle Pesto is simple to make and a great way to transform bothersome nettles into delicious food!
Servings: 1 large batch (1 ¼ c pesto)
Ingredients
- 4.80 oz Fresh nettle leaves about 6 packed cups ((seems like a lot but it shrinks down!))
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
- ¾ cup Walnuts
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Harvest Harvest (young) nettles while wearing gloves by cutting stem about 1/4-1/3 of the way down the plant. (Don't harvest the lower leaves.) Remove and discard stems.
- Prep Have a large bowl of cold water with ice cubes ready for an ice bath.
- Boil Bring a large pot of water to a boil and (while still wearing gloves!) add nettle leaves, using a wooden spoon to make sure all leaves are fully submerged. Blanch for 30 seconds, strain, and transfer leaves to the ice bath for a few moments to cool. Scoop the leaves out (you can use your hands now), gently squeezing out water, then place onto a dry kitchen towel and pat dry.
- Process Add nettle leaves and the rest of the ingredients to the food processor except olive oil and process until finely chopped, stopping to scrape sides with a spatula. Once finely chopped, remove blade and stir in olive oil with a spatula. Taste pesto and add anything more you think it needs!
Notes
- Nettle Pesto can be used immediately as a sauce for a pasta dish, a spread, mixed with tofu scrambles to give it a mediterranean flare, as a vegan pizza base (with some more pesto dolloped on top!) just to name a few ideas!
- Pesto keeps in the fridge in a well-sealed container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1-2 months.