Delicious nettle recipes

Nettle dishes contain many vitamins. Eating this pungent herb will replenish the lack of minerals and diversify your usual dishes. Simple nettle recipes are suitable for any home cook and do not require special ingredients or skills.

Use of nettle in cooking

The high content of vitamins and microelements in nettle allows you to get the maximum benefit from your dishes for the whole body. In some European countries, the plant is grown and cultivated. For adherents of a vegetarian diet, nettle has become a source of protein - it contains 2 times more protein than some legumes.

Is it possible to eat nettles fresh?

Nettles can and should be eaten fresh. The weed retains its beneficial properties if it is not subjected to heat treatment. In this case, it is important to carefully prepare the grass and make it non-hot. Nettles will not bite if you pour boiling water over them and then rinse them in cold water.

Content of vitamins in nettles

Nettle is a real storehouse of microelements. It contains zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, copper. Consumption of weed dishes:

• promotes anti-inflammatory effect;
• improves blood clotting;
• has a beneficial effect on skin tone;
• heals some diseases of the liver and genitourinary system.

In addition, it is worth eating nettle to remove toxins from the body. Cellulose polysaccharides and lignins contained in the weed, vitamins from groups A, B, C, E, K help get rid of excess toxins.

When does nettle begin to grow?

Young nettles appear in spring. In mid-latitudes it begins to grow as early as March. The most common type of weed is stinging nettle. The plant can be collected all spring and until June inclusive.

What can be prepared from young nettles?

Young nettle has a wide range of uses in cooking. Acting as a complement to various types of food, the weed increases its benefits. The herb itself rarely defines the entire flavor of a dish, but it will add a savory note in any form.

Salads

The quickest use of nettle in cooking is as an addition to a vegetable salad; the herb will not add a defining taste, but will become a mysterious and useful ingredient. The weed goes well with any raw vegetables and is excellent in an oil and vinegar sauce.

Porridge

Nettle is used to make both a base for porridges and a supplement. One can argue for a long time about the benefits of the herb, but the dish certainly has an unusual taste.As a decoration and to increase the benefits, the weed is added to buckwheat, pearl barley, millet and rice cereals.

First meal

You can prepare nettles as a first course in different ways. The most common are soups with weed and cereals, lean cabbage soup or meat broth. Fresh summer recipes include botvinya and okroshka.

Okroshka

May nettle will be an excellent addition to traditional okroshka. To prepare this summer refreshing dish, you will need the following ingredients:

• medium cucumber - 4 pcs.;
• radishes - 5-6 pcs.;
• green onion - 50 gr.;
• dill - 100 gr.;
• nettle - 400 gr.;
• eggs - 4 pcs.;
• sour cream - to taste;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. The first step is to rinse the nettle and pour boiling water over it. After 10 minutes, when the weed loses its burning properties, rinse the ingredient with cold water. Blot dry with a paper towel. Make a puree from washed and soaked nettles.
   
2. Chop radishes, cucumbers, onions, dill. Mix all ingredients with kvass, add nettle puree and salt.
   
3. Serve with sour cream and hard-boiled egg. Okroshka with herbs will turn out to be a thick and light dish.

Second courses

You can prepare young nettles in a variety of ways, including as main courses. Various kinds of light and healthy breakfasts, hearty lunches, meat foods - all this can be in harmony with grass. Nettle recipes for food are not distinguished by the abundance of products and the complexity of execution.

Pilaf

For lean delicious pilaf you will need the following ingredients:

• young nettle - 300 gr.;
• onion - 200 gr.;
• carrots - 200 gr.;
• rice/barley - 2 cups;
• water - 1.5 l;
• garlic - 1 head;
• vegetable oil - 100 ml;
• salt - to taste;
• ground pepper - to taste.

1. The first stage is preparing the nettles.It must be washed and kept in boiling water for several minutes. Grind herbs and onions. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Sauté the crushed ingredients in oil until tender.
2. 3 Boil and mix the cereal with the previously prepared products.
3. Salt and pepper, add chopped garlic. Do not subject the dish to further heat treatment.

Omelette

Many people have a hearty and healthy breakfast of eggs in their diet. There are plenty of recipes for this nettle dish: the invaluable vitamin herb is a beneficial addition to classic food. To prepare an omelet with the addition of weed, you will need:

• nettle - 100 gr.;
• medium eggs - 4 pcs.;
• sour cream - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• spices - to taste;
• butter - 30 gr.

Cooking process:

1. Rinse the nettle and pour boiling water over it - as always, to eliminate the sting. Cut in small pieces.
   
2. Break the eggs into a deep bowl, add sour cream, salt and spices. Mix thoroughly, add chopped herbs.
   
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan and pour the mixture into it. Fry over low heat until the workpiece is completely set.
4. Turn the omelette onto a plate - it has a brown crust and a delicate filling.
   

Cutlets

These lean and healthy cutlets make an excellent light dinner and are suitable for lovers of vegetarian cuisine. Low calorie content makes nettle dish a godsend for those losing weight. You will need the following ingredients:

• young nettle - 300 gr.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• white beans - 100 gr.;
• wheat flour - 4 tbsp. spoon;
• vegetable oil - 100 gr.;
• spices - to taste;
• salt - to taste.

1. First, you need to soak the beans overnight. Then grind it and the onion in a blender until a completely homogeneous puree.
2. Place the herb in boiling water for a couple of minutes, rinse with cold water, and chop. Combine all ingredients, add salt and spices.
3. Form the mixture into cutlets of the desired size, roll in flour and fry in vegetable oil.

Sauces

Young nettle recipes include many versions of this vitamin-packed weed. For big fans of spicy herbal taste, there are several sauce options. They will serve as an excellent addition to familiar dishes and significantly increase their beneficial properties.

For the first version of the sauce you will need the following products:

• nettle - 3 medium bunches;
• pine nuts or walnuts - 2-3 handfuls;
• olive oil - 7 tbsp. spoon;
• Parmesan cheese - 4 tbsp. spoons;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Grind the nettles processed in boiling water with oil in a blender.
2. Add nuts, grated cheese and salt to the mixture. Everything must be brought to a homogeneous mass.
3. This sauce can be stored in a vacuum jar or served fresh.

For the second recipe:

• nettle - 500 gr.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• flour - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• olive oil - 50 gr.;
• chicken broth - 200 gr.;
• sour cream - 50 gr.;
• salt and spices - to taste.

Recipe algorithm:

1. Wash the nettles and boil in salted water for 5 minutes, chop finely.
2. Fry the flour in a frying pan until creamy, add butter and chopped onion to the mixture. When the mixture turns golden, add chicken broth and chopped nettles.
3. After the sauce boils, add sour cream and remove from heat.
4. Before serving, decorate the dish with herbs.

Bakery

One of the more unusual culinary uses of nettles is in baking. The ingredients are still little different from traditional food. Here are some recipes for unusual, delicious dishes made from young weed.

Cupcakes

To make delicious chocolate-nettle cupcakes you will need:

• wheat flour - 1.5 cups;
• cocoa powder - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• chopped young nettle - 1 cup;
• brown sugar - 2/3 cup;
• medium eggs - 2 pcs.;
• vegetable oil - ½ cup;
• milk - ¾ cup;
• baking powder - 2 teaspoons.

Recipe steps:

1. Pour boiling water over nettles to eliminate the stinging properties. Cool in ice water to preserve the fresh, rich green color of the grass. Dry with paper towels, chop finely.
   
2. Beat eggs with brown sugar. It is necessary to obtain airy foam. Separately mix flour, baking powder and cocoa.
   
3. Pour vegetable oil and milk into the egg-sugar mixture and stir. Add the dry mixture and achieve a homogeneous mass.
4. Add chopped nettle to the finished dough. Stir.
   
5. Pour 3/4 of the dough into the muffin tins and garnish with a nettle leaf treated with boiling water. Bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes.
   
6. When serving, sprinkle the finished dish with powdered sugar.

Casserole

For the casserole you will need:

• millet cereal - 100 gr.;
• semolina - 5 tbsp. spoon;
• young nettle - 50 gr.;
• egg - 1 pc.;
• water - 400 ml;
• onion - 100 gr.;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• sunflower oil - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• butter - to taste;
• salt and spices - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. First you need to boil the millet. To do this, pour broth over the cereal: it is acceptable to use vegetable, chicken or meat.Cook until the water has completely evaporated.
   
2. Scald the nettles with boiling water for several minutes. Rinse with cool water. For the casserole you only need leaves. Dry the herb with paper towels and chop.
   
3. Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces and fry in sunflower oil until golden brown. Add the fried vegetables to the millet cereal and mix thoroughly. Beat a chicken egg into the mixture.
4. Add chopped nettles. Add semolina, salt and pepper to taste.
   
5. Grease a casserole dish with butter and pour the prepared mixture into it. Place a piece of the same butter on top.
6. Bake at 190-200 degrees for 30 minutes.
   

Pancakes

You can prepare nettle for breakfast not only in the form of an omelette - here is another simple and quick recipe for a satisfying and healthy start to the day.

Ingredients:

• kefir - 0.5 l;
• eggs - 3 pcs.;
• baking powder - 1 teaspoon;
• sugar - 2 pinches;
• salt - 1/3 teaspoon;
• wheat flour - 2 cups;
• nettle, dill and parsley - 50 g each;
• sunflower oil - 4 tbsp. spoons.

Cooking steps:

1. Break chicken eggs into kefir and add salt and sugar and pepper. Stir thoroughly.
   
2. Mix the sifted flour with baking powder and pour the dry mixture into the kefir mass.
3. Chop the greens. It is not necessary to treat the nettle with boiling water - when frying in a frying pan, it will lose its pungency.
4. Add greens to the dough, stir.
   
5. Fry the pancakes in sunflower oil until golden brown.
   

Beverages

Nettle's fresh, herbaceous flavor is great for making cold drinks. The zesty notes make weed cocktails and smoothies an unusual addition to your regular diet and are a rich source of vitamins. The drinks effectively combat thirst and are suitable for the summer.

Dessert

Young nettle is suitable not only for main dishes, but also for various sweets. There are not many benefits from dessert food, but the variety for real sweet tooths is unforgettable. Here are some options for preparing nettles in recipe form.

Pudding

Ingredients:

• pumpkin puree - 2 cups;
• semolina - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• chicken egg - 2 pcs.;
• raisins - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• chopped nettle - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• cottage cheese with sour cream 1:1 - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• salt and sugar - to taste

Recipe algorithm:

1. Grind the peeled pumpkin in a meat grinder along with nettles and raisins.
2. Add eggs, semolina and salt to the resulting mass. Bring until smooth.
3. Do not fill the mold for the future pudding completely.
4. Cook for 25 minutes in a water bath.
5. Serve the dish with a mixture of cottage cheese and sour cream.

Marmalade

For a sweet herbal dessert you will need:

• water - 100 g;
• sugar - 100 gr.;
• gelatin - 50 g;
• young nettle (leaves) - 30 gr.;
• juice of ¼ lemon;
• orange juice - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• powdered sugar - 30 g;
• vanillin - to taste.

Step-by-step preparation:

1. Mix vanillin and sugar thoroughly in water. Add gelatin to the sweet solution and stir until the granules disappear completely.
   
2. Pour boiling water over the nettle, then cold water. Dry. Grind in a blender to a liquid puree. Add lemon and orange juice to the herbal mixture.
   
3. Mix all ingredients. Pour into ice cube trays and refrigerate. When serving, sprinkle the dish with powdered sugar.
   

Restrictions and contraindications

Nettle is not recommended for use if:

• varicose veins;
• atherosclerosis;
• increased blood density;
• high blood pressure.

The weed owes all its contraindications to its hemostatic properties.

Can pregnant women eat nettles?

Nettle is strongly not recommended for pregnant women. It can cause a miscarriage. Dishes made from weed should be excluded for this period. However, for nursing mothers, in the absence of contraindications, this herb will be useful for lactation.

Conclusion

Nettle dishes are an amazing and unique source of nutrients. Products with weed have many vitamins, being lean. Culinary ingenuity helps to use the herb in cooking and make it an unusual addition to everyday food.

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