Video: How to make nettle pesto [Updated]

Did you know that stinging nettles are jam packed with protein?
Learn how to make pesto so you can spread on all the yummy goodness.

Watch the video for a live demonstration! Or check-out the overview below.

Overview

Kitchen Needs:

• Fabric garden gloves

• Food processor or soup stick blender

• Clean glass jar & lid

• Pot of boiling water

• Bowel of ice-cold water

• Small bowel

• Tongs

• Spatula

• Colander

• Towel

  *Optional : cheese grater, lemon squeezer

Ingredients:

• Nettles

• 1 Lemon

• Olive Oil

• Salt

  *Optional : nuts, seeds, garlic, parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Wearing gloves (unless you like the sting!), strip nettle leaves from stems (Give stems to chickens or compost them!)

2. Place nettle leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds

3. Using the colander, drain the water

4. Place nettles in a cold water bath for 30 seconds

5. Drain the water

6. Place nettles on towel and squeeze water out
   *Optional Steps : Otherwise skip ahead to Step 7!

   • Grind down a handful of nuts or seeds (raw or toasted) in the food processor (I especially like pine nuts, cashews, or sunflower seeds!)

   • Mince 1 clove of garlic

   • Grate some parmesan cheese

7. Squeeze lemon juice into a small bowel

8. Place nettles in food processor with olive oil, salt and lemon juice

   *Optional: Add in ground nuts/seeds, minced garlic or grated parmesan 

   I’m not a recipe person, so bare with me! 

   Ratio = nettle: oil: lemon 20:4:1
   (I usually add more lemon juice, olive oil or salt while it’s all grinding down until I like the taste and texture.)

9. Using the spatula, scoop the pesto into your glass jar, cover, and keep in the fridge

Enjoy nettle pesto on pretty much everything! Crackers, toast, pasta, salads, chicken, tacos…

Check out my article on how to harvest nettles!