Springtime Nettle Soup
This springtime nettle soup is a fresh invigorating rustic dish that lets the nettles shine. With just a few ingredients, the nettles are briefly cooked, allowing their herbaceous and floral notes to stay fresh and bright.
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Chronicles of Nettle and it’s Magical Power
Did you know that stinging nettle, scientifically known as Urtica dioica, is more than just a pesky weed? This fascinating plant, with its prickly hairs on leaves and stem that deliver a slight sting, is like a hidden treasure waiting to be explored! Originally hailing from Europe, stinging nettle has spread its roots worldwide, thriving in damp environments and moist soils.
I discovered the magical powers of nettles while playing with my cousins at our summer house in Lori, where these wild, vibrant plants grew everywhere. We quickly learned to coexist with this wonder plant, turning it into the playmate during our summer adventures. We’d race through the fields, chasing each other with long nettle stalks, battling and boasting about who could withstand it’s stings the best.
The fun didn’t stop with us kids. In the grown-up world, my uncles would hilariously ask my aunt to “beat” their joints with nettles to cure their stiff backs. My mom, the culinary wizard, would whip up nettle-infused soups and delicious sautéed omelets. By the end of the day, everyone had their own nettle story, and our hearts and bellies were full of nettle magic!
Throughout history, people all over the world have used stinging nettle in so many cool ways. From eating it as a wild food to making soothing herbal teas and even using its fibers for making clothes, nettle has been a part of human life for centuries, especially in Northern Europe.
And if this is not enough please watch Shana Lipner Grover, a herbalist, health, and nutrition educator as she shares her deep love for this unique herb.
So, next time you see a stinging nettle plant, don’t just think of it as a weed—think of it as a super cool plant with tons of hidden talents! You can brew it into tea, mix it into soups, or even learn to weave with its fibers. The possibilities are endless, and the adventure is just beginning.
What’s unique about this Recipe?
Grocery and Pantry List
Time Required:
Recipe Steps at a Glance
This nettle soup recipe can be broken down into the following steps:
Step-by-step: How to Make
Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
Wear thick rubber gloves (if handling nettles bothers you), wash the young, fresh nettles with cold water and chop them into strips. Peel the potatoes and cut some into small cubes.
Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic. Chop the parsley.
Wash and rinse the bulgur and set it aside.
Step 2: Cook the Soup
Add oil to the soup pot and heat over medium. Put the onions into the hot oil and sauté until slightly browned. If using garlic, add it and sauté for a few seconds. Add the cubed potatoes to the onion mixture, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes.
Pour in about 2 cups of water over the vegetables. Bring to a boil and let the potatoes cook until fork-tender. Add the washed bulgur. Once the bulgur is cooked, use a fork or potato masher to crush some of the potatoes, leaving most of them whole.
Add the chopped nettles to the hot potato broth and cook for a few minutes until fully wilted. Finally, add chopped parsley, season with salt, and turn off the heat.
Step 3: Optional step adding beaten eggs
To give the soup more body and flavor, add the beaten egg in a slow stream into a hot soup, stirring constantly until strings of white swirls have formed.
Best Way to Serve
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
More Recipes To Try From Cafe Osharak
If you give this recipe a try, I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Let me know if you find it delicious and easy to make. Feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions. I’m here to help. And be sure to check out other recipes from Cafe Osharak that you might enjoy!
Springtime Nettle Soup
Ingredients
- 500 grams nettle
- 4 potatoes medium-sized
- 2-3 cup water
- 1/2 cup bulgur
- 1 onion small
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 egg
- a few sprigs of parsley
- a few sprigs of dill
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Wear thick rubber gloves if handling nettles bothers you.
- Wash the young, fresh nettles with cold water and chop them into strips.
- Peel the potatoes and cut some into small cubes.
- Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic.
- Wash the bulgur and herbs.
Cook the Soup
- Add oil to the soup pot and heat over medium.
- Add the onions to the hot oil and sauté until slightly browned.
- If using garlic, add it and sauté for a few seconds.
- Add the cubed potatoes to the onion mixture, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes.
- Pour in about 2 cups of water over the vegetables.
- Bring to a boil and let the potatoes cook until fork-tender.
- Add the washed bulgur.
- Once the bulgur is cooked, use a fork or potato masher to crush some of the potatoes, leaving most of them whole.
- Add the chopped nettles to the hot potato broth and cook for a few minutes until fully wilted.
- Finally, add chopped parsley and dill. Cook for 2-3 minutes, season with salt, and turn off the heat.
