How to Cook Stinging Nettles_Cooking Techniques

How to Cook Stinging Nettles

Stinging nettles don’t sound like something you want to put in your mouth, but these vexing plants are surprisingly tasty and sting-free when cooked. The greens compliment soups and stews with their rich, earthy taste and make an excellent side dish when steamed. Nettles certainly can’t be eaten raw, and need to be handled with care. Wear gloves and long-sleeved shirts when handling the fresh plants, which are outfitted with small hairs that inject small amounts of venom into the skin, causing a sharp pain that generally recedes in a few minutes for most people.

Things You'll Need

Gloves
Tongs
Long-sleeved shirt

Stock pot
Steamer basket

Instructions

Rinse the nettles of any debris. You may take the leaves off the stem or cook whole.
Prepare a pot for steaming nettles by lining a stockpot with a steamer basket and filling the pot with water up too the bottom of the basket.
Turn the heat on high, cover the pot and wait for the water to boil.
Carefully place the nettles into the steaming pot. Use gloves or tongs when handling the plants and be careful not to burn yourself with steam when lifting the stock pot lid.
Cook the nettles for at least five minutes. The plants need to be completely cooked in order to eat safely. Think about thoroughly cooked spinach, and look for that type of soggy consistency.
Remove the nettles from the pan with tongs and serve plain or with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. The cooked nettles may also be blended into soups or mixed into casseroles or scrambled eggs.

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