Recipe: Spring Stinging Nettle Frittata

Series Intro: Using Common Weeds to Promote Health | Weed 1: Stinging Nettle | Stinging Nettle Frittata Recipe | Weed 2: Lamb’s Quarters | Lamb’s Quarters Pesto Recipe (coming soon)

It’s finally time for me to share my first recipe in my Weeds are Good for You! Series that I’ll be running throughout the summer.

My first featured “weed” was stinging nettle, which you can learn all about in this post. I share answers to the questions that are likely burning within you as you read:

>What is stinging nettle?

>Where can I find it?

>Why is stinging nettle good for me? (aka, why would I ever want to ingest anything with the word “stinging” in its title?)

>How do I harvest it?

>and finally, How do I prepare stinging nettle? – - which is the question I’ll be expounding upon more in this post . . .

Although it’s technically summer, here in Minnesota our spring was a bit late, and I’m also sharing this recipe a bit late, so typically you would enjoy this delicious Stinging Nettle Frittata recipe in springtime.

If it’s too late to harvest stinging nettle in your neck of the woods, fear not, you can bookmark this little number for next year. In the meantime, you can feel free to substitute any other nutritious green for the stinging nettle – such as spinach, arugula, kale, or mustard greens for a bit of a kick.

Here’s the quick & easy recipe:

Stinging Nettle Frittata

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

3.) 6 medium stalks stinging nettle, chopped

4.) 1 tomato (or 2 roma tomatoes), diced

5.) 8 stalks chives, diced

6.) 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

7.) 1/2 - 1 tablespoon cilantro, diced

8.) Olive oil, for sauteeing

Instructions

1.) Begin by cleaning the stinging nettle thoroughly using rubber gloves to protect your hands

2.) Sauté/cook down in olive oil and a bit of water on low to medium-low for 10-15 minutes. This will "disarm" your stinging nettle and make it safe to eat

3.) Prep all other ingredients as indicated

4.) Sauté peppers, tomatoes, chives, & garlic in olive oil - add with already cooked down stinging nettle in cast iron. I suggest cast iron as you will be putting this into the oven a bit later, making for easy transition.

5.) In medium bowl, combine 6 eggs & 1/4 cup milk, whisk thoroughly until well-combined

6.) After veggies are well-cooked, add egg & milk mixture to pan

7.) Continue to cook, covered, on a low simmer for about 10 minutes, or until egg begins to coagulate but before it really hardens

8.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°

9.) Put pan into oven and cook for about 10 minutes, until egg is thoroughly cooked

Notes

Yields 6 servings

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As always, here’s the poetic, pictorial play-by-play > >

Featuring the key characters in this recipe:

2.) 1 pepper, diced

3.) 6 medium stalks stinging nettle, chopped

4.) 1 tomato (or 2 roma tomatoes), diced

5.) 8 stalks chives, diced

6.) 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

7.) 1/2 – 1 tablespoon cilantro, diced

8.) Olive oil, for sauteeing

9.) Salt & pepper, to taste (not pictured)

10.) 1/4 cup milk [to mix with eggs] (not pictured)

1.) Begin by cleaning the stinging nettle thoroughly using rubber gloves to protect your hands

2.) Sauté/cook down in olive oil and a bit of water on low to medium-low for 10-15 minutes. This will “disarm” your stinging nettle and make it safe to eat.

3.) Prep all other ingredients as indicated

4.) Sauté peppers, tomatoes, chives, & garlic in olive oil – add with already cooked down stinging nettle in cast iron. I suggest cast iron as you will be putting this into the oven a bit later, making for easy transition.

5.) In medium bowl, combine 6 eggs & 1/4 cup milk, whisk thoroughly until well-combined

6.) After veggies are well-cooked, add egg & milk mixture to pan

7.) Continue to cook, covered, on a low simmer for about 10 minutes, or until egg begins to coagulate but before it really hardens

8.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°

9.) Put pan into oven and cook for about 10 minutes, until egg is thoroughly cooked

And then you have this heavenly goodness to enjoy:

Mmmmm, if you are my husband and I . . . you maaayyyy have accidentally eaten this whole thing in one sitting, despite the “yields 6 servings” indication in the recipe.

Otherwise, you can happily serve this to a few people and expect full bellies. Top it with cheese or other spices & goodness of your choice and have a wonderful breakfast, lunch, dinner, or midnight snack :)

Did you try this recipe?

What are some other additions you’d suggest that would really take this frittata up a notch?