I discovered a new weed in my garden, and I am so excited to be sharing it with you! That sounds crazy, but this a great-tasting and nutrition-packed weed! Purslane is familiar to many gardeners. But instead of removing this weed, I decided to let a patch grow. But then I wondered – how to use purslane in recipes? Using this tasty plant, I tried a new purslane weed recipe- Purslane Tzatziki. I love the combination of dill, cucumber, and purslane mixed with yogurt and sour cream. Great for dipping vegetables, and as a dressing for salads, sandwiches, and meats.
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Purslane
Nutritionally, purslane is high in alpha linolenic (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in grass-fed meats and eggs. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, purslane is very high in important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants including one called glutathione. Glutathione performs many functions in the body, but one of interest is the detoxification properties in the liver.
The humble purslane is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A.
One Cup of Cooked Purslane Contains:
| Calcium | 90 mg |
| Magnesium | 77 mg |
| Potassium | 561 mg |
| Vitamin C | 12 mg |
| Vitamin A | 2130 mg |
(from the USDA food analysis database)
Purslane is typically a low-growing plant with tear-shaped leaves. It makes a good ground cover in the garden preventing erosion and holding moisture in the soil, and its roots help to loosen the soil. I have watched it spread and grow, and where it is exposed to full sun, it has become stemmy with flowers and seeds. It reminds me a little of chickweed which tends to be very lush and green in the cool spring and becomes very thin and full of flowers and seeds as the summer progresses.
Purslane has a mild flavor.
My friend Krista at Forrest Green Farm is not only an amazing farmer, herbalist, and teacher, but an impressive cook, she has generously given me permission to share this very simple recipe.
Easy Print PDF Recipe Here
Purslane Tzatziki (Herb Yogurt Dip)
Ingredients
1 pound (1 pint) plain yogurt
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded
1 cup purslane leaves (stems, flowers, and seeds are OK, as they are all edible, but the
stems can be tough)
1 Tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh dill
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel lined colander and allow the yogurt to drain over a bowl in the refrigerator.
Cut and seed the cucumber, then grate and toss with 1 Tablespoon of the salt. Place the cucumber/salt in another colander over a bowl and place in the refrigerator to drain.
Allow the yogurt and the cucumber to drain for 2 to 3 hours.
Finely chop or pulse the purslane in a food processor.
Transfer the drained yogurt to a large bowl. Pressing as much liquid as you can from the cucumber, add the cucumber to the yogurt.
Mix in the remaining ingredients.
The dip can be served immediately, but the longer it sits, the better the flavors combine.
Have you enjoyed any weed recipes lately?
~ Michelle
Seeking Joyful Simplicity is about living your best life after 40. I write about using a holistic approach combining herbal remedies, nourishing foods, and self-care to reduce overwhelm, manage our weight, and enjoy more vibrant health in our 40's, 50's, and beyond.
We’re weed lovers too. 🙂 We’ve especially been enjoying lambsquarters. We had some as part of our supper last night. And a few days ago Cherie made sumac tea. Delicious.
Our intern arrived yesterday (Melanie, sister of Farmer Khaiti) and she is a skilled wild foods forager. She suggested we make a dinner this week consisting entirely of wild foraged foods. Should be fun!
I have looked at lots of photos, but I have not met Lambsquarters in person yet. Although it could be right under my nose and I don’t know it…
There is something about foraging for wild foods, something that connects us to the land, our history, and makes us feel satisfied in a way that could never come from purchased foods. Let us know how the meal turns out – should be fun!
Lambsquarters are great boiled until they darken, then drained and seasoned with Italian dressing. Much tastier than spinach. If you find large ones, the striped stems are also delicious but you then must spit out the fibrous part–and it is worth it.
Thanks for the dip recipe! I find purslane at some point every summer but have only added it to salads. I like the slightly lemony flavor.
I love purslane, too! I use it mainly for smoothies, but I’ll try some of these out.
Your purslane looks so different than mine. Readers should be use a good guide to make sure they get the right plant.
Steve Brill (http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/plants) mentions spurge, which can me mistaken for it:
“Beware of spurge, a different-looking poisonous creeping wild plant that sometimes grows near purslane. The stem is wiry, not thick, and it gives off a white, milky sap when you break it. If you’re very careless, you may put some in your bag along with purslane, because they sometimes grow together on lawns, gardens, and meadows.”
Thanks for the information and link Susannah. I am fortunate that I have experienced herbalists locally as resources to help me in identification, but of course not everyone has that back-up.
Hi Michelle,
I think I was pulling this weed out of my Mother’s roses. It sure is a good ground cover but it was wrapping itself around her roses. I didn’t realize that it had so many health benefits. I always love to learn new things about the many wonderful things that Nature provides. Appreciate you sharing the tasty sounding dip and information on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
I don’t know when this was first published bu t I certainly hope no one is using your photos to identify puslane. Because neither of the pictures in this post is purslane! Suggest you get a good guide book or find a reputable forager.
Purslane is rounder leaved, not really vining but growing from a rosette – sometimes upright and sometimes sprawling across the ground. The leaves are fleshy and slightly mucilaginous, not flat.
Thanks Pat. The description you provide is exactly how this plant looked! Although as I watched it progress over the spring-summer-fall, it did change a bit in appearance. The leaves closer to the soil are fleshier and more succulent-like.
From what I can tell, the photos are of carpetweed, also very edible (above ground parts) and would be great to eat in a dip like this. http://www.eattheweeds.com/carpetweed/ My carpet weed grows hand in hand with purslane. Both are a gardening snack, but purslane is juicier by far.
I think you may be correct! There may be a combination of purslane and carpetweed – as some of the leaves are “fat and juicy”, while others are thin. Both type of leaves have a lemon-like tartness to them. Obviously I prefer the juicier leaves for harvesting. Thank you for your comment!