There are big patches of nasturtium plants on my dog-walking route. I have learnt so much about berries, shrubs, flowers and trees on this daily walking ritual. So, it is no surprise that these weed-like beauties caught my eye. It is August. It is rainy & cold in Cape Town.
The world does not need another pesto recipe. I know. And I know that one can use just about any leaf and any nut. But these nasturtium leaves looked so fresh and enticing. With water droplets all over them. The lines on the flat lily-pad-looking leaves were so mesmerising. I had to make a plan to pick them and turn them into something special!
Just a warning, if you are foraging these in your neighbourhood, make sure that it is outside a dog wee zone and not directly ground level. The ones I picked were quite high up from the walking area.
These beauties are often seen as ornamental flowers in the garden, and sometimes even as a weed with how prolific it is. But it is a highly nutritious vegetable to those in the know. The leafy greens and flowers are full of pungent mustard oils, which contain antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. That means nasturtiums are a natural remedy for everything from skin infections to sinus colds. We should all be growing them in our gardens.
What makes nasturtiums so special?
- The entire plant is edible,
- Rich in nutrients,
- They grow absolutely anywhere with the least amount of maintenance,
- Ornamental annuals, blooming through early summer,
- The leaves and flowers contain high amounts of mustard oils, which give them a pungent, peppery flavor and are released when the plant is crushed or chewed. (These are the same oils found in mustard seeds, horseradish root, and wasabi.)
- The leaves are rich in vitamin C and iron,
- And anthocyanins in the red and orange flowers make them highly antioxidant,
- It has the ability to improve the immune system, tackling sore throats, coughs, and colds, as well as bacterial and fungal infections,
- Nasturtium leaves can be used on wounds to help fight infection being a strong antiseptic,
- The seeds can be ground to a paste and painted onto fungal infections of the toe nails,
- The pungent vapours released when eating nasturtium are also wonderful for bronchitis and other infections of the lungs.
What do nasturtiums taste like?
- They have a sweet and peppery flavour (almost like that of watercress, arugula, horseradish root or even wasabi), however, slightly milder. It adds a slight earthy flavour to the pesto.
Nasturtium pesto recipe variations
We love this pesto recipe as is, but by all means, feel free to change it up! Swap in what sounds good to you or what you happen to have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Use nuts instead of seeds, like pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios etc.
- Use a different seed, like pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds.
- Use any greens you have on hand. Spinach, kale, basil, wild spinach, carrot tops etc.
- You could use a mix of basil and nasturtium leaves if you want more of a traditional pesto flavour.
Ingredients:
- Nasturtium flowers
- Nasturtium leaves (the smaller ones are not as peppery)
- Sunflower seeds
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Salt and cracked black pepper
If you have a yard full of nasturtium, this is a great way to use it up. You can also freeze this to brighten up a meal in the middle of winter.
How to make nasturtium pesto
- Pick nasturtium leaves and flowers,
- Rinse it well under running water,
- Pack the leaves & flowers tightly in a food processor (or blender if you don’t have),
- Add sunflower seeds, garlic, lime, olive oil, seasoning (salt and pepper),
- Roughly pulse or blend,
- Pour into a jar and your pesto is done!
How to eat nasturtium pesto
- Add it to sandwiches,
- Mix it into pasta,
- Add it to pizzas,
- Add it to a boiled potato,
- Use it as a dip,
- Drizzle over roasted vegetables,
- Add a dollop to soups.
How to freeze nasturtium pesto
Nasturtium pesto lasts about a week in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer. Portion out your pesto into ice cube trays, freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container. Alternatively, you can put it into a freezer bag, spread it thinly, squeeze out all the air, and freeze flat. Then you can break off and thaw the amount you need.
These freshly foraged nasturtium flowers and leaves makes for an exquisite pesto. This pesto is made without nuts. We used sunflower seeds to add a little crunch and creaminess to the pesto. Sunflower seeds are packed with nutrients. So this gives our pesto an extra health kick!
Pick fresh nasturtium leaves and flowers. Preferably in the early morning. The smaller the leaves, the less kick and bitter the leaves will be.
Give the the leaves and flowers a good wash under running water.
To a food processor, add the flowers, leaves, sunflower seeds, oil, garlic & salt and pepper. Pulse and blend until it is the consistency you prefer.
I don't have a food processor and I use my NutriBullet, and it works perfectly.
Transfer the pesto to a jar and keep it in the fridge for a week or keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Mix it with fresh pasta and you have a tasty, quick and easy meal. Not to mention healthy!
Ingredients
Directions
Pick fresh nasturtium leaves and flowers. Preferably in the early morning. The smaller the leaves, the less kick and bitter the leaves will be.
Give the the leaves and flowers a good wash under running water.
To a food processor, add the flowers, leaves, sunflower seeds, oil, garlic & salt and pepper. Pulse and blend until it is the consistency you prefer.
I don't have a food processor and I use my NutriBullet, and it works perfectly.
Transfer the pesto to a jar and keep it in the fridge for a week or keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Mix it with fresh pasta and you have a tasty, quick and easy meal. Not to mention healthy!
8 Comments
Meghan | The Mindful Stag
August 31, 2022 at 10:21 pmI have never heard of nasturtium, but it seems like it has some amazing benefits and sounds delicious! I will certainly have to try this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Gypsy
March 12, 2023 at 12:43 pmNo problem at all. Where do you stay? They grow like weeds in our area. Love the leaves that looks like lily-pads. 🙂
Jacky Tullier
September 7, 2022 at 2:57 pmWow! Great info & Great pics!! so vibrant. I’m definitely going to try to grow next Spring.
Gypsy
March 12, 2023 at 12:42 pmThank you so much! They are such a treat.
The Packrat Wifey
March 12, 2023 at 12:37 pmWow, that looks so delicious. I think this recipe is a must try at home. Btw, we usually used malunggay leaves to make green pasta/noodles here.
Gypsy
March 12, 2023 at 12:42 pmOh wow! That sounds amazing. I have no idea what mulanggay is? I will have to google. Thank you for the suggestion. 🙂
Easy Spinach Pesto with Walnuts Recipe - The Organic Gypsy
March 24, 2024 at 1:35 pm[…] Don’t limit yourself to just spinach! Experiment with other leafy greens like arugula, nasturtium leaves, kale, or Swiss chard to create unique flavour […]
Jolayne
June 3, 2024 at 3:39 pmI never knew that nasturtiums were edible! I learn something new every day.