The easiest way to cook purslane!
- Nat
- Jul 24
- 3 min read
Let's briefly get to know purslane before we get to cooking. I will go into a much more detailed post about how to work with it, grow it, harvest it, and other ways to cook it in the near future along with a lot of details about the nutrition and medicinal properties. For now I will go over the basics.
Here it is growing in our garden. Purslane is known to be an invasive plant. I personally don't look at plants as invasive, they are only taking up space the way they are naturally meant to and the fact that a lot of them grow in abundance is an absolute joy and blessing in my eyes. Instead of looking at them as invasive we should just learn how to work with them and not label them with a title that implies they are annoying. That is just my 2 cents on that subject.
As you can see purslane can get quite woody with thick tall stalks. If you feel the leaves they will probably remind you of how a succulent feels, that is because they are in the same family. The leaves, stems, seed pods, seeds, and flowers are all edible. Throughout history purslane was viewed medicinally to help with upset stomach aches and also to aid in skin irritations. Like I mentioned before there will be a different post going in more detail.
FLAVOR: Purslane resembles spinach in taste and offers a natural lemony zest. It complements dishes well but can also hold its own as a standalone side. Purslane is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. Although it can be eaten raw, cooking is advised for those susceptible to kidney stones or sensitive to oxalate-rich foods. Cooking reduces these effects while preserving most nutrients, provided it is not overcooked.
Look at the photo below to see how tiny the seed pods are. They grow in clusters on the plant and each little pod can be popped open, once open you can see the tiny tiny seeds inside. The pod acts like a bowl and is very easy to open up. I suppose this is why purslane is considered an, "invasive" plant because it doesn't take much effort for these seeds to spill out all over.
Recipe
This really shouldn't even be considered a recipe. I figured the best way to get to know the taste of purslane and to appreciate it was to keep it as simple as possible. Aside from eating it raw this is about as simple as it gets.
As always we use organic, whole foods based, clean ingredients as much as possible.
Your ingredients are going to make a huge difference in the quality and taste of your recipe.
Ingredients
A heaping handful or two per person you are serving
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 TBS grass fed butter or olive oil (a splash of water is also okay if you prefer)
Directions
Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Once hot add the butter/oil to the pan. Toss in your purslane and cook for about 12 minutes while tossing to keep from burning. Once the stems are soft and the leaves are slightly wilted remove from heat and serve.
Serve and enjoy We tossed our sautéed purslane to our quinoa bowl with organic pinto beans, cilantro from the garden, pickled onion, and avocados. This was served with our stuffed pumpkin flower appetizer. Using 4 ingredients straight from our garden was very special and the first of the season.
I really hope you enjoy this recipe! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see your creations you can email, text, or tag us on social media to show us what you create. Also don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I will do my best to respond as quickly as I can. CONTACT NAT
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