Purslane-Pea Microgreen Pesto

Purslane is a weed to some but a nutritious, edible plant to those in the know! This plant is known as one of the most nutritious plants on the planet, providing high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a boatload of minerals, vitamins, and micronutrients. Add pea microgreens to this tasty pesto with purslane and you have a super-powered treat.

A 100 gram (3.5 oz) portion of purslane contains

• Vitamin A (from beta-carotene): 26% of the DV.
• Vitamin C: 35% of the DV.
• Magnesium: 17% of the DV.
• Manganese: 15% of the DV.
• Potassium: 14% of the DV.
• Iron: 11% of the DV.
• Calcium: 7% of the RDI.
• 16 calories
• It also contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, folate, copper, and phosphorus.

We eat purslane all through summer, cooked in a variety of ways, or raw in salads, sandwiches, and smoothies. It is also the subject of many of our creative new recipes. The whole plant is edible: leaves, stalks, flowers, and seeds.

We grow purslane in our outdoor garden boxes where it happily fills in all the spare ground. This serves multiple purposes: it acts as a groundcover to retain water in the hot sun, keeps the chickens from digging in the dirt, and provides a limitless supply of nutrients as it quickly fills in any spots that we harvest. And, it is a perennial, so it reseeds itself each year. If it is somewhere I don’t want it, I simply pull it up with the roots, and it is easy to eliminate.

Foraging for purslane is possible in most states. It grows in many different environments and is easily overlooked. However, as there are look-alikes, be sure to confirm the identity of your purslane before consuming. Some varieties of purslane are sold in garden centers with different colored flowers. All purslanes are edible, whether container grown or wild.

Here is a microgreen recipe to get you started with purslane. Loosely based on an Argentinian chimichurri with pesto overtones, I have christened it Purslane-Pea Microgreen Pesto

Don’t forget to check out the peso bite recipe!

And here is a quick video:

Purslane Pea Microgreen Pesto

Pesto is one of my favorite condiments to keep on hand. Try this easy, fun microgreen and purslane pesto recipe to brighten pasta, salads, sandwiches, roasted veggies & more!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup chopped pea microgreens (chop before measuring)
• 1 cup chopped purslane stems and leaves (chop before measuring)
• 2 tblsp fresh marjoram (or 1 tblsp fresh oregano)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tblsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth

Notes

This can be made 1-2 days ahead. For longer storage, it can be frozen in an airtight container for 2-3 months. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays to make it easier to remove small portions. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Keyword microgreen recipe, pea microgreen, pesto, Purslane, spread