When you consider a plant in your backyard a weed because you didn’t plant it there, you may decide it should be uprooted and tossed out. But then you’d be missing out on a big opportunity: Many of those untamed plants are not only edible but also delicious and healthy for you. Whether you have a large yard, a raised-bed garden, or even a simpler container garden, chances are you’ll have at least a few of these common plants to choose from.
Weeds You Can Eat
Wong recommends picking just the tips of a young plant to add to a salad with feta cheese and olives. You can also steam or stir-fry the leaves, but don’t overcook or they’ll become slimy. Scroll down to the end of this article for tips on eating weeds safely. Or pick the yellow flower, dip it in tempura batter, and fry. “Some people say these taste like popcorn,” says Wong. You can also pull up the entire plant to make a caffeine-free, chicory-like beverage from its roots. Sourgrass has a lemony flavor, making them a fine choice for garnishing seafood dishes. You can also chop a few stems to add a citrus burst to ceviches. Wong suggests using it to make an antioxidant-rich tea: Dip a cluster of the fruit in hot water until it turns pinkish-red, then strain and add a squeeze of lemon. You can also dry sumac to use for tea throughout the year. Use its clustered, bright-yellow small flowers as garnishes, or pick the pods after the plants have gone to seed to eat as they are or pickle them. Hardcore foragers may also work with the leaves, which tend to be tough but soften with cooking and are packed with vitamins. If you find galinsoga and want to harvest some to eat, don’t pull out this tall plant as you would an unwanted weed plant: Pick just the tips (it’s OK if it already has flowers, which are tiny with five white petals around a yellow center). Add to stir-fries or salads in moderation (be mindful that the leaves can be a little fuzzy, so you won’t want to eat an entire bowl of it alone). If you want to begin noshing on edible weeds growing in your garden, it goes without saying to stop using herbicides and chemical fertilizers around them and then let them do their thing. “It’s not like you have to start doing something; it’s more about stopping doing things,” says Wong. Another critical tip is not to eat anything that you’re not 100% certain of what it is, says Dickinson. Poisonous plants can look very similar to edible ones: For example, fatal hemlock can closely mimic the leaves of wild chervil (similar to parsley). Study leaf patterns and learn what to look for (the blog Hunter Angler Gardener Cook is a good resource) to feel confident in your weed identification abilities. Once you have found an edible weed, give it a quick rinse with cool water before eating to wash off any dirt on it.
