Wild food
Nettle Soup
The classic spring forager's supper: young nettle tops, potato and stock, blended into something silky and green.
14 April 2026 5 min read Serves 4
Foraging notes
The top four leaves of young nettles, picked with gloves before the plants flower.
Pick nettles in spring while they are knee-high and tender. Once they flower the leaves turn gritty and the party is over.
Gloves on for picking, gloves off for cooking: a quick simmer takes away every trace of the sting.
Best months
Ingredients
- 200g young nettle leaves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 1L good vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small garlic clove
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 4 tbsp cream, to finish
Method
Sweat the base
Melt the butter in a large pot, soften the onion with the garlic for five minutes without colouring it.
Add potato and stock
Tip in the potatoes and stock, simmer 15 minutes until a knife slides through easily.
Wilt the nettles
Add the nettle leaves, push them under the surface and simmer three minutes. Blend until smooth, season, finish with cream and nutmeg.
Kitchen tip: Blanch the nettles for 30 seconds first if you want the brightest green soup of the year.
