I am inspired by the stories and traditions passed down from generation to generation. Norwegian cooking at its simplest and most elaborate. That’s what you will find here. Seasonal cooking, local ingredients, local artisans, and simple gatherings.  READ MORE...

Meet Nevada

order your copy!


My Latest cooKbook:
Norwegian baking

From Norway to your inbox, join my newsletter to receive information on events and recent posts.

a seat at my Table

31

May 2019

May 31, 2019

Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)

Found in |

Spring

Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)
Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)

Bring on the wild nettles.

It’s the season again when these wonderfully nutritious, wild greens pop up all over. They pack a punch with their sting, but once tamed they make the most wonderful feature in any dish or dessert, such as this Nettle and Honey Cake.

Nettles are considered one of many of nature’s gifts and the plant’s uses extend beyond the plate to medicine, fertilizers, textile production, and paper. It was an incredibly important plant during the Viking Age due to its versatility, even so that Norwegians who emigrated brought with them the plants and seeds to ensure they would not be without. There are numerous species of nettle worldwide and two are found in Norway: stornesle and smånesle.

Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)
Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)

One of the traditional uses for nettles in Norwegian cuisine is to make soup with them called “brenneslesuppe”. The soup is simple enough and sometimes features hardboiled eggs on top. Not only is this soup delicious, it was also promoted during war time as an abundant, free, and incredibly nutritious meal.

For an extra touch, I like to toss in a handful or two of peas. They add a lovely sweetness and brighten the soup even more.

Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)
Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)

This is such a simple soup to make and it’s so fresh. Nettles are available throughout the spring and summer season, so you can make this soup when you like, using younger leaves. You can use any stock you wish, but I did find that a good beef stock really enhanced the overall flavor.

Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (brenneslesuppe med erter)

(Serves 4-6)

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 handfuls of wild nettles leaves (about 4 cups), washed
  • 4 ¼ cups (1 liter) good quality stock
  • 2 cups (250 g) peas (frozen or fresh)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 6-8 minutes. Toss in the nettles and cook 2-3 minutes. Add in the stock and peas. Bring to a simmer and cook, 5 minutes if using frozen peas or 10 minutes if using fresh, shelled peas. Carefully pour the soup into a blender and process until smooth or use a hand blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve while warm.

Nevada Berg

Nevada is a utah native and norwegian by heart. When not crafting culinary delights she enjoys her family time and tending to her animals. You most certainly can find her perusing her property for wild berries.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Elizabeth Oseid says:

    I had heard about people eating nettles and this year, gave it a try. I made a soup similar to what you discuss here, but without the peas. Peas would be nice. Mine had a fair amount of nutmeg and I enjoyed it very much. I also made a sort of nettle walnut pesto and used it to make a potato salad. I plan to forage nettles in the future. There is a marsh near where I live where plentiful nettles grow, and thought they are getting large and I imagine, tough now, I will be back next spring! Next time, I will add peas, and if possible, use homemade stock.

    I enjoy your lovely photos as well, and may try the nettle honey cake next year, too! Today I made a rhubarb cake – heavier on the rhubarb than the one I found on your site, but otherwise quite similar. Springtime is my favorite!

    • nevada says:

      I just love how versatile nettles are and a potato salad with walnut nettle pesto sounds amazing! I’m glad you’ll be further foraging for them during the spring 🙂

  2. Ida Von Ruden says:

    I have been harvesting nettles for tea this spring but the soup sounds so good I will try that soon. Thanks for the recipe.

You might also like...