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  • Writer's pictureMarion Solheim

Eat the Wild - Five Edible Plants in Norway

Various edible plants.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

They are full of vitamins and nutrients, they’re tasty, and they are completely free! Enjoy nature's gifts and try these edible Norwegian plants. Here are five favorites:


1.       Common Nettle (Urtica Dioica) – Stinging Sensations


Cropped image of neetle as a plant and finished dish.

Yes, this plant stings and pricks. The nettle has stinging hairs on both the stem and leaves that release a toxic liquid when the delicate tip is broken off. So, when harvesting nettle, it's best to wear sturdy gloves.

 

Old illustation of Common Nettle

However, as a food plant, it is fantastic! Nettle has been used in natural medicine for a long time and is said to contribute to good health.


The stinging substance disappears when cooked, leaving behind an ingredient packed with vitamins and minerals; nettle is considered one of the most nutritious plants in nature. It is especially rich in iron and vitamin C.


Tips: Make nettle soup, use it in tea, make nettle pesto, or add it to enchiladas. Or how about aioli with nettles? Also, you can use it raw in your morning smoothie or hang a bunch in a dry place and crush it when it's dry.



 

1.       Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) – Yellow Wonder


Cropped image of dandelion  as a plant and finished dish.

Weed, you say? Well, not necessarily. The well-known dandelion is easy to find and hard to get rid of. It is also full of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and iron. You can eat the flowers, leaves, and roots, but the leaves are most commonly used.

 

Old illustration of Dandelion

In the old days, dandelions were used for a wide range of health purposes. It has been used as a diuretic, is said to strengthen the liver, lower blood pressure, reduce fever, and has also been used to treat constipation, anemia, eczema, rheumatism, gout, and diabetes. To name a few. And as mentioned, it can also be eaten simply for its taste - some say the leaves resemble arugula (others might say it's a bit bitter).


Tips: The flower buds can be fried and used in dishes like omelets. In the spring, the fresh leaves can be used in a tasty salad; they can also be used for dandelion pesto or added to soups and stews. The roots can be dried, chopped, and roasted as a coffee substitute. Yes, coffee! You can also make juice, tea, and wine from the flowers.


 

3.       Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) – Norway’s Wild Garlic


Cropped image of garlic mustard as a plant and finished dish.

This is a free gourmet plant! Garlic mustard can be found along much of the Norwegian coast, is biennial, and can be used for various purposes. The entire plant is edible, but the younger it is, the better it tastes. In April and May (before flowering), you can use the leaves, or you can use the white flowers that appear in June. To check if it’s garlic mustard, take some leaves in your hands and rub them together. You should smell the garlic scent.

 

Garlic mustard is used like garlic, but it must be used raw. It does not tolerate heat (although freezing is fine).

 

Old illustration of Garlic Mustard

Like most edible plants in Norway, garlic mustard has played a role in traditional medicine. It was believed to be good for colds, asthma, and digestive problems. The plant juice was used to relieve itching from insect bites and was also considered anti-inflammatory.

 

Garlic mustard seeds are the oldest known spice found in Europe, used over 6 000 years ago as a food additive.

 

Tips: Add garlic mustard to herb butter, salads, dressings, and meat marinades. Make a delicious puree in a blender with plenty of oil and freeze it. It will add flavor to almost anything, from pasta, soups, and sauces to just about anything else you would use garlic for. The seeds can be dried, crushed, and used as a spice.


 

4.       Fireweed (Chamerion Angustifolium) – Asparagus of the North



Cropped image of fireweed as a plant and finished dish.

A flowery tea is made of this plant... Looks good for sure. And at the same time - is it asparagus? No, it's fireweed shoots!


There’s a good reason this plant is called the "asparagus of the North," as the stalk can be used similarly to asparagus when young (around 20 centimeters tall). Many think of the richly blooming plant with clusters of red-purple flowers as a weed. It grows almost everywhere, and can reach several meters in height.

Old illustration of garligweed

Fireweed colors the landscape when it it blooms. Even if considered a weed, it's still beautiful. At least we think so.

 

In traditional medicine, the fireweed leaves have been used as a remedy for rheumatism and back pain, and the flowers as a diuretic. Fireweed has also been used to treat wounds.

 

Tips: Butter-fried fireweed shoots are delicious! The flowers can be used in salads and are fantastic for making juice with the most beautiful deep red color. The leaves can be dried for tea, but harvest them before the flowers appear (otherwise, the leaves become bitter).


 

5.       Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria) – Hated, but Tasty



Cropped image of ground elder as a plant and finished dish.

For most people, ground elder is a pest. But for some, it’s pesto.

 

In the past, ground elder was used as a medicinal plant for treating gout. It most likely arrived in Norway as a monastery plant in the Middle Ages and was previously cultivated as a vegetable.


Old illustration of ground elder

However, many would say it likes to spread a bit too much. This weed grows all over Norway, even up to Finnmark, and is notoriously difficult to eradicate once it takes root. It can grow up to a meter tall and has white flowers.

 

It grows wild and often in gardens as well. Most people who have ground elder in their gardens will be thrilled if you offer to harvest it, as it is a highly disliked plant. However, it is both tasty and nutritious. The flavor is reminiscent of celery, slightly tangy and fresh. It is also packed with vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.

 

Tips: Fresh ground elder is popular for making pesto. Young leaves can also be used in the same way as spinach in smoothies, soups, salads, stews, pasta dishes, and similar recipes.


 

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