Nasturtium Salad

Nasturtium is used today in a variety of recipes. The flower blooms and leaves of the plant are completely edible and are used to create beautiful and delicious soups, salads and various spreads. Nasturtium salad recipes are widely available online and in a number of cookbooks around the nation. The nasturtium plant is also widely known as Indian Cress, Peru Cress and Mexican Cress and is native to areas of South and Central America. They are grown however, all over the world and in many different climates. The leaves and the blooms can be stuffed, creating a variety of appetizers and other dishes. The flower blooms can also be chopped and added to various spreads and butters to give them a peppery zing. Seeds from the nasturtium plant can be pickled and used to replace more expensive capers in many different dishes.

Nasturtium Salad Recipes

There are a number of nasturtium salad recipes available. Many simply choose to toss a few leaves with their traditional salad in order to enjoy the spicy taste that the plant provides. You can simply place nasturtium leaves and/or flowers in a large bowl and add a tablespoon of chopped chervil along with a dash of salt and two tablespoons of olive oil. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and toss. This is a simple and very delicious nasturtium salad recipe that gives you a wealth of flavor in just a few minutes of time.

Nasturtium Salad with Spinach Leaves

Another very popular nasturtium salad recipe uses spinach leaves. Since spinach leaves are packed with Vitamins and minerals they are an excellent substitution for traditional lettuce in salads. In addition, nasturtium is filled with iron, Vitamins A and C and various other minerals as well. To make a nasturtium and spinach salad simply take 8 cups of spinach leaves and 2 cups of nasturtium flowers and leaves. Leaves from the plants are fairly large so you may want to tear them into smaller pieces for salad making. You can add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar along with 2 teaspoons of honey to the salad for a tangy dressing. Many choose to also add chives, feta cheese and seedless red grapes for extra flavor. Simply toss the ingredients together and serve immediately.

Purchasing Nasturtium Plants

If you want to begin enjoying nasturtium salads then you will likely need to purchase the plants. It may be easier actually to purchase the seeds and plant them yourself. Nasturtium plants are very easy to grow and grow fairly quickly. They germinate in about ten days or less and generally only take about 55 days to bloom. The leaves can be picked whenever they are large enough for your personal preference. If you are planning to use the blooms however, you will need to wait until they are completely open. Once the flowers have wilted you will begin to notice seed pods. These can be pickled and used to replace capers in your favorite recipes as well.