Onionweed & Miso Pesto Recipe

Onionweed is back in season. It's not yet in flower and it is definitely not the time to be digging for bulbs for pickling yet. That comes later in the season once the plant has properly matured. For now it is all about the tender green growth and it is perfect for eating fresh.

If you are not familiar with it, Onionweed (Allium triquetrum) is also known as three cornered leek, three cornered garlic, angled onion or triangle onion.

It belongs to the Allium family which includes onion, garlic, leek, shallot, chives and spring onion. The leaves are really tender at this time of year and have a strong onion garlic flavour that is honestly one of the best wild greens for cooking with.

You can eat the whole plant. The leaves are the best for pesto right now, the flowers later in the season are beautiful and edible, and the bulbs can be dug and pickled once the plant has fully matured.

A simple ID tip is to gently roll the stalk between your fingers. It has a very strong onion smell when crushed. If you slice the stalk you will also see the distinctive three sided triangle shape inside, which is where its name comes from. A common lookalike is snowdrops, but snowdrops do not smell of onion at all and are toxic, so scent is a key identifier.

Right now is the perfect time for onionweed pesto. The leaves are fresh, mild enough for blending, but still full of flavour.

Onionweed & miso pesto

This is honestly one of the most delicious pestos I have made. It was one of those kitchen experiments that turned into something I now want to put on absolutely everything.

Ingredients

~ a large handful of fresh onionweed leaves and tender stalks (roughly chopped,

~ about 2 cups packed)

~ 1/2 cup cashew nuts

~ 1 Tbsp miso paste

~ good pinch of salt and pepper

~ just under 1/4 cup olive oil

optional splash of water if needed to loosen

Method

~ add onionweed, cashews, miso, salt and pepper to a high speed blender

~ pour in olive oil

~ blend until smooth, creamy and well combined

~ add a small splash of water if it is too thick or needs help blending

~ taste and adjust seasoning if needed

It turns out silky, savoury and deeply flavorful, with a rich onion garlic base lifted by the umami of miso and the creaminess of cashews.

It is good on everything, stirred through soups, spread on toast, tossed through pasta, or spooned onto roasted vegetables.

Learn more about Onionweed and other seasonal wild greens in my Wet Season Foraging Guide, at my Foraging Workshops, or in my Online Foraging Course.