Sourgrass Chickpea Salad Recipe

Sourgrass, or Oxalis, is a widely recognized wild plant known for its distinctive tangy, lemon-like flavor, courtesy of the oxalic acid in its leaves. This unique taste makes sourgrass an excellent addition to various dishes. Besides its delightful flavor, sourgrass is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, making it a nutritious and vibrant ingredient in your culinary repertoire.

Identifying Sourgrass

Here’s how you can identify sourgrass in the wild:

  • Leaves: Sourgrass features trifoliate leaves, each stem supporting three heart-shaped leaflets, resembling clover.

  • Flowers: The plant produces small, yellow flowers with five petals that typically bloom in clusters.

  • Stems: Its stems are often reddish and juicy, adding to the plant's unique look.

  • Taste: The definitive way to identify sourgrass is by tasting a small leaf, which should have a bright, tangy, lemon-like flavor.

About the Recipe

This vibrant and colorful dish features cooked chickpeas mixed with diced bell peppers, cucumber, fresh parsley, and tangy sourgrass leaves, all tossed in a zesty lemon-garlic dressing. Sourgrass Chickpea Salad is packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, making it a nutritious and satisfying option for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas if starting from dried)

  • 1 red bell pepper, diced

  • 1 cucumber, diced

  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

  • 1/4 cup sourgrass leaves, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Chickpeas: If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them under cold water. If using dried chickpeas, cook according to package instructions until tender, then drain and rinse.

  2. Slice the Salad Ingredients: Dice the red bell pepper and cucumber into small pieces. Chop the fresh parsley and finely chop the sourgrass leaves.

  3. Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.

  4. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chickpeas, diced red bell pepper, diced cucumber, chopped parsley, and finely chopped sourgrass leaves.

  5. Add the Dressing: Pour the lemon-garlic dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl.

  6. Toss the Salad: Toss the salad gently until everything is well coated with the dressing.

  7. Refrigerate: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

  8. Serve: Serve chilled.

Join Our Foraging Classes & Explore More

If you enjoyed this recipe and want to discover more about wild plants like sourgrass, consider joining one of our foraging classes at forageSF. Plus, The Ultimate Sourgrass Cookbook: 100 Innovative Recipes for Nature’s Tangiest Herb is a great resource for expanding your wild food repertoire.

Join our foraging class and consider buying the book for further inspiration!

Carla Bolado