Sourgrass Pasta Salad Recipe

Sourgrass, also known as Oxalis, is a remarkable wild plant recognized for its sharp, lemon-like flavor brought by the oxalic acid in its leaves. This tangy taste makes sourgrass a unique and versatile ingredient in culinary creations. Besides its delightful flavor, sourgrass is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, making it a nutritious addition to your meals.

Identifying Sourgrass

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

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

  • Flowers: The plant blooms small, yellow flowers with five petals that usually appear in clusters.

  • Stems: Its stems are often reddish and juicy, adding to its distinctive appearance.

  • Taste: To confirm you've found sourgrass, taste a small leaf. It should have a bright, tangy, lemon-like flavor.

About the Recipe

Cooked pasta is mixed with cherry tomatoes, black olives, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh sourgrass leaves and dressed with a zesty lemony vinaigrette. This refreshing salad is perfect for picnics, barbecues, or any occasion where you want to enjoy a light and flavorful dish that is bursting with fresh flavors.

Ingredients:

  • For the Salad:

    • 8 ounces pasta (such as penne or fusilli), cooked according to package instructions and drained

    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

    • 1/2 cup black olives, sliced

    • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

    • 1/4 cup sourgrass leaves, washed and finely chopped

    For the Lemony Vinaigrette:

    • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

    • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

    • 1 garlic clove, minced

    • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it cool.

  2. Prepare the Salad Ingredients: Halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice the black olives. Crumble the feta cheese. Wash and finely chop the sourgrass leaves.

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

  4. Combine: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, crumbled feta cheese, and finely chopped sourgrass leaves.

  5. Add the Vinaigrette: Pour the lemony vinaigrette over the salad ingredients.

  6. Toss the Salad: Toss the salad gently until everything is evenly 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

Ready to dive deeper into the world of wild foods? Join our foraging classes at forageSF to learn more about ingredients like sourgrass. Plus, The Ultimate Sourgrass Cookbook: 100 Innovative Recipes for Nature’s Tangiest Herb can provide you with new ideas for using this unique herb.

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

Carla Bolado