Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is one of those plants us gardeners love to hate.  It spreads aggressively, crowds out native plants and generally makes itself way too comfortable.  But there is a silver lining: it’s edible!  And when used right, it’s quite delicious.  You’re going to pull it anyhow, so why not cook with it!?

How to Identify Garlic Mustard

Before we talk about how to cook with it, I wanted to quickly talk about how to identify garlic mustard because “this looks kinda right” is not a good foraging strategy!

  • Heart-shaped leaves with toothed edges
  • Leaves smell like garlic when crushed
  • Small white, 4-petaled flowers in spring
  • In my experience it’s found in part-shade, neglected areas of my yard
  • No garlic smell?  I’d leave it.

Nutritional Value of Garlic Mustard

Is Garlic Mustard a superfood miracle?  Nah.  Is it a free, wild green with actual nutritional value?  Absolutely!

Like many leafy greens, it contains vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and fiber.

Cool fact: it has a higher vitamin C content per weight than oranges.

It also contains glucosinolates, which you can taste in that signature peppery bite. Research suggests these compounds may have antioxidant effects in the body.  Don’t like that bite?  Cooking will soften the intensity of the garlic mustard and a hit of lemon will balance any bitterness.

Cooking Ideas for Garlic Mustard

Okay, let’s cook! If you’re curious, a quick internet search will turn up tons of garlic mustard recipes – pesto seems to be the most popular. You can also add it to soups and sautés.

I like to use it anywhere I’d normally use spinach.

I’ve also heard of people pickling the roots, which apparently taste similar to horseradish. What a fun way to use the whole plant!  The cute flowers are also edible if you needed something pretty and peppery on a plate.

Simple ideas

  • Stir it into pasta
  • Make a garlic mustard salt (dry and blend with sea salt)
  • Toss it into salads
  • Fold it into mashed potatoes (like chives)
  • Sprinkle onto a flatbread
  • Or wilt it into your breakfast sandwich like me

Start simple and you’ll notice you’re putting garlic mustard in everything.

A Small Act of Ecological Mischief

Eating weeds certainly feels a little cheeky, but if you harvest garlic mustard before it sets seed, you’ll be helping slow down an invasive weed. If it’s taking over your yard, consider this your permission to take a bite back!

REFERENCES

Glucosinolates From Cruciferous Vegetables and Their Potential Role in Chronic Disease, 2021
Identification and management on the Government of Ontario’s garlic mustard resource page.