How to Consume Henbit: A Guide to Foraging and Recipes

Did you know that henbit, the common purple-flowered weed in many lawns, is entirely edible? High in iron and vitamins, this often-overlooked plant can be a nutritious and delicious addition to your springtime diet. Learning how to consume henbit safely can introduce a new and healthy green to your meals.

Quick Summary

Henbit is a nutritious wild edible with a mild, peppery flavor that can be eaten raw in salads or cooked into soups, pestos, and teas. This guide provides identification tips, harvesting best practices, and various ways to prepare this useful wild green.

Key Points

• Edible Parts: The leaves, stems, and flowers of the henbit plant are all safe to eat, either raw or cooked.

• Flavor Profile: Despite being in the mint family, henbit has an earthy, slightly peppery flavor, similar to mild kale or celery.

• Foraging Safety: Henbit has no poisonous lookalikes, but it's crucial to identify it correctly and avoid harvesting from areas treated with chemicals.

• Culinary Versatility: It can be used raw in salads and smoothies, or cooked into soups, pestos, and stir-fries.

• Medicinal Uses: Traditionally, henbit has been used as a tea to help reduce fever and inflammation, though it can have a laxative effect if consumed in excess.

• Optimal Harvest: Younger, more tender plants are the most palatable, while older stems and leaves can become woody.

What Is Henbit and Why Eat It?

Henbit, scientifically known as Lamium amplexicaule, is a winter annual weed in the mint family (Lamiaceae) that grows abundantly across North America. Despite being considered a weed by many, it is a highly beneficial plant for both pollinators and people. The entire aerial part of the plant—the leaves, stems, and flowers—is edible and packed with vitamins A, C, and K, iron, and fiber. Henbit has a mild, earthy, and slightly peppery taste, reminiscent of raw kale or celery, without any of the minty flavor you might expect from its family lineage. Consuming henbit is a great way to enjoy fresh greens early in the spring when other garden plants are just starting to grow. Historically, henbit has also been used in traditional remedies for its anti-rheumatic and febrifuge properties.

Foraging Henbit Safely

Before consuming any wild plant, it is crucial to properly identify it and harvest it from a safe, clean location. Henbit is a relatively safe plant to forage as it has no poisonous lookalikes. However, care must be taken to distinguish it from similar-looking, also-edible plants and to avoid areas with contamination.

Identification: Henbit vs. Lookalikes

While henbit is safe, it is important to distinguish it from similar-looking plants. The good news is that its most common lookalikes, purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) and creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea), are also edible, though they have slightly different flavors and textures.

Feature	Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)	Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)	Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)
Leaves	Heart-shaped with scalloped edges; upper leaves clasp the stem without stalks.	More triangular or spade-shaped; upper leaves are often purple-tinged.	Kidney-shaped leaves on long stalks.
Stem	Square, often becomes purplish with age.	Square, often becomes purplish with age.	Square.
Growth Habit	Leaves are evenly spaced along the stem.	Upper leaves grow in a tight clump at the top.	Creeping vine that roots at the nodes.
Flavor	Mild, sweet, slightly peppery.	Stronger, more peppery flavor.	Earthy, minty.

Ethical and Safe Harvesting

• Choose a clean site: Never harvest henbit from roadsides, industrial areas, or lawns treated with chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. The plant can absorb pollutants and heavy metals, making it unsafe for consumption.
• Gather young plants: Younger plants have more tender leaves and stems, which are less woody and have a milder flavor.
• Wash thoroughly: Always rinse foraged henbit thoroughly in a strainer with cool water to remove dirt, insects, and other debris.

Culinary Uses for Henbit

Henbit's mild, slightly earthy flavor makes it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. It can be used as an herb or a leafy green, raw or cooked.

• Raw in Salads: Young, tender henbit leaves and flowers add a peppery, kale-like crunch to salads. The flowers also provide a beautiful purple garnish. Combine it with other spring greens like dandelion for a unique flavor profile.
• Blended in Smoothies: For a nutritional boost, add a handful of fresh henbit leaves to your favorite green smoothie recipe. It blends easily with fruits like berries and bananas.
• Cooked as a Potherb: Older leaves and stems can become tough, so they are best cooked. Sauté henbit with garlic and oil, add it to soups and stir-fries, or incorporate it into pasta dishes. It wilts like spinach and can be used in any recipe that calls for cooked greens.
• Made into Pesto: Henbit's robust flavor holds up well in a pesto. Replace basil with henbit for a wild-crafted pesto that pairs beautifully with pasta or spread on sandwiches.
• Brewed as a Tea: Dried henbit leaves can be steeped to make an herbal tea. It is traditionally used to help reduce fever and inflammation.

Henbit Recipes to Try

Simple Henbit and Dandelion Salad

This light, flavorful salad celebrates the fresh, peppery taste of wild spring greens.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh henbit leaves and flowers
• 1 cup dandelion greens
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A sprinkle of crumbled feta (optional)

Instructions:

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the henbit and dandelion greens.
2. Combine the greens and toasted walnuts in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to create a simple vinaigrette.
4. Toss the greens with the dressing and serve immediately, topped with feta if desired.

Wild Henbit Pesto

This recipe offers a unique, earthy twist on traditional pesto.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups packed henbit leaves
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup nuts (macadamia or walnuts work well)
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Place the henbit leaves and garlic in a food processor and pulse until chopped.
2. Add the nuts and continue to process until finely chopped.
3. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a thick paste forms.
4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with pasta, crackers, or use as a spread on sandwiches.

Nourishing Henbit Tea

This tea is a simple way to enjoy henbit's medicinal benefits, especially during cold weather.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp dried henbit leaves and flowers
• 1 cup hot water (just below boiling)
• Honey to taste

Instructions:

1. Place the dried henbit in a tea ball or infuser.
2. Pour hot water over the henbit and let it steep for 10 minutes.
3. Strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and enjoy.

Conclusion

From a lawn weed to a versatile culinary ingredient, henbit is a nutrient-rich and readily available wild edible. By learning proper identification and harvesting techniques, you can safely incorporate this useful plant into a variety of dishes, from salads and pestos to soups and teas. Whether enjoyed raw or cooked, henbit offers a unique, earthy flavor that adds a healthful and wild touch to your meals. As with any foraged food, always start with a small amount to ensure you have no adverse reactions, and be certain of your identification.

For more in-depth information on foraging, consider resources like the Eat the Weeds website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is all of the henbit plant edible?

Yes, all above-ground parts of the henbit plant are edible, including the leaves, stems, and flowers. The leaves and flowers are best when the plant is young and tender.

What does henbit taste like?

Henbit has a mild, earthy, and slightly peppery taste, often compared to raw kale or celery. It does not have a minty flavor, despite being in the mint family.

Are there any poisonous lookalikes to henbit?

Henbit has no poisonous lookalikes. However, it can be confused with other edible plants like purple deadnettle and creeping charlie, so proper identification is still recommended.

Can I eat henbit raw?

Yes, henbit can be eaten raw. Young leaves and flowers are excellent additions to salads, wraps, and smoothies.

How do I make henbit tea?

To make henbit tea, steep two teaspoons of dried leaves and flowers in a cup of hot (not boiling) water for about 10 minutes. Sweeten with honey if desired.

Does henbit have any medicinal properties?

In traditional herbal medicine, henbit has been used as a laxative and to reduce fevers and inflammation. It is also rich in vitamins, iron, and fiber.

What should I be careful of when foraging henbit?

Only harvest henbit from areas you know have not been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. Additionally, start with a small portion the first time you try it, as excessive consumption can have a laxative effect.