Every spring, when everything turns that electric, almost impossibly bright green and the pollen starts drifting through the air, there’s one herb I come back to again and again: stinging nettle. It grows like a weed everywhere here! All along streams, at forest edges, in the forgotten corners of the garden, and yet it’s one of the most nourishing plants we have. Simple. Abundant. Deeply restorative. Drinking nettle tea daily this time of year can mean clearer skin, stronger hair growth, steadier energy, and far less drama when allergy season rolls in. It’s not flashy medicine, but it’s foundational.
Spring can be beautiful... and miserable. The itchy eyes, scratchy throat, sinus pressure, that’s often just the immune system overreacting to all the abundance. Nettle leaf has a long history of helping the body respond more calmly. I love it because it doesn’t just suppress symptoms, it supports the terrain all in turn to help balance histamine response, reduce inflammatory reactivity, and rebuild resilience over time.
Beyond allergies, nettle is incredibly mineral-rich. It contains iron, magnesium, calcium, silica, all nutrients that are especially supportive for women. I think about nettle often for heavy or depleting cycles, postpartum rebuilding, perimenopause, stress-related hair thinning, and general adrenal fatigue (something we talk about a lot at Deep Roots). When someone feels run down or nutritionally depleted, nettle is almost always in the picture for me. It nourishes without forcing anything. It replenishes rather than stimulates. Over time, that steady mineral support can make cycles feel less draining and energy more stable.
If you’re harvesting fresh nettle, remember to take only 10–30% of a patch, it grows abundantly here in the Pacific Northwest, especially near streams and wetlands. And yes, it stings (gloves help). But once dried, steeped, steamed, or blanched, the sting disappears completely. What’s left is a mineral-dense green, similar to spinach. For me, nettle is less about treating something and more about aligning with the season. This is the pot of tea steeping on the counter, the jar of pesto in the fridge, the steady rebuilding after winter. When allergies flare or hormones feel wonky, it’s one of the first plants I reach for. Happy springtide, and happy harvesting.
Easy Nettle Infusion/Tea:
I’ll make a big pot at a time and sip throughout the day. During peak allergy season, I aim for 1–3 cups daily. Its like drinking spring itself!
- 1 tablespoon dried nettle leaf
1 cup hot water
Cover and steep at least 20–30 minutes (sometimes overnight)
Two of my favorite preparations of Nettle
Spring Nettle Porridge
Ingredients:
- 8 cups fresh nettle tops
- 6 cups bone broth
- 2 whole leeks
- 1.5 lbs yellow potatoes
- A big handful shiitake mushrooms
- Garlic
- Salt & pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Plenty of butter
Instructions:
Blanche the nettle in boiling water 1–2 minutes, then cool in ice water. (Save that
blanching water, it makes beautiful mineral tea or bathwater.)
Sauté garlic generously in butter. Add leeks and potatoes and cook about 5 minutes.
Add bone broth and mushrooms. Simmer until potatoes are tender.
Blend with the nettle until silky. Finish with lemon, salt, and pepper.
Garnish and serve warm.
Stinging Nettle Pumpkin Seed Pesto
It’s more rich than basil pesto, less of a seasoning and more of a spread. I use it generously on eggs, roasted vegetables, sourdough, fish, or stirred into warm potatoes.
This recipe makes about 11⁄2 cups
Ingredients:
- 8 oz fresh nettles
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice + a little zest
- 1⁄4 cup light olive oil
- 1⁄4 cup pumpkinseed oil (or just use olive oil)
- 1⁄4 cup grated parmesan
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- 2 generous tablespoons toasted pumpkinseeds
Instructions
Grind pumpkinseeds medium-fine.
Steam nettles 2–3 minutes until tender. Cool, press out excess water, and chop finely.
Combine nettles, seeds, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon in a food processor.
Pulse, then slowly stream in oils until smooth.
Store in a jar with a thin layer of oil on top. Refrigerate or freeze.