Think Beyond Pesto: Garlic Mustard's Culinary Range

Garlic mustard pesto gets all the attention — and for good reason, it's excellent. But if you've been out on a productive foraging day and come home with a carrier bag full of the stuff, you'll want more ideas. Fortunately, garlic mustard is genuinely versatile, standing in for mustard greens, rocket, wild garlic, or spinach in a wide range of dishes.

All recipes below work best with young spring leaves harvested before flowering. Older leaves can be used but may require blanching to reduce bitterness.

1. Garlic Mustard Soup

A simple, satisfying soup that showcases the plant's depth of flavour.

You'll need:

  • 3–4 large handfuls of garlic mustard leaves (approx. 150g)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
  • A knob of butter or splash of oil
  • Salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon
  • Cream to finish (optional)

Method:

  1. Sauté onion in butter until soft. Add potatoes and stock, simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).
  2. Add garlic mustard leaves and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
  3. Blend until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
  4. Serve with a swirl of cream and crusty bread.

2. Garlic Mustard Salsa Verde

A punchy, versatile sauce that's brilliant with fish, grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or simply spooned onto boiled eggs. It keeps in the fridge for several days and the flavour improves overnight.

Combine in a bowl:

  • A large handful of finely chopped garlic mustard leaves
  • A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
  • 1 small shallot or spring onion, very finely diced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Juice and zest of half a lemon
  • 4–5 tbsp good olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper

Stir everything together, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

3. Wilted Garlic Mustard with Pasta

One of the quickest weeknight meals you can make with a fresh garlic mustard harvest — ready in the time it takes to boil pasta.

  1. Cook your pasta of choice until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a wide pan. Add a pinch of chilli flakes and one crushed garlic clove (optional — the garlic mustard provides its own garlic flavour).
  3. Add a generous heap of garlic mustard leaves and wilt for 2–3 minutes, stirring.
  4. Add drained pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss together over heat.
  5. Finish with grated hard cheese, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

4. Garlic Mustard Flatbreads

Blending garlic mustard into flatbread dough gives you a vibrant green, flavourful bread that's wonderful with soups, dips, or cheese. No yeast required.

Dough (makes 4 flatbreads):

  • 200g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • A large handful of garlic mustard leaves, finely chopped or blended to a paste
  • 100–120ml water or plain yogurt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Mix to a soft dough, divide into four, roll thin, and cook in a dry hot pan for 2–3 minutes per side until charred spots appear. Brush with garlic butter while warm.

5. Pickled Garlic Mustard Seeds

Harvest the small green seed pods before they dry and you have one of wild food's best-kept secrets — a flavour somewhere between capers and grainy mustard. These make a remarkable condiment.

Basic pickle brine (makes one small jar):

  • 100ml white wine vinegar
  • 100ml water
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  1. Collect green (unripe) seed pods from garlic mustard plants. Use as soon as possible after harvesting.
  2. Rinse thoroughly and pack loosely into a sterilised small jar.
  3. Bring brine ingredients to a boil, stir to dissolve sugar and salt, then pour over seeds while hot.
  4. Seal and leave to cool. Refrigerate and use within 4–6 weeks.

Use these pickled seeds anywhere you'd use capers — on pizza, with smoked fish, in tartare sauce, or scattered over a salad.

A Note on Harvesting for Cooking

The more you harvest, the better — both for your kitchen and for native ecosystems. Always wash leaves thoroughly, and remember that older or late-season leaves benefit from a brief blanch to mellow their flavour before use in cooked dishes.