Wild Lettuce and Sow Thistle Recipes
Wild lettuce (Lactuca sp) and sow thistle (Sonchus sp) are two different plants that both make a great substitute for dandelions. There's many varieties of both plants to find, but identifying them can be confusing for beginners.
Elegant leaf shoots of Canadian lettuce (Lactuca canadensis)
There's no poisonous wild lettuce or sow thistle look alikes, but some plants that are very common like prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) just aren't that great to eat.
Common sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceous).
Quick Tips
- If you're new to cooking with these plants you should take a look at my guide to identifying wild lettuce first.
- Blanching or boiling the greens in salted water will give the best texture and help calm bitterness.
- Harvest young, tender greens before the plants make flowers. Plants growing in the shade are often milder tasting that plants in full sun.
- The plants can be cooked in any recipe that calls for dandelions or bitter leafy greens.
Favorite Recipes
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Italian Braised Escarole and Beans with Sausage
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Plant Based Tacos and Quesadillas (Gluten Free / Vegan)
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Njama Njama: Braised Garden Huckleberry Greens from Cameroon
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Fermented Dandelion or Wild Lettuce Kimchi
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Horta: Greek Wild Greens with Olive Oil and Lemon
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Green Burgers / Spinach Patties
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Quelites: The Edible Wild Greens of Mexico
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Orecchiette alla Barese
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Fave e Cicoria (Fava Bean Purée with Wild Chicory)
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Preboggion: The Wild Edible Plants of Liguria
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Erbazzone (Italian Wild Greens Pie)
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Foraged Greens with Garlic and Paprika (Tsigarelli)
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Lebanese Dandelions with Caramelized Onions (Hindbeh)
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Spinaci alla Romana (Roman Greens with Raisins and Pine Nuts)
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Minestrella: Italian Stew of Many Greens
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Cicoria in Padella (Greens with Garlic and Chili)
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Easy Steamed Greens