Purslane: Egg Purslane Tacos – Tacos de Verdolagas y Huevos

Tacos de verdolaga purslane egg - ForkFingersChopsticks.com

I’m excited you’re excited for purslane. I feel like I’m on a marketing campaign for the succulent this summer.

I confess, however, the inspiration for featuring this ingredient came from my hubby. He’s been making green smoothies this summer (adding raw kale, spinach, collards and other greens into his berry smoothies for extra nutrients). One day he asked about “purslane” and I reminded him that he’s eaten it in tacos de verdolagas.

In most Mexican cookbooks, verdolagas/purslane are mentioned in recipes with pork. But, they are also frequently eaten scrambled with eggs. That’s how I remember eating them growing up. When I told my brothers and sisters that I was writing about verdolagas – they waxed nostalgically for those tacos with verdolagas, sautéed onions, chile and scrambled eggs.

For those new to purslane, the cooked version tastes like spinach and loses its tanginess. It’s a nice earthy compliment to eggs.

When you prepare the raw purslane, make sure to use the florets and use only the tender part of the stem. The whole stem is edible, but I find the really thick stems chewy. Substitute purslane in those recipes where you’d usually have sautéed greens like spinach.

This morning we had tacos de verdolagas with a little queso fresco and salsa. They are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a snack.

If any of you are already purslane fans, what’s your favorite way to eat it?

Tidbits on Purslane:

  1. Purslane is loaded with vitamins and minerals but for anyone watching their nitrate intake – as in spinach, don’t over do it.
  2. Its name in Malawi (a southeast African country) translates as “buttocks of the chief’s wife,” referring to the plants rounded leaves and juicy stems.

Ingredients tacos verdolagas purlane tomato onion chile saute - ForkFingerschopsticks.com

Verdolagas Purslane Eggs Tacos Queso - ForkFingersChopsticks.com

Purslane & Egg Tacos – Tacos de Verdolagas y Huevos

Serves 2 to 4

The reciepe serves two people abundantly; four people if you are also serving other side dishes like potatoes and beans. For added measure for four, add a few more eggs and purslane.

Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons oil – canola or olive oil

1/2 onion

2 cups purslane, large stems removed, 1 ½ inch pieces

1/2 large fresh tomato, diced

1 chile – jalapeno, serrano or roasted green chile, diced

1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

Pepper

Fresh corn tortillas

Queso Fresco

Salsa

Method:

  1. Beat eggs with whisk or fork. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Heat large skillet on medium-high heat, add oil. Sauté onion for 1 to 2 minutes until it starts to become translucent. Add purslane; stir to cook for another 2 minutes. Add diced tomato, chile and garlic; sauté about 1 minute to reduce the juice from the fresh tomato. Using a spatula, push the purslane mixture to the sides to make a space to scramble the eggs. Scramble the eggs for another few minutes and mix the eggs and purslane together. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Serve warm with corn tortillas and topped with queso fresco and salsa (preferably green).
I’m excited you’re excited for purslane. It seems like I’m on a marketing campaign for the succulent this summer.

I confess, however, the inspiration for featuring this ingredient came from my hubby. He’s been making green smoothies this summer (adding raw kale, spinach, collards and other greens into his berry smoothies for extra nutrients). One day he asked about “purslane” and I reminded him that he’s eaten it in tacos de verdolagas.

In most Mexican cookbooks, verdolagas/purslane are most often mentioned as stewed with pork. But, they are also frequently eaten scrambled with eggs. That’s how I remember eating them growing up. When I told my brothers and sisters that I was writing about verdolagas – they waxed nostalgically for those tacos with verdolagas, sautéed onions, chile and scrambled eggs. We ate them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.

For those new to purslane, the cooked version tastes like spinach and loses its tanginess. It’s a nice earthy compliment to eggs.

When you prepare the raw purslane, make sure to use the florets and use only the tender part of the stem. The whole stem is edible, but I find the really thick stems chewy. Substitute purslane in those recipes where you’d usually have sautéed greens like spinach.

This morning we had tacos de verdolagas with a little queso fresco and salsa

Serve warm with fresh corn tortillas and topped with queso fresco and salsa.

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12 Responses to Purslane: Egg Purslane Tacos – Tacos de Verdolagas y Huevos

  1. jess says:

    Just put this on the menu for this week!

  2. Verdolagas cooked with eggs and onion and served for breakfast is my favorite way to eat this yummy green. They pop up everywhere in my garden — others call them weeds — but for me, they are a nutritious plant that takes no work on my part.

    The rains have finally begun in our part of Mexico, and the verdolagas are growing like crazy. I think I’ll go out and pick some for breakfast.

    Kathleen

  3. Ooh, this may be dinner tonite! I’m on a homemade tortilla kick. Made some last weekend with a tortilla press and they were really easy. I want to try sopes and huaraches. Who knows, my purlsane may be poised for pupusas!

  4. @Jess: I have a boat load of corn tortillas that need to be eaten up in the next day or so, so let me know if you want some.

    @Cooking in Mexico: Verdolagas with eggs is my favorite way to eat them because they are so easy to make and so tasty!

    @Lentil Breakdown: I agree, homemade tortillas are great. I just inherited my momma’s tortilla press. Sopes are the bomb! You could eat your eggs and verdolagas on top – and because they have that little cradle, I could see an over easy egg with runny yolk. I think you just inspired another post outta me girl.

  5. sippitysup says:

    So many things to do with purslane! GREG

  6. I’m going to go check my garden and see if I have any of this stuff growing out there. And it’s free!

  7. Wow! These look delicious. I’m trying to convince my mother to pick some from their garden (big time weed as far as she is concerned) and send it to me. Still haven’t convinced her that it’s edible.

  8. That looks great. I’m glad to have found your blog!

  9. Toh says:

    love to snack on chips and salsa, a0but I don’t always plan out mnaikg salsa so well, either I have tomatoes that are not at he peek of ripeness or I have no tomatoes! But I

  10. Catherine A. Pacheco says:

    My parents, when they could find verdolagas, would make it as they would green chili. Washed, cooked, and then simply chopped fine, but adding garlic and a small amount of salt. And then it’d be added, at the table, to one’s bowl of freshly cooked pinto beans. That, for me, is when it tasted the absolute best. It’s very good added to other things, but nothing like being added to those freshly cooked beans.

  11. Melanie Terry says:

    I’m so glad I found this info I’ve asked certain chefs about recipes for purslane aka: Mexican parsley and no answer I found this by sheer luck! My mom would find them in cracks of sidewalks lol I’m Bay Area California ! Lol she made them with cheese onions and along with the calabasitas? Pardon misspelling with tomato and onion. HOW CAN I GET MOST THE BITTNESS OUT not yelling lol but I seem to be stuck with super mineral tasting ones help!

  12. maria says:

    how much can a person eat purslane)each meal

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