This Mexican purslane recipe is a testament to the beauty of Mexican cuisine, where even the simplest ingredients—like verdolagas (purslane)—can be transformed into something extraordinary. Don’t forget the warm tortillas!
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If you’ve ever wandered through farmers markets or noticed a “pesky weed” growing in your garden, you might have stumbled upon purslane, or portulaca oleracea. Known as verdolagas in Spanish, this vibrant, herbaceous plant is a staple in Mexican cuisine.
Packed with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, purslane has been enjoyed in Mexican food for centuries, dating back to the days of the Nahua civilization. It’s even mentioned in, Historia General de las Cosas de la Nueva España by Fray Bernardino de Sahagún in 1577, where over 60 edible wild plants, including watercress, amaranth, chard, and verdolagas, were documented.
This month, verdolagas take center stage as our May Challenge Ingredient! 🌿 I’m sharing one of my favorite ways to prepare this edible plant: Verdolagas in Tomatillo Sauce. This dish highlights the tender stems and crunchy texture of fresh purslane in a tangy, vibrant salsa verde. Whether you’re new to purslane recipes Mexican-style or already a fan, this is a great way to bring this wild edible to your dinner table.
Want to join the fun? Enter the May Challenge and have a chance to win a $150 Amazon gift card. This is a fun cooking challenge we do every month where we explore a Mexican ingredient. Past challenges have included recipes for pambazos, tamarind agua fresca, sopa de requesón, and more. See this post for all the details. Let’s celebrate this traditional ingredient together!
Why Purslane Deserves Pride of Place in Mexican Cuisine
Purslane, often referred to as little hogweed or Mexican purslane, is more than just a common weed. Its yellow flowers, tender stems, and slightly lemony flavor make it a versatile ingredient in Mexican recipes. From verdolagas guisadas to puerco con verdolagas, this edible plant has long been a favorite in central Mexico.
Rich in fatty acids, purslane is both nutritious and delicious. It’s used in everything from soups and stews to purslane salad. Its crunchy texture and acquired taste pair beautifully with bold flavors like serrano peppers, cumin seeds, and tangy tomatillo sauce.
Verdolagas in Tomatillo Sauce Ingredients
This recipe brings together fresh purslane, creamy potatoes and a zesty tomatillo sauce for a vegan (and gluten free) main dish that’s perfect with a warm tortilla, beans, and side of white rice. It’s a plant-forward take on a traditional dish, inspired by the deep roots of Mexican food.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Fresh purslane (verdolagas): Look for these at your local Latin market in the spring and summer, you also may find them in farmers markets or even in your garden—they’re not a weed 🙂
- Tomatillos: Essential to all kinds of Mexican recipes from pipián rojo to pozole verde but especially tangy salsa verde that is the heart of this dish
- Serrano peppers: These make this dish pretty spicy. If you are heat-sensitive, reduce the number of chiles or remove the stems and seeds
- Garlic: Just like with Pescado Veracruzana and lobster tacos, a touch of fresh garlic adds the perfect amount of bite
- White onion: A little bit of onion goes in the sauce to create a solid base
- Ground cumin: Adds earthy undertones to the sauce
- Olive oil: For frying the sauce and cooking the flavors
- Yukon gold potatoes: My preferred potato that I use to make papas con chile and Spanish tortillas. They add body to this dish as well, for a satisfying meal
- Garlic salt: Pops of garlic to bring out the other flavors in the dish
- Fresh cilantro: Turns the salsa a beautiful shade of green
- Cotija cheese: Optional, for serving if you’d like
- Warm tortillas, for serving
How To Make It
Prepare the Tomatillo Sauce:
This tangy and tart salsa verde is my flagship tomatillo salsa, serving as the base recipe for 6+ other recipes on my site. It’s PACKED with bright tomatillo flavor and not gloppy like similar recipes can be. It’s the same salsa I use in pork salsa verde and these chile verde chicken enchiladas. Let me just say: this recipe has the hearts of salsa verde lovers everywhere. Many readers say it’s their favorite salsa recipe!
Cook the Potatoes: Gently simmer buttery Yukon gold potatoes in salted water until a knife slides through and they are just tender.
Simmer the sauce: Fry the sauce in a bit of oil and let it cook down and reduce to intensify the flavors.
Add the Verdolagas:
Add the purslane and potatoes to the pan, stirring to coat in the sauce. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the tender stems are cooked through but still slightly crunchy.
Serve:
Spoon the verdolagas in tomatillo sauce onto a plate and sprinkle with cotija cheese, if desired. Serve as a vegetarian main dish with beans, rice, and warm tortillas or enjoy it as a side to pork chops or pork shoulder or any of these 30+ grilling recipes.
That’s it! Easier than making squash & black bean enchiladas or chorizo rice-stuffed pumpkin, two more devastatingly good recipes you have to try sometime.
Tips for Cooking with Purslane
- Farmers Markets & Specialty Grocery Stores: Fresh purslane can often be found at farmers markets, specialty Mexican grocery stores like El Super or Vallarta (if you live in California), or even growing wild in your backyard.
- Prep Tip: Remove the thick stems and wash well, dirt tends to hide in the leaves.
- Cooking Tip: Don’t overcook them, they are best when still a little crunchy and maintain some bite.
- Next Time: Try raw purslane in a tangy purslane salad (similar to this Mexican tuna salad) with lemon juice, avocado slices, and pico de gallo or vegetable escabeche for a refreshing twist.
Variations
- Verdolagas con huevo: Sauté purslane with a little oil, garlic, and beaten eggs for a quick and easy breakfast.
- Verdolagas burrito: Add it along with beef, beans, and rice to your next burrito.
- Puerco con verdolagas: Add browned pork shoulder or bone-in pork chops to the tomatillo sauce for a heartier pork stew.
- Vegan meal: Skip the Cotija cheese and serve with avocado tacos or any of these 40+ vegan Mexican recipes.
Why This Dish is So Special
Verdolagas aren’t just a delicious ingredient—they’re a connection to the essential cuisines of Mexico. As Dora Ramírez wrote in Comida Casera, these edible wild plants have been an integral part of the Mexican diet since before the Spanish conquest.
They’re a reminder of the resourcefulness and creativity of Mexican cooking, turning a common weed into a flavorful and nutritious dish that deserves a spot at your dinner table.
So, the next time you’re looking for purslane recipes Mexican-style, give this dish a try. It’s a great way to celebrate the history, flavor, and versatility of this humble yet extraordinary edible plant. Don’t forget to share your creations and enter the May Challenge!
Verdolagas {Mexican Purslane Recipe}
This Mexican purslane recipe is a testament to the beauty of Mexican cuisine, where even the simplest ingredients—like verdolagas (purslane)—can be transformed into something extraordinary. Don't forget the warm tortillas!
Ingredients
- 1 pound verdolagas
- 1 pound tomatillos
- 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded (adjust for spice level)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 white onion
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- Cotija cheese or feta cheese, crumbled (optional, for serving)
- Warm tortillas, for serving
Instructions
- Clean verdolagas: Remove any browned spots or bruised leaves along with the toughest part of the stems and the roots. Rinse under cold water and dry in a salad spinner.
- Prepare the tomatillo sauce: Place the 1 pound tomatillos, 2 serrano peppers, 1 clove garlic, and 1/4 white onion in a large saucepan. Fill with water and simmer until tomatillos have softened, but aren't falling apart about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid then drain the rest and transfer the vegetables to a blender with the cilantro, ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Cook the potatoes: Rinse out the saucepan that you used to boil the tomatillos and add the potatoes. Fill with water and add a generous, five-finger pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered until a knife easily goes through a potato. Drain.
- Cook the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook until it reaches the consistency of applesauce, 5-10 minutes.
- Add the verdolagas and potatoes: Add the purslane, the 1 cup reserved tomatillo cooking liquid, potatoes, and the garlic salt to the pan, stirring to coat in the sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the verdolagas have turned a darker shade of green, the tender stems are cooked through but still slightly crunchy. Season with more salt if needed.
- Serve: Spoon the verdolagas onto a casserole and sprinkle with cotija cheese, if desired. Serve with warm tortillas or as a topping for pork chops, or enjoy it as a side to pork shoulder or a vegetarian main dish.
Notes
- Make Ahead: The tomatillo sauce and cooked potatoes can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Serving Suggestions: This dish pairs beautifully with warm tortillas for scooping, or serve it as a side with grilled pork chops or any of these 14 ground beef dishes for a hearty meal. It’s also a great vegetarian main when paired with rice or beans.
- Cooking verdolagas: Be careful not to overcook the verdolagas. They are best when they maintain some bite.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce if needed.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 1022mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 9g
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