Wild Onion Pasta

I've never been much of a forager, I've picked a few herbs from the park a few times, and stolen a cabbage from a neighbour's back garden once, but as for rummaging through the forest, it all seems like hard work to me.

But nature is a wonderful thing and there's FREE supermarket to be had if you know what you're looking for. I don't, but thanks to Google I can now bumble my way through determining what plant is what and whether it's going to kill me or not.

While out with Shirley dog recently, following Edinburgh's Water of Leith Walkway, the pathway and its surrounds had become a fragrant trail, a wonderfully mellow onion scent filled the air. I was confident the delicate plants were wild onions, and after a quick Google search it was confirmed.

I carefully harvested a bunch while Shirley waited impatiently, then hurried home, just in time for lunch.

I knew instinctively that a simple pasta would work a treat and it did! A fragrant, buttery treat from Mother Nature herself!

What's Ahead?

What are wild onions?

"Allium canadense", commonly known as "Field Onions" or "Ramp Onions" can be found in various parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In North America, wild onions are particularly common and can be found in most parts of the continent, from Canada to Mexico. In Europe, they are found mainly in the Mediterranean region and the Balkans. In Asia, wild onions are found in many countries, including China, India, and Japan. In Africa, they are found mainly in the northern and eastern regions of the continent.

They have a delicate onion or chive aroma, thin shoots and small to medium sized bulbs on the end. They resemble spring onions. To harvest, pull gently near the root.

How I cooked my wild onions

• Step 1 - I first washed and trimmed the onions (I discarded the flowers and berry-like pods). Carefully, but thoroughly rinsing to ensure I didn't damage the delicate and tiny bulbs. I trimmed them to roughly the same length as my spaghetti.

• Step 2 - I figured these onions were just like spring onions/scallions so began to sauté them gently in about 2 tbsp of unsalted butter. I minced a garlic clove too and threw that in and then seasoned with salt and pepper.
• Step 3 - After a while, the onions wilted. I ladled in some seasoned water from the pasta that was cooking alongside and let them sizzle and soften more. They cooked for about 10 minutes in total.
• Step 4 - I tossed the cooked spaghetti into the onions along with a couple more ladles of pasta water and another tbsp of butter. A light dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano was next and the whole thing was stirred for a minute or so to emulsify the sauce. That was it! My pasta was ready.

The results were impressive! The onions became sweet and mellow and together with the garlic and nutty butter made for a wonderful depth of flavour. It was a light but filling pasta that made the most of its humble ingredients.

Substitutes for wild onions

If you're lucky enough to stumble upon some of these delights in the wild, my wild onion recipe is a simple and quick way to prepare a lovely pasta lunch.

But, for those less inclined to forage, you could replicate this dish easily using store bought leeks or spring onions. The onion flavour of wild onions is pretty close to both and reminds me of a similar dish I've made before using leeks.

Ready to get cooking?

So, if you stumbled upon my wild onion recipe after searching "how to cook wild onions?" then I can say, you're in for a treat with this simple pasta recipe. Ready in 15 minutes! And the mild onion flavours with nutty butter and mellow garlic is a combination that really works.

For those that like the recipe, but lack the wild onions don't be deterred, grab some leeks or scallions and you won't be disappointed in the slightest.

More Italian recipes

If you liked this recipe for wild onion pasta, I'm sure you'll love some more of my Italian favourites.

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