Verdolagas: the succulent quelite of Mexican cooking

What is it?

Verdolagas (Portulaca oleracea), known in English as purslane, are a succulent quelite of Mexican cooking, with small fleshy oval leaves, juicy reddish stems and a slightly tart, refreshing flavour reminiscent of lemon. They belong to the Portulacaceae family and are annual succulent plants that grow wild in milpas, backyards, gardens and disturbed soils across almost all of Mexico, with the highest consumption in the centre of the country: the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Hidalgo, Guerrero and Oaxaca. Their most emblematic preparation is the stew of verdolagas with pork in salsa verde, considered one of the classic dishes of Mexican country cooking. They are also eaten in quesadillas, tacos, soups, fritters with cheese, raw salads and scrambled eggs. They are a pre-Hispanic quelite that remains fully present on the contemporary table.

Origin and history

Verdolagas have a cosmopolitan distribution and there is debate whether they originate in North Africa, Asia or the Americas; however, their presence and consumption in Mesoamerica predate the conquest and are fully integrated into the indigenous repertoire. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún recorded them in the Florentine Codex under the Nahuatl name 'itzmiquilitl', which means 'quelite with the look of flint' because of its glossy leaves. CONABIO documents their wild presence since ancient times throughout Mexico. Larousse Cocina lists them as a basic quelite of the traditional repertoire. The peoples of the Mexican altiplano ate them as a daily part of the diet, taking advantage of their spontaneous growth in milpas during the rainy season. After the conquest, verdolagas were incorporated into the syncretic kitchen, where the stew with pork (an animal introduced by the Spanish) in salsa verde of tomatillo and chilli (pre-Hispanic ingredients) gave rise to the emblematic dish. Verdolagas are also eaten in Mediterranean cooking (soup and salads in Greece, Turkey and North Africa), which suggests multiple sites of domestication.

Characteristic ingredients

Verdolaga is a creeping annual plant up to 30 cm across, with cylindrical, succulent, reddish stems and small, spoon-shaped, glossy green leaves. The flowers are yellow, small and open in the sun. It grows in poor, disturbed, sunny soils. It is one of the vegetables with the highest content of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid) among land plants, according to several nutritional studies. It also provides vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, calcium and antioxidants such as beta-carotene and glutathione. The flavour is slightly tart from its oxalic acid content and has a saline-mineral hint. It is eaten raw in salads or cooked in stews. The classic stew is made by cooking pork with salt, water and spices until browned, then adding the boiled verdolagas and pouring over salsa verde of tomatillo, serrano chilli, garlic and coriander. They are harvested young; plants with flowers have more fibrous stems and young ones are preferred. They are eaten fresh and do not keep well for more than a few days in the refrigerator.

Cultural significance

Verdolagas represent a very democratic quelite of Mexican cooking. Their consumption is alive throughout central Mexico and forms part of the everyday home repertoire of villages and working-class neighbourhoods. Pork with verdolagas in salsa verde is one of the classic stews of Mexican cooking, present in fondas, markets and family tables. SADER recognises verdolagas among the priority quelites for rescuing agrobiodiversity and promoting the traditional diet. Larousse Cocina cites them as an example of the 'weeds' that are in fact nutritional treasures. Their exceptional nutritional profile, particularly the ALA omega-3 content, has sparked international academic interest and the FAO considers them a crop of the future. They form part of the traditional Mexican cuisine declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. Their accessible price and spontaneous growth make them an important subsistence food in rural communities. They form a food bridge between the pre-Hispanic diet and the contemporary table.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between verdolaga and other quelites?

Verdolaga is a succulent plant with fleshy, juicy leaves and stems, distinct from quelites with fine leaves such as quintoniles or cenizo. Its texture is more juicy and crisp; its flavour is slightly tart from oxalic acid, while other quelites tend to taste of spinach. It also contains much more omega-3 than the rest of the quelites, thanks to its succulent character.

What do verdolagas taste like?

They have a mild tart, refreshing, slightly salty and mineral flavour, with a crisp, juicy texture from their succulent character. They recall a mix of lemon, young spinach and watercress. They are very refreshing in raw salads. Their acidity balances perfectly with the fat of pork and the freshness of salsa verde with tomatillo and coriander.

How are verdolagas cooked?

The classic dish is pork with verdolagas in salsa verde: pork is cooked and browned, the previously boiled verdolagas are added, and salsa verde of tomatillo, serrano chilli, garlic and coriander is poured over. They are also used in quesadillas, sauteed tacos, soups, pan-fried cheese fritters, scrambled eggs and raw salads with onion and lime. They are briefly boiled to soften them.

Where do verdolagas come from?

Their exact origin is debated (North Africa, Eurasia or the Americas), but in Mesoamerica they have been present since pre-Hispanic times. Sahagún recorded them as 'itzmiquilitl' in the Florentine Codex. Today they grow wild in almost all of Mexico, with the highest culinary consumption in central Mexico: the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Hidalgo, Guerrero and Oaxaca. They are part of the traditional milpa repertoire.