John Myers
Even if the name suggests it: The strawberry spinach plant is not a cross between the leafy vegetable and the delicious berry. Strawberry spinach still has a great taste!
Interesting facts about strawberry spinach
Two types of plants are summarized under the term strawberry spinach: real strawberry spinach and spiked strawberry spinach, which probably come from southern Europe and the Orient or from North America. In addition to its namesake, spinach, strawberry spinach is also related to quinoa and beetroot. Both are well-known plants, edible and grace the garden with their beautiful fruits. You can enjoy both the red fruits of the strawberry spinach, which belongs to the foxtail family, and the tender green leaves. The latter taste intensely of herbs with a finely spicy spiciness and can be used as an alternative to the eponymous leafy greens for spinach recipes. In the case of real strawberry spinach in particular, the fruits can be confused with strawberries from afar, but on the outside they are somewhat reminiscent of rocket leaves.
Purchasing and storage
Strawberry spinach is rarely available for purchase, but cultivating the annual plant in the garden or on the balcony is quite easy. Seeds for real strawberry spinach are available from specialist garden shops. The right time to sow strawberry spinach outdoors is always between April and May. The care is not very complex and is mainly limited to watering and occasional fertilizing. You can harvest the first leaves of your strawberry spinach after 6 to 12 weeks: simply pluck off the desired quantity or cut off the plant completely close to the ground, new shoots will form. The aroma is at its best before flowering, after which the leaves can develop a bitter note. It is best to use the strawberry spinach immediately or store it in the refrigerator for a few days at most, wrapped in a damp cloth. The fruits are ready for harvest when they have completely turned red – and should then be picked promptly.
Cooking tips for strawberry spinach
Since the strawberry spinach fruits do not taste particularly good, only the leaves are usually used in the kitchen. If you want to prepare strawberry spinach, it is advisable to steam the leaves – you can use the processing of spinach as a guide. You can read tips on this in our expert knowledge on the topic “What is the best way to prepare spinach?”. You can also enjoy the foxtail plant as a vegetable side dish or ingredient for a wide variety of stir-fries. The young leaves are particularly tender and can therefore also be eaten raw, for example in a wild herb salad. Especially young leaves have a particularly delicious aroma. They can also be used instead of young spinach for a spinach smoothie with strawberries.
