Red Aztec Spinach/Huauzontle Seeds - (Chenopodium berlandieri)

Red Aztec Spinach/Huauzontle - Heat-loving spinach flavors 

Very few plants equal this for a summer spinach crop, as heat only produces more leaves. Full sun and triple-digit temperatures don’t faze this relative of quinoa, lamb’s quarter, purslane, and amaranth. Only the first cold snap will stop it in its tracks.

Huauzontle (wah-zont-lay) is a type of quelite – the wild greens of Mesoamerica that are highly valued for their robust growth and high nutrition. In warm soil, the seeds have been known to sprout in 48 hours!

History

Thought to be native to Mexico, its cultivation is documented to pre-Columbian Aztec use and has also been found in archaeological records all the way north and east into southern Appalachian cave-dwelling tribes.

It was important and valuable enough as a food crop to the Aztecs that it was accepted as a tribute or tax payment by the Aztec government – records show 160,000 bushels of huauzontle were paid in one year. Today its range extends from Canada to southern Mexico and all throughout the US. 

Uses

Harvest the young red tinted green leaves at the top of the plant for their unique spinach and broccoli undertones with slightly peppery notes and an herbaceous aroma. Continual harvesting encourages more growth, and two or three plants can easily keep a family in summer salads. The younger leaves are best for fresh use, while the mature leaves taste better after cooking.

Once the flower clusters start appearing, switch to the buds by stripping them off of the stems and using like broccoli florets – fresh, steamed, or blanched. Buds have a mint note among the more broccoli-centric flavor. 

If you let the flowers set seeds and save them, you’ll find they have a nuttier, sweeter flavor than quinoa and don’t require rinsing to remove the bitterness.

Lower leaves turn bright red as they mature and hold their color in cooking (only 30-60 seconds in boiling water). Seed-heads can be stir-fried and the seeds can be used for red tortillas or sprouts (red sprouts!)

Learn More

• Heat-Tolerant Greens to Reimagine Your Summer Table
• Papalo - Heat Loving Cilantro Alternative
• Shade Your Garden for Better Vegetables

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