Sorrel has been grown for many centuries and is a highly versatile plant, often used in a wide range of dishes. Its leaves can be pureed for soups or sauces, or simply added fresh to salads. The taste of sorrel is often compared to the tangy flavors of kiwifruit or tart wild strawberries, a sharpness that comes from its natural oxalic acid content.
In northern Nigeria, sorrel is commonly cooked in stews alongside spinach, while in some Hausa communities, it is prepared as a salad. In this case, the sorrel is steamed and mixed with kuli-kuli (a traditional roasted peanut cake), along with salt, pepper, onions, and tomatoes. In India, sorrel is used in soups or incorporated into curries made with yellow lentils and peanuts, adding its signature tart flavor to the dishes. In Afghanistan, the leaves are dipped in batter and deep-fried to create a crispy appetizer, often enjoyed during Ramadan for breaking the fast.
Across eastern Europe, both wild and cultivated sorrel is a popular ingredient in sour soups, as well as stews combined with vegetables, meats, herbs, or eggs. In rural Greece, sorrel is a key ingredient in dishes like spanakopita, mixed with spinach, leeks, and chard. In Albania, it is simmered and served cold after being marinated in olive oil, or used as a filling for savory pies such as byrek me lakra. Armenian traditions involve harvesting sorrel in the spring, braiding it, and drying it for use in the winter. One of the most well-known sorrel dishes in Armenia is aveluk soup, where the rehydrated leaves are combined with onions, potatoes, walnuts, garlic, bulgur wheat, or lentils, and sometimes sour plums to create a hearty meal.
Sorrel also has a special place in French cuisine, where it is famously used in "escalope de saumon à l'oseille" (salmon escalope with sorrel sauce), a dish created by the renowned Troisgros brothers in 1962. This recipe has since become an iconic representation of the French nouvelle cuisine.