Mugwort Chips: Crisp, Savory, and Seasonal

In the waning days of fall, a weed that happens to be a wild herb is still growing with enough vigor to defy the season. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is a perennial that is usually leggy and seed-covered in autumn, but because this invasive (in the US) plant is often mown or weed-wacked in a futile attempt to subdue it, it responds with a resurgence of fresh green foliage as the days grow shorter. These tender leaves are a treat, especially for anyone tuned to seasonal, local eating and who is beginning to dread the looming, un-green months ahead. One of the easiest and most deliciously surprising ways to enjoy mugwort leaves is as a crisp chip. Here’s how to make mugwort chips and what to do with this feral delicacy.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

Mugwort chips are irresistible. They snap and crackle, and their flavor is intact. If you have never tasted the herb before before, it carries implications of sage, a suggestion of rosemary, a whisper of something herbally and attractively bitter (it is a species of wormwood, after all), but mostly…mugwort.

(Find more suggestions about eating mugwort—and a fava bean recipe—in our Mugwort the Weed vs Mugwort the Herb story.)

To make mugwort chips, the dry leaves are laid flat on an oiled baking sheet and baked for just 10 minutes. At that point I like to salt them before returning them to the oven for another 3 minutes.

Crunchy, satisfyingly sage-like and flavorful, mugwort chips are an umami-rich and crackling foil for anything smooth, soft, slithery, or creamy. Think hummus, eggs (boiled, steamed, scrambled, omelette), tomatoes, avocado, plump ravioli, and thin pasta. Top a noodle bowl with chips at the last minute, or crush them across a bread salad. Or just eat them straight up.

Mugwort Chips

All you need is a baking sheet, some oil, and the sage-fragrant leaves of Artemisia vulgaris.

• 40 mugwort leaves, washed and dried
• 1 Tablespoon unscented oil
• Pinch of table salt

Preheat your oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, and drizzle the oil across the parchment, spreading it with your hands until every inch is covered. Lay the mugwort leaves on the oiled paper. Slide the tray into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. remove, and sprinkle the leaves evenly and lightly with salt. Return to the oven for 3 minutes. By now the leaves will be crisp. Loosen them carefully and keep on a plate or paper towel until you need them. They can be kept in an airtight container, stacked, once they are cool. Keep it at room temperature; they should remain crisp for 3 days if the weather is dry.

See also:

• Tepache: An Easy, Fizzy Probiotic Drink to Make at Home
• Chrysanthemum Greens: A Fragrant Leafy Vegetable
• Just Dandy: Served Wilted or Fresh, Dandelions for the Win