Tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce will always earn their place. But if you want a kitchen garden that’s more interesting, more resilient, and often far more generous, it pays to look beyond the usual suspects.
The best “underrated” edibles tend to share a few qualities: they grow fast, earn their keep in small spaces, bounce back after harvesting, and bring something different to the plate, whether that’s peppery leaves, edible flowers, or a leafy green that refuses to sulk in heat.
Below are the lesser-grown plants that deserve a spot in your beds, pots or even that awkward corner that never quite becomes anything.
Start with the ones that make salads instantly better
Nasturtiums are the cheat code for a prettier, punchier salad. The leaves are peppery, the flowers are edible, and even the green seed pods can be pickled like capers, so the plant gives you options beyond “garnish”.
Sorrel is another quiet overachiever: soft leaves with a bright, lemony tang that lifts eggs, fish, soups and salads. It is also a perennial in many gardens, which means you harvest for seasons, not weeks. Because it’s naturally high in oxalic acid, it’s one to enjoy sensibly if you’re prone to kidney stones.
Purslane is often treated like a weed until you eat it. The leaves are crisp and slightly tangy, and it’s famous for being unusually rich in omega-3 fatty acids (for a leafy plant) as well as antioxidants. It’s also a heat-tolerant groundcover, which makes it useful where other greens give up.
When it’s hot, grow greens that actually like it
If your “greens season” always seems too short, Malabar spinach is a smart swap. It’s not a true spinach, but the leaves cook down beautifully, and it thrives in warm weather when standard spinach bolts. It’s a climber too, so it’s ideal when you need height rather than width in a small garden.
For a more delicate option, watercress brings a clean pepperiness that makes shop-bought bags taste dull. It prefers constant moisture and cooler conditions, but you don’t need a stream or fancy setup. A wide pot kept consistently damp can work, and regular harvesting keeps it tender.
Edible flowers that earn their spot
Edible flowers are only “frivolous” until you realise how often you reach for them. Borage has cucumber-fresh flowers that look stunning scattered over salads, drinks or a citrus dessert, and it’s a magnet for pollinators. (It also self-seeds happily, so plant it where you do not mind it reappearing.)
Calendula is another favourite: petals add colour and a gentle bitterness, and the plant is straightforward in pots. Think of it as edible confetti that also supports your wider garden ecosystem.
The perennial veg that feels like a secret
If you want something that feeds you with minimal fuss, look at perennial edibles.
Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) produce knobbly tubers with a nutty, artichoke-like flavour. They are also vigorous, and in some regions they can spread aggressively, so they’re best grown with boundaries, such as in a contained bed or large tubs where you can manage the tubers.
Walking onions (Egyptian onions) are a brilliant “set-and-forget” edible. They form little bulbils at the top of their stems which eventually flop over and replant themselves, giving you spring onions and small bulbs without re-sowing every season.
Small-space heroes for pots, edges and odd corners
If you only remember one thing, make it this: underrated edibles shine in the spaces that feel too small or too inconvenient for “proper veg”.
Here are a few that work particularly well in compact gardens:
-
Nasturtium: one pot can cover salads, garnishes and pickles.
-
Malabar spinach: grows up a trellis, not out across the bed.
-
Purslane: thrives in sun and can spill over the edge of containers.
-
Sorrel: reliable leafy harvest from a small clump.
-
Chives and garlic chives: edible flowers plus constant “snip-and-use” leaves.
-
Dwarf mulberry: if you have space for a large pot and patience, it’s a fruit tree that can be incredibly generous (just plan for staining berries).
A few practical rules so these plants actually thrive
Most “unusual” edibles fail for boring reasons: the pot is too small, the soil dries out, or you harvest once and forget to keep going.
A better approach is simple.
Harvest little, and often, so plants keep producing. Feed container plants lightly but regularly, because frequent watering flushes nutrients out. Keep your herbs and leafy greens in the easiest-to-reach spot, because convenience is what turns “I should” into “I did”.
And before you get swept up in the novelty, be sensible about plant behaviour. Anything known to spread by runners or tubers needs a plan, whether that’s a barrier, a dedicated bed, or a container you can control.
The takeaway
Underrated edibles aren’t about being quirky. They’re about building a garden that’s more productive, more resilient, and frankly, more fun to eat from. Once you’ve got your staples in, swap a portion of your growing space for one or two of these, and let your meals tell you why they deserve the spot.
ALSO SEE:
Freeze garden herbs the right way so they stay bright and full of flavour
Featured Image: Pexels
