The young leaves of stinging nettle, when thoroughly cooked, are eaten as a green vegetable and used in various preparations: soups, stews, quiches, stuffings, sauces, or even as a substitute for spinach in many recipes. Cooking neutralizes the stinging hairs, making the plant pleasant to eat. The leaves can be blanched and then frozen for later use. They are also suitable for drying (in small quantities, spread out well and protected from moisture) to prepare infusions.

In ecological gardening practices, nettle is also used to prepare fermented extracts (often called nettle manure) intended for fertilization and sometimes for crop protection, respecting the recommended dosages and uses.