What to make with garlic scapes? Try this simple garlic scape pesto recipe—a creamy, savory condiment that’s great on grilled meat, pizza, or swirled into a yogurt dip!
Why we love this recipe
Recently Alex and I went to our local farmer’s market and posted a photo on Instagram of our bag of produce. What to make with garlic scapes? we asked.
We were both completely surprised by the amount of engagement of this topic. So many people had something to say about how to use garlic scapes! Grilling them was a popular choice, but the most popular of all: garlic scape pesto.
We were surprised by the amount of interest around garlic scape recipes, since they’re very niche, seasonal produce. Here’s a bit of info on garlic scapes, followed our garlic scape pesto recipe. It’s creamy, delicious, and a fun condiment for sandwiches, pizza and more!
What are garlic scapes?
Garlic scapes are the stalks that grow out of bulbs of garlic. They’ll eventually bloom flowers if you don’t harvest them, so they’re typically harvested before flowering. You can recognize garlic scapes from their long and curly stems. Garlic scapes are similar to scallions, but have a much stronger, garlicky flavor.
What part of garlic scapes do you eat?
When Alex and I started making our garlic scape pesto recipe, we had to research quite a bit to understand what part of the garlic scapes to eat! Do the following:
- Remove and discard the bulb end, where the end flairs and turns a bit white.
- Remove any tough stems from the other end of the garlic scape (this may have already been done prior to purchase).
- Use the remaining green part of the garlic scapes in your recipes.
Where to get garlic scapes
When are garlic scapes in season? You’ll find garlic scapes popping up at your farmer’s markets in early summer: mid-June and early July. They likely won’t be available at a supermarket, so a farmer’s market is the best bet for where to buy garlic scapes. You can also grow garlic scapes in your garden!
What garlic scape pesto tastes like, and how to use it
Garlic scape pesto was by far the most popular suggestion to our question on Instagram about what to make with garlic scapes. For our recipe, we used walnuts instead of the traditional pinenuts, because they’re cheaper and we typically have some on hand. We also added basil, which helps to amp up the green color and provide another flavor to complement the garlic.
After tasting, we will say a little goes a very long way with this garlic scape pesto! A few ways to use it: consider spreading a thin layer onto grilled meat or pizza dough, using in a pesto grilled cheese sandwich, or swirling a bit into yogurt with salt and pepper to make a yogurt dip. Remember: it’s potent stuff! So you’ve got fair warning.
What else make with garlic scapes
The other popular answer to our question about what garlic scape recipes to make was to place them on the grill and grill for a few minutes until charred. We love this idea and would love to try it out. You could also try garlic scape pasta.
But, we like the garlic scape pesto since it makes quite a bit and you’ll be eating off of this jar for weeks. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
More recipes with pesto
Here are a few more recipes with pesto you might enjoy: try them as inspiration for how to use this garlic scape pesto!
- Pesto Pizza
- Pesto Spaghetti or Pesto Cavatappi
- Pesto Shrimp or Pesto Salmon
- Pesto Cream Sauce or Pesto Aioli
- Pesto Chicken
Dietary notes
This garlic scape pesto recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Frequently asked questions
Garlic scape pesto is a great way to utilize these seasonal delights and add a unique twist to your dishes. It has a punchy garlic flavor and it’s packed with nutrients.
Garlic scapes are typically available at farmers markets, local produce stores, and some grocery stores during late spring and early summer. You can also grow your own if you plant hardneck garlic varieties.
First, trim off the tough ends and any flower buds. Then, rinse the scapes thoroughly and chop them into smaller pieces.
Garlic Scape Pesto
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Prep Time: 5 minutes -
Cook Time: 0 minutes
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Total Time: 5 minutes
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Yield: 1 cup
Print RecipeDescription
Wondering what to make with garlic scapes? Here’s a simple garlic scape pesto recipe. Use it with grilled meat, spread onto pizza, or swirl in a yogurt dip!
Ingredients
- 8 garlic scapes (½ cup chopped)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 cup basil leaves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil, plus more if desired
Instructions
- Chop the garlic scapes: Remove and discard the bulb end of the garlic scapes. Then remove any tough stems from the other end of the garlic scapes and chop them into small pieces.
- Place everything except the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Then turn on the machine and drizzle in the olive oil. Add additional olive oil if desired for a runnier consistency. The resulting pesto is very garlicky, so use it sparingly!
Category: Sauce
Method: Food Processor
Cuisine: Mediterranean