Garlic Scape Pesto Recipes
Garlic Scape Pesto is a delicious way to use your garlic scapes. Stock your freezer so you can use it all year! Fresh Garlic Scapes are only available in June annually, so if you don't grow your own you can purchase from us.
Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe
- 1/2 cup Garlic Scapes, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup Olive Oil, based on preference
- 2-3 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese (use real cheese - not Kraft in a can)
- Salt to Taste (Optional)
- Fresh Cracked Pepper
- Pine Nuts or Pepitas (Optional)
Put garlic scapes and lemon juice in a food processor with the steel blade, and pulse until scapes are roughly chopped. With the food processor running or pulsing, add 1/2 cup of the oil through the tube and pulse until oil is mixed.
Remove the lid, add half of the Parmesan cheese, and pulse until mixed. Then add the rest of the cheese and cracked pepper, pulse to combine. You may want to add a little more olive oil at this point to get the consistency you want.
We simply put the garlic scape pesto into mason jars and freeze.
Then throughout the year, we use it on everything from mixing in cream cheese for a dip, pasta salad, pesto pasta, garlic bread, over grilled chicken, or over sauteed green beans. Just about everything!
We don't usually add nuts to our pesto because we find it more versatile for the many ways we use it. For certain dishes, like pesto pasta, we will make it more traditional with pine nuts or pepitas.
What are Garlic Scapes? A Springtime Treat
“Scapes” are the flower stalks found on certain members of the allium family. Garlic scapes, which appear on the finest hard neck garlic varieties, curl upward as they grow, ultimately straighten, and then grow little seed-like bulbs. A young scape makes one or two loops before straightening out and then develops seeds.
By snipping off the scapes before the seeds develop, more energy goes into making a bigger garlic bulb. When the garlic scapes are still in full curl, they are tender and delicious. They have a taste that is milder than the garlic cloves and has a broad spectrum of uses from soup to salads to garnishes. The garlic scape is an allium delicacy that is highly prized and traditionally used in Southern, Eastern European, and Korean cuisine because of its subtle garlic flavor and tender-crisp texture.
To harvest your garlic scapes, snap off the top of the garlic scape where it emerges from the leaves of the garlic plant. Eat from the part you snapped to the bulb, where the flower is forming.
Some farmers harvest the scape by pulling the stem straight up for the more delicate flavor of the scape. We don't harvest this way, since we have a nice rainfall until July, and removing the scape that way could lead to bulb damage. Every farm is different, so try what works best for you and your farm.
Here are different ways to use the pesto
- Toss with pasta
- Mix 2T-4T with cream cheese for a cracker spread.
- Mix 3T with cream cheese and mix with pasta for an Alfredo sauce.
- Whisk in olive oil with 1t of mustard for a vinaigrette.
- Mix 1t in olive oil and dip fresh bread into it.
- Mix 1t in olive oil and spread on French bread to make garlic bread.
- Mix 1T into spaghetti sauce for more flavoring.
- Put pesto into large cooked pasta shells, pour spaghetti sauce over shells, add mozzarella cheese, and bake.
- Spread on pizza crust and add cheese
- Use as a sandwich spread on chicken and grill or bake.
- Use as a layer in lasagna
- Whisk into eggs for quiche.
It has become our everything seasoning and we use it everywhere!
As you can see a little goes a long way. It's a great way to bring a wonderful flavor to so many dishes.
Email us on how you have been using your pesto.
Make pesto cream cheese
After making pesto, leave about a ½ cup in the food processor and add 1 package of softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Mix and serve with crackers or a baguette. Brother Ray's favorite!
Garlic Scape Hummus
- 2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzos) drained
- 1 cup sesame seeds or Tahini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped garlic scapes
Place the ingredients in a blender on high until thick paste forms. Add salt to taste.
Optional: add your favorite curry, to taste.
Garlic Scape Dip Recipes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbs. Keene Garlic's Freeze Dried Garlic Scape Salt
- Simply mix the Garlic Scape Salt into your sour cream.
- May make ahead of time for the ultimate flavor! The delicious garlic scape flavor will continue to develop over time.
Use on salad, as vegetable dip or a dollop on potatoes.
Fried Garlic Scapes
Cut scapes into green bean size pieces. Sauté them in butter and a little salt for six to eight minutes, or until tender but still bright green. During the last minute of cooking add a splash of balsamic vinegar OR lemon juice to taste. Serve hot.
Garlic Scape Uses
- Cut into 2-inch lengths and sauté in olive oil or butter over medium heat, adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Bread and deep fry!
- Add scapes to your favorite stir-fry dishes.
- Cut up and freeze for future uses.
- Chop and add to any place you add fresh garlic, but they are strong!
- Canning is a favorite by using the Dilly Bean canning recipe found in many canning cookbooks.
- Chop in a food processor into small bits and put in ice cube trays to use as a seasoning later.
- Toss with oil and salt and pepper and put on the grill.
- If you have a freeze drier, freeze dry them. If you don't you can purchase them from us!
- Steam and dress with a bit of lemon juice.
- Make garlic scape pesto (see recipe).
- Slice and sprinkle over any pasta.
- Slice and add to any sauce.
- Chop and add to guacamole or fresh salsa.
- Chop and mix with softened cream cheese or butter for a unique spread for sandwiches or bagels.
- Add chopped scapes to vegetable soups and stews toward the end of cooking time.
- Use in recipes as a substitute for green onions.
- Add to toppings for bruschetta or pizza.
- Place in lightly oiled pan and add salt to taste. Cover and roast for 30 to 45 minutes until it begins to turn brown. Serve as a side dish.
- Sautee first and add to eggs
- Slice thinly and add to potato or egg salad.
- Pinterest has so many other ways to use them! Or, Google it! Garlic scape recipes