This is one of my all-time favourite pesto recipes! Garlic Scapes Pesto!
Thanks to my friends from Gaelic Garlic (Peterborough Ontario farmers market) !
Many years ago, Christine introduced me to these magical, somewhat lesser known 'scapes' ~ the slender green stems of the garlic plant, complete with the unopened flower buds. My family and I have been 'hooked' every since! Garlic Scapes are a favourite food in the late Spring, here, but I want to share today as it may indeed be 'the season' where you are!
Garlic, is one of the oldest known cultivated plants. It's a member of the lily family, which includes onions, chives, shallots and leeks. Garlic, is one of my very favourite herbal medicines in the herbal apothecary. To learn more about healing garlic's qualities, go HERE.
Garlic Scapes impart a mild garlic flavour and can be enjoyed cooked or raw. Chop them into a salad or use in recipes calling for green onions or scallions. They are delicious when sauteed with mushrooms, celery, peppers or your favourite veggies in a quick stir-fry and then pair extremely well atop whole grain or rice pasta or atop a dish of spelt, quinoa or other whole grain. I don't tend to make a lot of soup in early summer but these tasty greens can also impart a kick to home-made vegetable broth or a light soup. My FAVOURITE way to prepare them as a pesto or paste is now a yearly ritual!
Garlic Scapes Pesto
Delicate Green Pesto ~ garlicky + onion undertones. Pungent + Delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Romano
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
- ¼ lb. scapes 110g
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
-
Puree scapes and olive oil in a food processor until smooth.
-
Stir in Parmesan and lime or lemon juice and add seasoning to taste.^
Recipe Notes
It's easy to make garlic scapes pesto into a garlic scapes 'paste'!
Just leave out the cheese and this tasty condiment adds a flavour boost to #Vegan, #Paleo + #Whole30 meals!
Note: I didn't add either salt or pepper to this batch and it's so GOOD!
There's salt in the cheese, don't forget!
Serve on bread, crackers or pasta – or as a dip for raw or grilled veggies.
Add to home-made mayo for a kicked up 'aoili'.
I always make extra ~ and freeze it as below, in ice cube trays. Overnight in the freezer and then pop them into labelled freezer bags for easy access and a delicious + nutritious garlicky "pop" to so many meals. They thaw easily and can be a super quick pasta sauce.....or tossed with BBQ veggies or .... stirred into your favourite grain dish. Limitless possibilities!
Sometimes when I make this pesto, I use Romano cheese, as that's what I had on hand. When possible I purchase 2 lbs (!!) of Garlic Scapes. I made more pesto and some herb 'paste' --> I 'whirled' them up in the food processor and added fresh lime juice, but left the cheese out. I used unsalted sunflower seeds instead and even remembered to label before freezing!
I often leave out the cheese when planning to freeze a pesto, and add it later if wanted. With the rest, I chopped them up and froze in portions for later. (such a limited 'season)
When you see garlic scapes at the local farmers market ~ I hope you'll try them. Besides this delightful pesto, you can chop and sauté in a little butter or avocado oil. They are a wonderful addition to "spring" pizza or bring a zing to omelettes, stir-fry dishes etc. Lot of ways to use this pungent 'flowers'
It's easy to make garlic scapes pesto into a garlic scapes 'paste'!
Just leave out the cheese and this tasty condiment adds a flavour boost to Vegan, Paleo + Whole30 meals!
Green good wishes, Carol
Here's a pin or two -- Please pin for later + make this.
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving
Yum! I adore all things pesto and garlic and I'm excited to try this recipe. I'm going to check my farmers market to see if I can find some.
ChihYu
I was just thinking how to use them now I have the recipe !
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
I've never made garlic scapes pesto before. I bet the flavor is lovely and so good with all kinds of meals.
Monique
What an interesting recipe - we never get garlic scapes here - or at least I haven't spotted them at the market yet! Would be great to try this!
heather
I love making pesto from things that I can also find in the wild! Thanks for this recipe~
Tessa Simpson
Love, love, LOVE garlic scapes! I always try and pick some up at the farmer's market when I see them! I love this idea for using them!
Megan Stevens
I definitely need to grow these!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Lindsey Dietz
Pesto is probably one of my top 5 condiments/sauces! I think it makes everything better!
Jean
What an awesome idea! Pesto and sauces like this is a great way to try out greens that you may not be familiar with. I gotta go search for garlic scapes!
yang
I have never made a garlic scape pesto, but I can imagine the flavour must be great! We usually stir fry them with a little bit of pork - bacon will be great too. And I noticed your pesto is completely raw. I had no idea you can eat them uncooked. Thanks for sharing this usage of garlic scape!
Cathy
This post is a good reminder for me to keep an eye on the garlic I plant in the fall, so I can catch those tasty scapes. Your recipe looks delicious!
Carol Little
and... you will find garlic scapes in late June in our area.. at local markets!
Jessica Levinson
This pesto sounds so wonderful! Making extra to freeze for later is always a great idea!
Carol Little
It truly is so tasty! I always try to buy a little extra if possible
linda spiker
I have never tried this kind of pesto before! It's sounds delicious and I know I could find lots of uses for it!
Daniela
Carol, you truly come up with some of the most interesting recipes. I like the versatility of this one and particularly your idea about storing it in ice cube trays and always having it handy. The flavor must be out of this world!
Shelby @Fitasamamabear
mmm we love pesto! It works so beautifully on pizzas/pastas/life lol
Allie Whitney
Hello,
I am so intrigued by this recipe, thank you for posting! We get garlic scapes from our CSA each year, and it's something I really look forward to each time since it seems to sit better in my stomach than regular garlic. I am especially interested in your use of sunflower seeds in place of the cheese. Can you please elaborate on how many tablespoons or cups of sunflower seeds you can use in place of the cheese? Our family is dairy free at the moment, we just can't get it to work well for us, so I'd love to know the ratios of the sunflower seed version if you don't mind sharing. Thanks!!
Carol Little
Truthfully Allie, I don't measure. It depends on the quantity of scapes. I put them into the food processor and add some seeds until I get the consistency I like. Try that. You'll see. It's a process but everyone likes their own 'smooth' or thick or thin.. consistency.
Let me know if this doesn't work for you and I will measure .. next time!
Carol Little
Hello Allie! You are so welcome. Truthfully I didn't measure. Try a small handful. Blend. taste. Add more if too thin and add more oil to even out the pesto.. if too thick.. It's really about combining the greens and the oil and seeds or nuts for texture. Experiment! I bet you'll love this.. Please do report back -- Love to hear how it goes!