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You are here: Home / Recipes / Condiments / Pesto / Garlic Scape Pesto

Garlic Scape Pesto

By Traci · Jump to Recipe ·
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my affiliate policy.

If you’ve not tried Garlic Scape Pesto, put this on your list! Find garlic scapes at your local farmer’s market, farm stand, or Co-Op during mid Spring to early Summer.  Their season is short so grab them while you can! This recipe is vegetarian and gluten free. *For a dairy free Garlic Scape Pesto, try my Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto. 

Ingredietns for garlic scape pesto, including cheese, lemon, scapes, nuts, olive oil and salt.

I had never tried Garlic Scape Pesto until these beautiful curly scapes showed up in my CSA share.  I’d had garlic scapes before, roasted, on pizza, in hummus and other delicious dishes, yet I had just not made pesto with them. It was time to try something new… it blew my socks off!

Table of Contents

  • What is a Garlic Scape? 
  • How to Make Garlic Scape Pesto
  • A Few Recipe Notes
  • Recipes to Use Your Garlic Scape Pesto In/On 
  • Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe

What is a Garlic Scape? 

A garlic scape is the flower stalk of a ‘hardneck’ garlic plant. It tastes like garlic, only spicier! The stem is removed so that the remaining energy goes towards the development of the bulb, or head of garlic, which is good because this helps the plant develop a full flavored and good size head of garlic.  So until the garlic harvest, we feast on scapes!

Garlic is part of a group of plants known as alliums, which includes onions and leeks. Garlic’s health benefits are vast, including cardiovascular support, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. It also supports the body in the prevention of cancer. It’s a superfood!

How to Make Garlic Scape Pesto

It’s so quick to whirl this pesto up, enjoy it, and/or pop it in your freezer for a delicious summertime treat in the middle of winter. In summary, here’s how to make it (see recipe card for details): 

  • First, in the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic scapes, nuts, cheese, salt, and lemon.  Give the ingredients a whirl to break down.
  • Next, with the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
  • Last, taste for salt adjustment and transfer into storage containers.

I typically put it in a jar and freeze it, but pesto can also be spooned into ice-cube trays to freeze, then used later when smaller portions are needed. Also, garlic scapes can be blanched and frozen if preserving them whole or diced is preferred.

And the flavor of this pesto? It is spicy, creamy, and gives any special dish that WOW factor! It is a loud condiment, so a little goes a long way. 

 Garlic scape pesto ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor.    Pesto in a food processor after processing. Garlic scape pesto in a jar with a spoon.

A Few Recipe Notes

  • Look for garlic scapes at farmer’s markets or local Co-Ops. 
  • Freezer friendly? Yes please! Pesto freezes beautifully in glass jars for up to a year. Spring through early summer is a good time to stock up. 
  • Dairy free version? You got it! Try my Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto.
  • Use Garlic Scape Pesto anywhere you would use pesto. I’ve listed some of my favorites below. 
  • This is a loud condiment, so a little goes a long way. 
  • Unless purchased in bulk, the cost of pine nuts can be quite high. Feel free to sub lightly toasted walnuts or almonds – they’re fabulous in this pesto! 

Recipes to Use Your Garlic Scape Pesto In/On 

  • Sourdough Pizza
  • Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza
  • Flatbread Pizza
  • Creamy Farro with Pesto, Asparagus and Peas
  • Gluten Free Pizza Crust
  • Pesto Spinach Whipped Ricotta Dip
  • Broccoli Fritatta
  • Spinach Mushroom Pesto Ricotta Lasagna
Freezer friendly Garlic Scape Pesto in a jar with a spoon.
Print Recipe

Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes
Total Time:15 minutes
Servings:20 Servings
Calories:79kcal
Author:Traci | Vanilla And Bean
Pesto is a pantry staple. Freeze fresh summer pesto for a burst of summer in the middle of winter. This Garlic Scape Pesto is, versatile and a fabulous addition to pizza, pasta, crostini, potato salad or sandwiches. Recipe yields about 1 1/4 Cup. This recipe is vegetarian + gluten free | The nutrition estimate below is for about 1 Tbs per serving.

Ingredients

  • 10 (154g) Garlic Scapes
  • 1/3 C (44g) Pine Nuts *see notes for substitute!
  • 1/3 C (38g) Parmesan Asiago or Parmesan dice or shredded **see note
  • 1/2 Lemon juiced
  • 1/8 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • A few grinds of Pepper
  • 1/3 C (70g) Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Trim the garlic scapes by cutting just below the bulb and also if the end of the stem seems woody, trim that too (like asparagus). Discard the bulb and end of stem, then set the remaining scape aside (the curly part).
  • In a food processor, add the scapes, twirling them around the center so that they all fit. Add the pine nuts, cheese, juice of the lemon and salt and pepper. Process by pulsing until the mixture begins to break down. Scrape the bowl down.
  • With the processor running, slowly add all the olive oil. Continue to process until all the ingredients are incorporated and broken down, about one minute.
  • Store in a covered container or lidded jar in the fridge and enjoy within a week. Also, you can freeze the pesto in a jar or in an ice-cube tray. Once frozen, in the ice-cube tray, remove and place in a zip top bag in the freezer.

Notes

*Unless purchased in bulk, the cost of pine nuts can be quite high. Toasted walnuts will be a fine sub for this recipe. Simply rough chop the walnuts and measure 1/3 C (30g). 
**Parmesan Cheese: Look for vegetarian friendly Parmesan cheese (one that does not use rennet in production). BelGioioso vegetarian Parm can be hard to find, but Organic Valley is more widely available and Stella offers a vegetarian friendly Parm. For more information, check directly with your preferred cheese maker. 
Recipe adapted from Epicurious.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1, Tbs | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 31IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
Garlic Scape Pesto Pin

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I’m Traci and this is my blog. So Glad You Stopped By!

Here you’ll find full of flavor vegetarian comfort food with vegan and gluten free recipes too. I also share sourdough, sweets and naturally sweetened baked goods and desserts recipes because we all gotta have a little balance!

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