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! Make with pine nuts, walnuts or almonds, this tasty scape recipe takes only 15 minutes to whip up in a food processor. *For a dairy free Garlic Scape Pesto, try my Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe Review: “Perfect use for my garlic scapes!! I could literally eat this with a spoon! (And I did, when my bread ran out 😆). Thank you!!” ~ Julie
Garlic Scape Pesto for Your Garlic Scapes
I had never tried garlic scape pesto until these beautiful curly scapes showed up in a 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!
It’s so quick to whirl this garlic scape recipe up, enjoy it, and/or pop it in your freezer for a delicious summertime treat in the middle of winter.
This Recipe Is
- a condiment that’s loud and bold in flavor
- quick to whip up in a food processor
- versatile and delicious
If you make homemade condiments and love the bold flavor of garlic, you’ll enjoy this fun and delicious scape pesto.
What is a Garlic Scape?
A garlic scape is the flower stalk of a hardneck garlic plant. It tastes like garlic, only spicier and bolder. The stem (or scape) of the growing garlic 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 plump, full flavored garlic cloves. So until the garlic harvest later in the season, we feast on scapes!
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How to Make Garlic Scape Pesto
The flavor of this pesto? It’s spicy, creamy and gives any special dish that WOW factor! Garlic scape pesto is a loud condiment, so a little goes a long way.
Freezer tip: I typically put pesto in a Mason 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.
Traci’s Tips
- How to Choose Garlic Scapes: Look for garlic scapes at farmer’s markets or local Co-Ops. I tend to prefer smaller scapes as they’re tender and milder in flavor.
- They should be bright green with a firm, yet flexible bottom stem.
- Younger scapes are generally more tender and have a milder flavor, while older scapes can become tougher with a stronger, more pungent and bitter taste.
- Sub those Pine Nuts: Unless purchased in bulk, the cost of pine nuts can be quite high. Feel free to substitute lightly toasted walnuts or almonds – they’re delicious in this pesto!
Ways to Enjoy Garlic Scape Pesto
- Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Pesto Mayo
- Sourdough Pizza
- Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza
- Flatbread Veggie Pizza
- Creamy Farro with Pesto, Asparagus and Peas
- Fresh Marinara Walnut Sauce
- Gluten Free Pizza Crust
- Pesto Spinach Whipped Ricotta Dip
- Broccoli Fritatta
- Spinach Mushroom Pesto Ricotta Lasagna
15-Minute Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 (154 grams) Garlic Scapes, size of scapes vary, use weight for accurate measurement
- 1/3 cup (44 grams) Pine Nuts, *see notes for substitutes
- 1/3 cup (38 grams) Parmesan Asiago or Parmesan , dice or shredded **see note
- 1/2 Lemon, juiced
- 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- A few grinds of Pepper
- 1/3 cup (70 grams) 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.
I was given a whole bag of frozen garlic scapes today. Would you still use 10 scapes if they were frozen?
Hi Mary! Thank you for your note. What a fantastic gift! I’ve not tried using frozen scapes before, but I would suspect you’d include the same amount in the recipe. If you give it a go, will you keep us posted?
I used dry curd cottage cheese instead of Parmesan. It tasted great!!
Can the nuts, all kinds, be eliminated from this recipe? Thank you for a reply.
Hi Arlene! Yes… just be sure to reduce the oil. Drizzle it in the processor, and add to taste/consistency!
Try sunflower or safflower hearts instead! Good choice for nut allergies!
Finally! A great recipe to use all the scapes in the garden! This is awesome and use it primarily on pasta!
SO happy to hear Christina! Oh my, it’s soooo good on pasta :D
Im so sorry for leaving a comment like this but i cant figure out how else to leave a comment and i apologize, i have been reading different articlea and alot of them say adding the cheese and lemon then freezing is not a good idea is your recipie ok for freezing with the cheese and lemon in it? I have about 20 pounds of scapes that im doing different things with but i love pesto so i will more then likely b making alot of this and just wanted to be sure before i did it thanks in advance
Hi Brian! Thank you for your note. I’ve been freezing this recipe for years without issue. I simply thaw it in the fridge overnight and use it as needed.
This definitely has a very strong garlic flavor – and my family and I enjoy a lot of garlic. I had to add more cheese and oil and in the end. So yummy!
SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the pesto, Karens! A bit more cheese and oil sounds good to me! :D
Seriously, Traci, this stuff is so addicting.
I keep making homemade french bread, which I then turn into garlic toast, which in turn gets smothered with garlic scape pesto. I can’t stop! So good. Thank-you!
SO happy to hear Kelly! Garlic Scape Pesto on toast? SO yum!!
Incredible pesto–I made several large batches and froze them–they thaw just beautifully. GREAT for having with pasta dishes or just spread on fresh warm bread in the winter!
Ahhhh yes! Fresh warm bread is the best, Beryl! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the pesto.
It has a different texture than basil pesto but the flavor was good. I added chopped walnuts!
SO happy to hear, Jimmy! Thank you for your note.
Deliciosi! I made this garlic scape pesto the first time exactly as described and so the second time I blanched the garlic scapes before adding them and I love it even more! Blanching seems to cut the harshness of the garlic. Yum!
Thank you so much Blanca, for your note and giving the recipe a go! Blanching sounds like a great idea, thank you for sharing!
I used wet walnuts, the ice cream topping. I rinsed the syrup from them and add to pesto. The sweetness balances any sharpness from the garlic. Also I slow roast the scapes.
Hi Shelly! Such a great idea to slow roast the scapes! Thank you for sharing – and I love that savory sweet approach :D