If you’ve spotted those curly green stalks at the market and wondered what to do with them, this is your answer. Garlic scapes are the flower shoots of hardneck garlic, and Maine farmers snip them off in early summer so the plants put their energy into growing big bulbs underground. The scapes come to us fresh, in season, and only for a few short weeks.
They taste like garlic’s gentler cousin: green, bright, and mellow enough that you can use a whole bunch without overwhelming anything. Which makes them perfect for pesto.
What You’ll Need
Makes about 1 cup (8 servings)
- 10 garlic scapes, tough tips trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or almonds
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (optional, softens the bite)
How to Make It
- Toast the nuts. If your nuts aren’t already toasted, toss them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes.
- Blitz the scapes. Add the scapes to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides once or twice.
- Add nuts and cheese. Add the cooled nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and basil if using. Pulse until everything is evenly ground.
- Stream in the oil. With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the pesto comes together. Stop while it still has some texture. You want it spoonable, not a puree.
- Taste and adjust. Add more salt, lemon, or oil as needed. If it tastes sharp, let it rest 30 minutes. The raw bite mellows noticeably as it sits.
Good to Know
- It keeps. Store it in the fridge for about a week with a thin layer of olive oil pressed on top, or freeze it in an ice cube tray and you’ll have pesto for months.
- Spicy scapes? If yours have some heat, blanch them for 30 seconds and shock in ice water before blending.
- Ways to use it. Toss with hot pasta (save a little pasta water to loosen it), spread on grilled bread, dollop on pizza, or stir into potato salad. It’s also great stirred into scrambled eggs.
Scape season is short, so grab a bunch while you can. A big batch in the freezer means a little taste of early summer whenever you want it.
