If you haven’t already been doing so, now is the time to savor what’s left of garlic scape season! These curly, green stalks make an appearance in late spring. But in the blink of eye, they start to disappear once mid-summer rolls around. If you're a garlic lover, you'd be remiss if you didn't indulge in the wonders of garlic scapes. The aromatic, flavor-packed stalks are a garlic girl's best friend.
As a self-proclaimed garlic girl myself, one of my absolute favorite ways to use garlic scapes is to make pesto with them. The vibrant, flavor-packed sauce is delicious on pasta, freshly grilled veggies, sandwiches and more.
Making pesto with this fleeting summer gem may be the best move you make in the kitchen all summer long, and I'm here to show you how easy it is to do.
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What are Garlic Scapes?
Because their availability is so limited, garlic scapes aren’t nearly as popular as they deserve to be. The swirly, curly stems that grow from the tops of hardneck garlic plants are part of the plant’s reproductive cycle, shooting up from the center of the plant about a month before the bulbs are ready for harvest.
The curly green tendrils are tender and aromatic with a perfectly mild garlic flavor and they also have a hint of sweetness and spice. Imagine that green onions and garlic had a baby and you'll have a sense of what garlic scapes taste like.
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Why You Should Make Garlic Scape Pesto
Using garlic scapes in place of basil in your pesto turns the flavor factor up by a thousand percent. When you combine garlic scapes with olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, nuts, and plenty of Parmesan cheese, you create a slightly spicy, super savory sauce that you're sure to love.
I also love that making garlic scape pesto is a delicious way of celebrating a product that, until recently, was often discarded. In the past, farmers typically snipped off the scapes very early in the growing season so the plant could focus all its energy on growing bulbs.
But as garlic scapes continue to grow in popularity, more and more farmers are harvesting them. Stop by your local farmers' market and take a look around for them.
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There are tons of recipes for garlic scape pesto out there, including versions from New York Times Cooking and creators on social media, but here's a general idea of how to make the sauce.
Roughly chop the garlic scapes in 1- to 2-inch pieces and grate your Parmesan. Add the garlic scapes, nuts, Parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice to a food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. That's it!
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Quick Tips for Making the Perfect Garlic Scape Pesto
You’ll often see pine nuts used in pesto recipes, and while they’re absolutely delicious, a milder nut will allow the flavor of the garlic scapes to shine through without being overpowered. I’d opt for cashews or almonds when making garlic scape pesto.
Trim your tendrils.
You only want to use the tender green parts of the tendrils, so cut off stringy top parts before you start blending.
Ways to Use Garlic Scape Pesto
Instead of red marinara sauce or classic basil pesto, try using garlic scape pesto as your pizza sauce.
Pour it over some pasta.
Of course, in true pesto fashion, garlic scape pesto makes a delicious pasta sauce. If the pesto is a bit thick, add a little of the pasta water to loosen things up.
Spread it on a sandwich.
Move over mayo! Garlic scape pesto is going to become your new favorite sandwich spread. It’s perfect for meaty sandwiches, like an Italian sub or a simple turkey and cheese panini.
Related: I Made Pasta With 11 Store-Bought Pesto Sauces and the Winner Was Abundantly Clear
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