Homemade Garlic Scape Pesto
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
This recipe is for all the garlic lovers out there! Skip the basil pesto and try its spicier cousin: garlic scape pesto! My Homemade Garlic Scape Pesto is fresh, green, garlicky, punchy and totally addictive. It’s the perfect addition to your tomato salad, pasta, scrambled eggs or as topping for sandwiches or soups. Just keeping things fresh and green with this easy pesto recipe!
If you’ve never had garlic scapes, you’re missing out! A garlic scape is a long, curly green stalk that grows from the neck or stem of a garlic bulb. It’s strategically cut or harvested before the flower blooms, allowing the plants energy to be redirected to the development and growth of the garlic bulb. If you ask me, a garlic scape is basically the ultimate garden bonus crop! These herbaceous greens need a little TLC before they’re pesto ready! Simply rinse them, pat dry and trim off the fibrous and woody bulbs and ends. These green gems can be sautéed, roasted, pickled or enjoyed raw in garlic scape pesto!
My Homemade Garlic Scape Pesto recipe starts off with almost a pound of fresh garlic scapes. These stalk-like vegetables are a grassy and herbaceous cross between an onion and a clove of garlic. When consumed in their raw state, they’re sharp and pungent. Cooking them mellows out their bite and brings out the inherent sweetness of the vegetable. This pesto recipe uses raw garlic scapes, which give this sauce a bold taste and spicy kick. The chopped garlic scapes are tossed into a food processor or blender alongside fruity and rich olive oil, nutty Parmigiano Reggiano, crunchy pumpkin seeds, a splash of lemon juice, salt and pepper. All the ingredients combine to create a fresh, nutty (without the nuts), spicy, vibrant and satisfying spoonful!
Big curls, big garlic flavour! From the garden to your table, this garlic scape pesto is a fresh spin on a traditional basil pesto recipe. Why buy store-bought when you can make your own at home?! My Homemade Garlic Scape Pesto recipe comes together in 10 minutes, uses a handful of simple and everyday ingredients and couldn’t be easier to make! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
For a fun and exciting twist on some of my classic recipes, substitute basil pesto for garlic scape pesto in my Summer Tomato Salad, Ultimate Halloumi Sandwich with Grilled Vegetables, Caprese Grilled Cheese and Chicken Margherita recipes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
400g fresh garlic scapes (approx. 25 large scapes or 3 cups)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (See Notes below)
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds, shelled
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1 medium lemon)
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Preparing the Garlic Scapes: Wash the garlic scapes and pat them dry. Using scissors or a sharp knife, trim off and discard the woody ends and bulbs. Cut the remaining scapes into 1-inch pieces and add them to a food processor or blender.
Making the Pesto: Toss in the olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend for 1 minute or until slightly grainy in texture. If you prefer a smoother pesto, continue blending until silky and smooth.
Using the Pesto: Add this pesto to your tomato salad, pasta, scrambled eggs or as topping for sandwiches. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Fresh Is Where It’s At: Nothing quite compares to freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano! It’s rich, nutty and too savoury for words. At your local grocer, you’ll find pre-grated Parmigiano and the shelf-stable varieties but, I highly recommend buying a piece of fresh Parmigiano and doing the grating on your own. It makes a world of difference. Once you try freshly grated, you’ll never go back!
Refrigerating Leftover Pesto: Transfer the remaining pesto into a mason jar and top it with a thin layer of olive oil. The olive oil coats the pesto and prevents it from turning brown or oxidizing. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.
Freezing Pesto: If you would like to extend its shelf life of your garlic scape pesto or simply enjoy it at a moment’s notice throughout the summer or fall season, spoon the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the pesto cubes into an airtight container or Ziploc bag and keep frozen until ready for use. This pesto keeps for up to 2 months in the freezer.
