Good morning!
I’m writing this post at 6am on a Saturday because I am just that excited to tell you about it!
First, I need to get this off my chest…
GARLIC SCAPES!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The garlic plant has more than one usable portion. While many people are aware of the many uses for the garlic bulbs, not as many persons are aware that the stalk of the garlic plant is also edible.” [Source]
I eat a lot of veggies, however I am always over the moon when I can discover a new veggie and figure out what to do with it!
Second, thank you to everyone who told me what this scary but magical veggie is and offered some recipe ideas! I think my CSA post is going to become a weekly feature. It was so fun to read everyone’s thoughts on new recipe ideas! Maybe we can start a recipe club. :tongue:
Third, what I am about to show you is life-changing. I do not joke about these things. This recipe left me ohhhing and awwwing and talking about it all night. Eric even scarfed it down!
I will get right down to business.
Easy Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Ingredients:
- 3 garlic scapes, rinsed and chopped a few times to break up
- 1.5 cups of my 3-minute parmesan cheeze (I tripled the batch so I would have lots leftover!)
- Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon (approx 2 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- handful of fresh spinach
Directions: Make the 3 minute vegan parmesan cheeze, by toasting 1.5 cups of sesame seeds in the oven until lightly golden in colour and then throw seeds, nutritional yeast, and salt into a blender. Process for 30-60 seconds. Parmesan cheese is complete! Step 2) Remove cheese from processor and set aside. Now throw in the garlic scapes and fresh lemon juice and process until fine. Add the vegan parmesan slowly in 1/2 cup increments, alternating with the extra virgin olive oil. Process until smooth or desired consistency. As a final step take your rinsed spinach and throw in and process. It will turn into a lovely green colour. Serve and enjoy! Makes 1.5-2 cups.
I figured it needed a little pop of GREEN, don’t you?
Much better.
I cannot even tell you how DELICIOUS this is!!! I just can’t. You have to make it for yourself to understand. I think I inhaled half of it on spot.
This was quite possibly the best thing that has ever come out of my food processor.
I am in love with garlic scapes! Their flavour is out of this word- they are very, very garlicky and to my delight they did not give me stomach pains like regular garlic does. You have no idea how happy I was to be able to eat something garlicky and not suffer afterwards! This also marked the first time that I have made pesto and actually was impressed by it (the first time I made it a while ago it was very off tasting).
I still have a ton of garlic scapes leftover and I can’t wait to throw them onto salads, roast them, and make a stir-fry with them. YUM.
If there is one thing you do this weekend RUN to your local market, pick up some garlic scapes (they aren’t in season for long!), and make this pesto. You will still be glowing from ear to ear come Monday morning.
Speaking of the Farmers Market, I am off to the orientation! My plan is to woo the farmer’s with Glo Bars and bring home copious amounts of strange veggies every week. :biggrin:
I think the best ingredient in the world is garlic! My mom and I used to eat garlic as a meal.. Just roasted it in the oven for like 2 hours. Bad news is, the whole house smells like garlic for at least a few days, so some people think that is a blessing and some find it a crime.. I love it!
-Sylvia
Medical Marijuana Scales
Awesome!! Bought garlic scapes for the first time at the farmar today. Now I know how I’m gonna use them!
We have been eating scapes ever since growing our own garlic. You have to cut it while it is still curled or it becomes tough. I think it only grows from the “stiff-neck garlic” variety. If left on the plant, it develops the seed head. This year I canned it together with green beans. I originally cooked it with green beans, onion and bacon. Now I will fry some bacon and saute’ a little onion, then add the jar of scapes and beans. Wha-la. Will definitely try your pesto next year. Scapes keep in the fridge for a long time. Kept mine in a plastic bag for over a month until the beans were ready.
i am a garlic grower and just finished taking 400 garlic scapes off and was looking to do something with them this looks grat thanks
Does your parmesan cheez taste like parm? Because I have a hate/hate affair with cheeses (real or fake). If its just there to give it substance, then I am cool with it. …
If you can’t find garlic scapes, could you substitute with chives? I’m keen to try this as a mid-week meal one night next week.
Thanks :}
Whytney
Great photos and fine recipe. Thank you. We make pesto with or without cheese, depending upon our guests and whim and larder. I’ll definitely try your variation. But have you tried it with lime juice instead of lemon? I’ve used both during experiments and now vastly prefer lime juice; it seems to better complement the brightness of the scape flavor. Here’s the page with my our recipes: GarlicFarmCT.com/recipes.htm and a bunch of serving suggestions.
I’m so excited to try this. I’m growing my first garlic crop this year and heard you could eat the scapes. I’ve never had them and had no idea what to do with them. I’m going to make this tonight and make garlic scape refrigerator pickles with the rest! So excited!
Hi! I’m super excited to try this recipe but am a little confused. Did you mean 3 bunches of garlic scapes or three actual garlic scapes? Three garlic scapes really isn’t a lot. Thanks!
Hi there, I meant 3 single garlic scapes (and not 3 bunches) – hope this helps & enjoy!
Did I miss how much nutritional yeast to use? Hope to make this tonight- looks wonderful!
I just made this tonight, to go on a veggie buddha bowl, and it was outstanding! I used mesclun greens instead of spinach, because that’s what we had in the fridge, but it was so, so very tasty. Thanks for another fantastic recipe.
Just harvested my garlic last week and found your recipe at the perfect time! I used 1 cup ‘cheese’ mix because I ran out of sesame seeds, froze it in several small containers. I thawed them out one at a time, about ¼ cup and mixed with one mashed avocado. My family was crazy about it! Thank you!
One batch of the vegan parm recipe measures to approx 3/4 cups. Do u recco that I make a double recipe and use all? Btw-love your book “oh She Glows!”
can i use kale instead of spinach?
also can i use nutritional yeast instead of the parm? or a store bought vegan parm?