7 Garlic Scape Recipes That Turn a Weird Vegetable Into Your New Favorite Ingredient

That curly green stalk showing up in your CSA box or farmers market haul isn’t a mistake. It’s a garlic scape, the flowering stem that garlic plants send up in early summer, and most people have no idea what to do with it once they get it home.

So it sits in the crisper drawer. Then it gets a little rubbery. Then it goes in the trash, and you make a mental note to skip the scapes next time.

Except you shouldn’t skip them. Garlic scapes have a milder, greener flavor than garlic cloves, with a texture closer to a scallion or a thin asparagus stalk. They’re only around for a few weeks each year, and once you know how to use them, that short window feels more like a treat than a chore.

Below are seven ways to cook with garlic scapes, from a five-minute side dish to a full dinner. Each one comes with a complete recipe, so you can pick whichever fits tonight’s schedule and get cooking.

Garlic Scape Pesto

This is the recipe to start with if you’ve never cooked with scapes before. It comes together in one blender, keeps in the fridge for a week, and works on pasta, sandwiches, roasted vegetables, or spooned straight onto toast.

Ingredients

• 8-10 garlic scapes, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Add the chopped scapes, parmesan, and nuts to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
2. With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Store in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it bright green.

Grilled Garlic Scapes

If you’re firing up the grill anyway, throw these on. They char quickly, soften into something closer to a green bean than a raw scape, and take almost no effort.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch garlic scapes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Squeeze of lemon (optional)

Instructions

1. Toss the scapes in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Grill over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until blistered and tender.
3. Remove from the grill and finish with a squeeze of lemon if using.
4. Serve whole as a side dish, or chop and toss into grain bowls or salads.

Garlic Scape Compound Butter

This one is mostly a waiting game. Mix chopped scapes into softened butter, roll it into a log, and let the fridge do the rest of the work. Slice off a round whenever you’re cooking steak, corn on the cob, or a piece of crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup finely chopped garlic scapes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped scapes, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
2. Spoon the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap.
3. Roll it into a log, twisting the ends to seal.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing, or freeze for longer storage.

Garlic Scape Fried Rice

This is a good use for leftover rice and whatever vegetables are hanging around. The scapes add a garlicky bite without needing a separate garlic clove.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked, cooled rice
• 1 cup chopped garlic scapes
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the beaten eggs and scramble until just set. Remove and set aside.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the garlic scapes and mixed vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the rice, breaking up any clumps, and stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes.
4. Return the eggs to the pan, add soy sauce and sesame oil, and toss everything together until heated through.

Pickled Garlic Scapes

Pickled scapes are the recipe to make if you want to stretch that short growing season into something you can pull out for months. They’re crunchy, tangy, and good on sandwiches, in cocktails, or straight out of the jar.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch garlic scapes, cut to fit your jar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

1. Pack the garlic scapes into a clean jar.
2. In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and mustard seeds to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.
3. Pour the hot brine over the scapes, making sure they’re fully submerged.
4. Let the jar cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate.
5. Wait at least 48 hours before eating for the best flavor. They’ll keep in the fridge for a month.

Garlic Scape Hummus

Swapping raw garlic for garlic scapes gives hummus a softer, grassier flavor that’s less likely to overpower everything else in the bowl. It’s also a good way to use up a big bunch if pesto isn’t your thing.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped garlic scapes
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons water, as needed

Instructions

1. Add the chickpeas, garlic scapes, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor.
2. Blend until smooth, adding water a tablespoon at a time to reach your desired consistency.
3. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as needed.
4. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and pita or vegetables for dipping.

Garlic Scape and Shrimp Stir-Fry

This is the one to make when you want something that feels like a real dinner but still comes together in under 20 minutes. The scapes hold their bite even after cooking, which gives the dish some texture alongside the shrimp.

Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 bunch garlic scapes, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes per side, until just pink. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the garlic scapes to the pan and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until crisp-tender.
4. Return the shrimp to the pan, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chili flakes if using.
5. Toss everything together for another minute, then serve over rice.

Garlic scapes only stick around for a few weeks each summer, so if you spot a bunch at the farmers market or in your CSA box, grab more than one. Between pesto for the freezer and a jar of pickles in the fridge, you can hang onto that flavor long after the season’s over.