5-Minute Garlic Scape Pesto

Here’s another past post that got an update and new food photos, and just in time for garlic scape season! It’s winding down soon, so don’t miss your chance to snag some for this simple homemade pesto sauce. 

Can I get an “amen” for garlic? It’s a kitchen staple in my house and shows up in a shocking number of recipes. I’m talking like, if there’s no garlic in it are we even cooking?! Fresh, pickled, roasted, dried, it doesn’t matter, I can’t get enough of the stuff.

I used to stick to those versions of garlic, but then I spent a summer as an intern with a local non-profit that had me working a lot with urban farmers and farmers markets. I realized garlic scapes are actually pretty tasty, too.

Despite how much I like them, I hardly ever get a chance to use them in the kitchen. Scapes are the bud of the garlic plant and they appear around June in the Midwest. When they’re removed it signals the plant to devote more energy towards that delicious, amazing garlic bulb that I love so much. The season for scapes is short and farmers markets and local growers are sometimes the only way to find them. I’ve also seen them at some specialty grocers like Whole Foods. Here in the next couple of weeks they’ll be gone until next year so go getcha some!

Garlic scapes can be used in a variety of dishes to bring a fresh, garlicky flavor. Add them to stir fry dishes, grill them,, add to salads. I happen to love garlic in pesto (apparently, I like garlic in just about everything) so this quick and easy homemade pesto was born in the Street Smart kitchen. If you have a food processor, five minutes, some greens and other stuff, this too can be yours.

I think of pesto as a clean-out-the-fridge opportunity. Pesto is also one of those template types of recipes where I just plug in whatever I happen to have on hand. It happened to be kale, pecans, and Parmesan on this particular day, but I’m not picky. My general equation goes a little something like this:

Pesto = greens + cheese + nuts + olive oil

Step 1: Toss it all in the food processor and let it do its thing.

Step 2: Eat it with a spoon.

Or on pasta, sandwiches, wraps, bread, veggies and so on if you prefer other food as your delivery vehicle. I don’t judge, as long as you get more pesto in your life we all come out as winners.

Don’t mistake this for a green smoothie…although after putting it in a mason jar to store in the fridge, I realized this could be a terrible, yet likely hilarious, mix-up.

Not sure mine would ever last this long, but it’s good for 3-5 days in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer. I love making mass quantities of pesto during the summer months, freezing the containers, and digging into the stash months later when the dead of winter has me craving something with fresh flavor.

You can definitely pick up the “bite” of raw garlic in this one. It can be tempered down with additional cheese, nuts, or other seasonings. See the notes in the recipe for some additional ideas to change things up to fit your preferences. Because I’m all about that freedom of choice.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy pesto? Leave a comment or share your favorite mix of ingredients!

5-Minute Garlic Scape Pesto

4.34 from 3 votes

Take advantage of the short season for garlic scapes by whipping up this simple garlic scape pesto sauce. Freeze leftovers to enjoy year round!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

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Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 large garlic scapes
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons water, if needed
• Fine sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Thoroughly wash the garlic scapes, kale, and basil. Add to the bowl of your food processor along with olive oil, pecans, Pamesan cheese, water, salt and pepper.
• Pulse until the kale and scapes are roughly chopped, then continue processing until a thick paste begins to form. Add more water or olive oil if desired until preferred consistency is reached.
• Serve immediately with your favorite pasta. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes

Substitute almonds, pistachios, or walnuts for pecans if preferred. Spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, or other leafy green may also be added if desired.

Add additional water or olive oil for a thinner consistency. This pairs well with pasta, rice bowls, or other hot entrees. A thicker pesto works great for wraps, sandwiches, spreads, or dips with your favorite veggies or bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 465 kcal, Carbohydrates: 13 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 45 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 6 mg, Sodium: 148 mg, Potassium: 155 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 2349 IU, Vitamin C: 36 mg, Calcium: 190 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Pesto, Sauce

[Tweet “Step 1: Make pesto. Step 2: Eat with a spoon. Try this Garlic Scape Pesto and have a #pestoparty”]