Garlic Scapes: What They Are & How to Use Them

Garlic scapes are the tender, curly green flower stalks that grow from hardneck garlic plants before the bulbs develop, offering a mild garlic flavor with subtle grassy notes perfect for spring cooking.

If you've spotted these unusual curly greens at farmers' markets each spring and wondered what are garlic scapes, you're not alone. These seasonal delicacies represent one of spring's most exciting culinary treasures for home cooks seeking fresh, locally-grown ingredients with versatile cooking potential.

Understanding Garlic Scapes: Nature's Spring Gift

Garlic scapes (Allium sativum) are the flowering stalks that emerge from hardneck garlic varieties approximately 6-8 weeks before the garlic bulbs mature. Farmers harvest these scapes to redirect the plant's energy toward bulb development, resulting in larger, more robust garlic heads at harvest time. Left unharmed, these stalks would eventually produce garlic flowers and bulbils (tiny aerial cloves).

The harvesting window for garlic scapes is relatively short—typically just 2-3 weeks in late spring to early summer, depending on your climate zone. This limited availability makes them a true seasonal specialty that many chefs and home cooks eagerly anticipate each year.

Characteristic	Garlic Scapes	Regular Garlic Bulbs
Flavor Profile	Mild, fresh garlic with grassy notes	Strong, pungent garlic flavor
Texture	Tender with slight crunch when raw	Firm, dense cloves
Seasonality	Spring only (4-6 week window)	Year-round (stored bulbs)
Preparation	Edible whole, minimal prep needed	Peeling required

Why Garlic Scapes Deserve a Place in Your Kitchen

Unlike mature garlic bulbs that deliver an intense, sometimes overwhelming flavor, garlic scapes offer a more nuanced garlic experience that works beautifully in both raw and cooked applications. Their milder profile makes them perfect for dishes where you want garlic flavor without the sharp bite that can dominate other ingredients.

According to agricultural research from Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, harvesting scapes actually improves bulb development by approximately 15-25%, making them not just a culinary bonus but an agricultural necessity for garlic growers. This explains why you'll find them at farmers' markets during their brief season—they're a byproduct of proper garlic cultivation.

Finding and Selecting Quality Garlic Scapes

When shopping for garlic scapes, look for these quality indicators:

• Firmness: They should feel crisp and snap when bent, not limp or rubbery
• Color: Vibrant green throughout with no yellowing or browning
• Thickness: Medium-thick stalks (about pencil diameter) offer the best texture
• Curvature: Naturally coiled shape with tight, unopened flower buds at the tip

Garlic scapes typically appear at farmers' markets from late May through June in most temperate climates. If you miss the narrow harvest window, they won't reappear until the following spring—there's no substitute for their unique seasonal charm.

Preparing and Cooking with Garlic Scapes

One of garlic scapes' greatest advantages is their complete edibility—unlike mature garlic that requires peeling, you can use nearly the entire scape with minimal preparation:

1. Trimming: Remove the very tip of the flower bud if it's become tough (usually the top 1-2 inches)
2. Cutting: Slice into 1-2 inch pieces for sautéing or blend whole for sauces
3. Raw applications: Use thinly sliced in salads, compound butters, or as a garnish
4. Cooked applications: Sauté, grill, roast, or blend into pesto for deeper flavor development

Professional chefs like those at the James Beard Foundation recommend treating garlic scapes like asparagus—quick cooking preserves their delicate texture while developing their natural sweetness. When sautéing, add them toward the end of cooking to maintain their vibrant color and prevent overcooking.

Delicious Ways to Use Garlic Scapes

Maximize your garlic scape harvest with these practical applications:

Garlic Scape Pesto

Substitute scapes for basil in your favorite pesto recipe for a uniquely garlicky version that freezes beautifully. Simply blend 1 cup chopped scapes, 1/2 cup nuts (walnuts work well), 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup olive oil, and salt to taste.

Scape-Infused Oils and Vinegars

Add whole scapes to olive oil or vinegar for 1-2 weeks to create subtly flavored finishing oils perfect for drizzling over grilled vegetables or bread.

Quick Pickled Scapes

Preserve your harvest by pickling: combine equal parts vinegar and water with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt per cup of liquid. Pour over packed scapes in sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

Culinary Boundaries to Note

While incredibly versatile, garlic scapes do have some limitations:

• Raw applications: Best when sliced paper-thin; thick pieces can be fibrous
• Cooking time: Overcooking turns them mushy—aim for 3-5 minutes when sautéing
• Substitution ratio: Use 3-4 times the amount of scapes to replace one clove of garlic
• Storage: Refrigerate in a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag for up to 2 weeks

Nutritional Benefits of Garlic Scapes

According to USDA nutritional data, garlic scapes offer impressive health benefits while delivering that beloved garlic flavor:

• Rich in vitamin C (providing approximately 15% of daily value per 100g)
• Contain allicin precursors that support cardiovascular health
• Provide dietary fiber (2.1g per 100g) for digestive health
• Contain antioxidants that help reduce inflammation

While they don't deliver the same concentrated allicin levels as mature garlic cloves (which develop when cloves are crushed), garlic scapes offer a more palatable way to incorporate garlic's health benefits into your daily diet, especially for those sensitive to raw garlic's intensity.

Making the Most of Your Garlic Scape Harvest

When you find garlic scapes at their peak, consider these preservation techniques to extend their enjoyment beyond the short season:

• Freezing: Blanch whole scapes for 90 seconds, cool in ice water, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 12 months
• Pesto cubes: Freeze scape pesto in ice cube trays, then transfer to freezer bags for portioned use
• Dehydrating: Slice thinly and dehydrate at 125°F for 6-8 hours to create scape powder for seasoning
• Infused salts: Layer scapes with coarse salt in a jar for 2-3 weeks to create flavorful finishing salt

These preservation methods ensure you can enjoy the unique flavor of garlic scapes long after their brief season has ended, making them a worthwhile addition to your spring cooking repertoire.

What exactly are garlic scapes and where do they come from?

Garlic scapes are the curly green flower stalks that grow from hardneck garlic plants before the bulbs develop. They're harvested to redirect the plant's energy toward bulb growth and represent a seasonal spring delicacy available for just 4-6 weeks each year.

How do garlic scapes taste compared to regular garlic?

Garlic scapes have a milder, more nuanced flavor than mature garlic cloves—resembling a combination of garlic and green beans with subtle grassy notes. They offer garlic flavor without the intense pungency that can overwhelm dishes when using raw or undercooked regular garlic.

When is garlic scape season and how can I find them?

Garlic scapes typically appear from late May through June in most temperate climates. Your best chance to find them is at local farmers' markets during this narrow window, as they're a seasonal byproduct of hardneck garlic cultivation that doesn't store well for supermarket distribution.

How should I prepare garlic scapes for cooking?

Trim the very tip of the flower bud if it's become tough, then slice into 1-2 inch pieces. Unlike mature garlic, scapes require no peeling. For raw applications, slice paper-thin; for cooking, add toward the end of preparation to maintain texture and vibrant color.

Can I substitute garlic scapes for regular garlic in recipes?

Yes, but use approximately 3-4 times the amount of scapes to replace one clove of garlic due to their milder flavor. They work best in dishes where you want garlic flavor without overwhelming pungency, such as spring vegetable dishes, pestos, and egg preparations.