Originally published: June 14, 2018. Updated: June 15th, 2019
It’s Garlic Scapes Season (also called Garlic Spears) here in the Northwest! My favorite time of year! Even my youngest son gets excited. I brought home 3 bunches today! They are available only a few weeks out of the year. You can also find onion scapes as well this time of year. Look for them at your local farmer’s market as well as in the produce market at higher end grocery stores.
What are garlic scapes?
Well for those of you who don’t know about Garlic Scapes and believe me there are quite a few people who have never heard of them – they are the flower stalks that spring out of the garlic plant bulb. Farmers remove the bud in late June to encourage the bulbs to thicken up. Before the garlic flowers appear, the scape begins to curl into neat coils. Often times they are bundled like asparagus or green onions. Garlic Scapes have a milder flavor than garlic.
How do you make garlic scapes?
Use garlic scapes like you use asparagus. I like to lightly sauté them and add them to other dishes, pastas, salads, as a topping (chopped and mixed with a little fresh garlic clove) for steaks and they are great as a unique side dish. You can also make a garlic scape pesto out of them. I love to use them raw in stir fries, but my absolute favorite way is to air fry, roast or grill them. So easy! You eat them with your fingers! So crispy, salty and yummy! You can only find them in early summer so grab them while you can! Check your local farmer’s markets if you don’t see them in your grocery store.
Garlic Scapes and Garlic Spears
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of garlic scapes also called garlic spears
- oil spray I like to use my Olive Oil Mister
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- fresh lemon zest
Instructions
Air Fryer Directions:
- Preheat air fryer to 400°.
- Wash and pat dry garlic scapes. Lay and space them out separately on an air fryer basket. You may have to do this in batches. Mine is a Breville Smart Oven Air so I can do mine all at once as the baskets are large.
- Spray with olive oil and season with Kosher salt.
- Air Fry 5-10 minutes until tips are brown but not burnt. In a traditional air fryer this may take more or less time so watch them carefully. In my Breville it takes about 8 minutes and I don't have to turn them.
- Zest a bit of lemon over the garlic scapes and serve immediately.
Grill Directions:
- Preheat grill to 400°
- Wash garlic scapes and pat dry.
- Spray grill with oil. Lay scapes on grill, spray with oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Grill until tender and ends are brown, turn them as they start to brown. Zest with lemon and serve!
Oven Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Place a piece of parchment paper down on a baking sheet.
- Arrange garlic scapes so they are separated.
- Spray with olive oil, season with Kosher salt.
- Bake until tender about 20-25 minutes until tips are crispy. Turn them 1/2 way through.
- Zest with lemon and serve!
If you wish, try blanching quickly to “soften” the potency of the garlic, put in cold bath to stop the cooking, slice up and serve, adding condiments to personal taste. How simply is that?
You can blanch them but actually the garlic scapes aren’t that potent as garlic cloves. No need to blanch them first. I even like them raw on salads.