Add Garlic Scape Spinach (or Kale!) Pesto to Your Recipe List
This is my third year making this pesto, thanks to my brother-in-law Mark who has been growing his own music garlic. When the curly tops of the garlic plants need to be trimmed, he’ll tell me when it’s time to stop by to give them a haircut. Of course, I could never say no to these garden beauties even if I get a massive haul, which is why they’re now part of my summer recipe repertoire.
If you have a CSA membership, you’re likely to get a nice bunch in your box by early July. Or you can stop by a local farmers’ market to score some. If you can’t easily find garlic scapes, simply follow the recipe notes on how to substitute fresh garlic cloves instead.
Enjoy All Year and Make It Your Own
I’ve been making traditional basil pesto (check out my recipe!) for decades and freeze a large batch in small containers to enjoy all year. Now, this garlicy version expands my pesto collection. When freezing, I prefer making a thick pesto because I will thin it out with EVOO as needed, depending on how I’ll use it. Because I make a huge batch, I give it away to family and friends. It also makes a nice addition to a hostess gift.
Spinach or Kale?
This year, I made it with spinach instead of kale. Spinach is just as good and slightly milder. Hearty kale works equally well and won’t impart a bitterness if you’re worried about that. Not only is kale considered one of healthiest and most nutritious plant foods in existence, it mellows out the flavor of the scapes and bulks up the recipe. Believe me, you won’t even taste the kale.
But if kale isn’t your thing, definitely use spinach. I found I needed to increase the volume of spinach. I’m not sure if it’s because the leaves are more delicate thus breaking down more OR if the milder green required more volume to help cut the cut some of scapes’ garlic flavor. Probably both!
When making this kind of pesto, be prepared that the scapes will steal the show. The pesto will taste fresh, green and grassy with garlic being the predominant flavor. Fresh lemon helps mellow out the garlic flavor while maintaining the bright green color of the pesto.
I tend to use my scape pesto as an add-in enhancer in marinades, red sauce, salad dressings or thinned out with EVOO and drizzled over roasted or cooked meats and veggies similar to a chimichurri sauce. It’s a perfect add-in my cherry tomato quick sauce and just omit the garlic.
Make the Recipe Your Own
As with any of my recipes, please feel free to make it your own based on your preferences. This recipe is very adaptable, so you can easily omit or change out the walnuts. Sunflower seeds, pignolis and almonds also work well. The same with the cheese, you can try nutritional yeast if not using dairy or simply omit.
For ideas on how to use the pesto, see the recipe for more information.
Garlic Scape Pesto with Spinach or Kale and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups garlic scapes (bulb removed) sliced into 3- to 4-inch pieces
- 4 cups packed fresh baby spinach (or 4 large handfuls) OR 3 cups chopped kale (or 3 large handfuls)
- 2/3 to 3/4 cup EVOO (if you like a thinner consistency, add more at the end)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese (can swap with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast)
- 1/2 cup walnuts (can also use sunflower seeds, pignolis or almonds)
- Juice of a fresh lemon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Prep produce
- Garlic scapes: Trim tough ends and remove bulb. Wash and dry in towel. Cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces.
- Spinach: If using already-washed spinach from the grocery store you can skip this step. Otherwise, wash and trim ends (if needed) and dry using a salad spinner or towel.
- Kale: Wash, remove tough ends and roughly chop. Dry using salad spinner or towel.
In food processor:
- Add the garlic scapes to food processer. Pulse until roughly chopped.
- Add in the spinach or kale and pulse until roughly chopped.
- Add in the EVOO. Start with 2/3 cup.
- Then add in the rest of the ingredients.
- Pulse on chop until the mixture is finely chopped.
- Add more EVOO if the mixture is too thick.
- If freezing, you may choose to keep thick like a paste and thin out with EVOO after defrosting.
- Spoon pesto into an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week.
- If you freeze, store in small individual containers. Or freeze in ice cube trays, and after frozen, keep into a Ziploc bag.
Notes
- Use four large garlic gloves.
- Increase greens:
- If using spinach, increase to 5 cups.
- If using kale, increase to 4 cups.
- Reduce EVOO to 1/2 cup to start. Add more as needed based on consistency.
- Taste and adjust flavors based on your preferences.
Super healthy and delicious too! Thank you!
Looks easy-breezy to make. I should try this. Thanks for the recipe.
looks amazing!
Thanks for sharing!
THIS. Is a great find. We all at my house have been on a kick using pesto as opposed to marinara for spaghetti. It is more flavorful and a lot less light IMO. Been finding lists of uses for it lately and stoked to give making my own a try.
Looks delicious! Exactly what I need right now.
Yum! Can’t wait to try this out!