Shake up the BBQ season with these Grilled Garlic Scapes . A fun and delicious side dish that has a mild garlic flavour. You might even have your guests asking “What the heck is a garlic scape”?
These tasty seasonal delights are in the same category as fiddlehead ferns. You know that unusual ingredient category. The thing you see at the market or the store and ask yourself, “What is that”?
Grilled garlic scapes are tender crisp with a smoky garlic flavour. Quick, easy and bold summer side dish. Makes a great appetizer too.
Also, known as the garlic stems, garlic tops, or garlic shoots. Similar to the texture of grilled asparagus. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and a sure-fire conversation starter. Have you tried them before?
What Are Garlic Scapes?
They are only available for a few short weeks at the beginning of summer. Until just a few years ago, I had no idea these existed. One day while at the Farmer’s Market I was super excited to pick up a big basket. Then I had to figure out how I was going to cook them.
Scapes are the tender stem and bud of the hardneck garlic, usually grown in Canada and the northeastern part of the USA.
Scapes appear before the garlic matures. Farmers remove them to allow the bulbs to thicken. This happens about 3 weeks before harvesting usually in June-July each year.
They sort of resemble long, curly green beans. You can eat the entire stem (except for the very top part that looks like dried grass).
The texture is similar to asparagus. The taste is along the lines of green onion or scallion. Certainly not as strong as raw garlic cloves.
Summer Grilled Garlic Scapes
Grilling these garlic shoots was the name of the game. Read on, and you will see how easy that is to do. I also froze some for enjoy when they are not in season.
The first time we placed them whole, directly on the BBQ grates. The second time (our preferred method) we used a grill basket. Here is all you have to do:
- Wash and dry the garlic scapes.
- Cut off the dry ends and thick stalks.
- Cut into long pieces (or leave whole if you prefer).
- Massage in some olive oil (I used butter flavoured).
- Season with salt (smoked sea salt is awesome here).
- Cook in a (affiliate) grill basket over medium heat.
- They are done when they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside (about 10 minutes).
- Remove from the heat.
- Add more seasoning (OMG (affiliate) black truffle salt is the best)
- ENJOY!
How To Use Garlic Scapes
Don’ stop with grilling (although this recipe is so good), there are lots of ways to enjoy these tender stalks:
- make compound butter
- sautee and use as a pizza topper
- great used in garlic hummus
- pickled garlic shoots are a fun foodie treat
- you can never go wrong with homemade soup
- use them in omelettes
- add them to salads
How Long Will They Last? If you get them fresh, you can store them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Place them in water (similar to fresh herbs or asparagus), and change the water daily. You can also keep them in the crisper.
They also freeze well too. Wash and cut them into pieces and place in freezer bags. Some people prefer to blanch them, but this step is not necessary.
Love grilling? Give these recipes a try this summer:
- Hakurei turnips and radishes are grilled to tender perfection. A great side dish.
- Grilled Shishito Peppers are a fun and tasty appetizer. Let’s see who gets the hot ones?
- Looking for something simple and delicious? Grilled veggies are always a hit.
- Did you know you can grill fruit? Grilled balsamic strawberries are perfect for dessert.
- Move over apple pie, smoked apples are taking over.
- Grilled portobello mushrooms are great as a starter or light meal.
- Foil packet green beans are no fuss, no mess, and super delicious.
Now that grilling season is here, check out these recipe roundups. Perfect for BBQ parties!
Grilled Garlic Scapes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds garlic scapes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil ( I used butter flavoured)
- 1 teaspoons smoked sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black truffle salt (to garnish/optional)
Instructions
To Prepare The Garlic Scapes:
- Wash and pat dry garlic scapes.
- Cut off dry ends and thick stalk ends (the bulb at the end).
- You can choose to leave them whole if you wish, or cut them into long pieces. Place in a bowl.
- Massage them with the olive oil, and season with the smoked sea salt. You can also add pepper if you wish.
To Grill The Garlic Scapes:
- Heat the BBQ to medium.
- Oil a grill basket, and add the prepared garlic scapes.
- Grill for about 10 minutes, turning several times. Garlic scapes are done when they are slightly browned on the outside, and tender on the inside. Very similar to asparagus.
- Remove from grill, and season with black truffle salt.
- ENJOY!!
Tracy Koslicki
Oh I LOVE garlic scapes! And eeek I don’t know if I could be married to someone who didn’t love garlic as much as me! Or I guess the better point is I don’t think someone who didn’t love garlic could be married to ME! ;P I LOVE that your 3 year old grand daughter loved these – YES to introducing little ones to all the veggies!!
Homemade & Yummy
She loves the savoury flavours like mommy and gramma!!
Priya Srinivasan
wow, what an interesting recipe! thanks for telling what is a garlic scape! I have never seen them, i bet these taste delicious, the way they are cooked!!! Brilliant recipe, thanks for sharing!
Homemade & Yummy
Well I hope you can find some and enjoy them before the season is over. If you can find garlic growing in your area, you will find scapes.
theresa
I’ve never had these but would love to try them
Homemade & Yummy
I know, I had no idea about them until a couple of years ago. So delicious…grab them, they will be gone soon.
Jacqueline Debono
I have seen garlic scapes in the market, but didn’t buy them! Next time round, will def be getting some and trying this out! They look and sound delicious!
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you can grab some soon and give this recipe a try. They really are delicious.
Veena Azmanov
This sounds so simple and easy to make. I love these but have not seen them here in years. I must look for them at the grocer. These are so healthy and nutritious.
Homemade & Yummy
I know they are so good. Hope you can hunt some down to give this recipe a try.
Marisa Franca
I’ve yet to taste them. Here they grow in the wild and I was able to get some starts. I didn’t want to harvest them because they spread. Well, unfortunately they sprout the month of May when we’re gone. Now that we’re moving I’ll not have the chance. I will try the Farmer’s Market so I can try out your recipe.
Homemade & Yummy
I got mine at the market. So good, hope you can find them. They are so seasonal that is the problem. I need to grab more and put some in the freezer.
Denise
I have to go on a garlic scape hunt. The only time I ever had them, my brother in law brought me some from his cabin. I’ll have to see if I can find them in one of our bigger grocery stores. Anyway these look fantastic! I love that you grilled them as I don’t really know what to do with them. I’m passing this recipe on to my sister who loves them too!
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY…hope you can find some. Check the farmer’s markets, that is where I got mine.
Claudia Lamascolo
Wow these are new to me they sound like something everyone in my family will go crazy over .. anything garlic! Love that you used that truffle salt too!
Homemade & Yummy
OMG the truffle salt took these to a whole new level. Hope you can try this recipe.
Stef
Your line about your husband being part vampire totally cracked me up! We love garlic scapes around here, but we’ve never grilled them. We’ll have to try it!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH….he thought of that line all by himself. I cannot take the credit…but he does like to make people laugh.
Shoshy
I had no idea what a garlic scape was, but now after reading your post, I cannot wait to try them. Thanks for the recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
They certainly are one of those unique ingredients that you sometimes don’t know what to do with.
Joyce
whoever discovered garlic scapes was a genius! love the taste!
Homemade & Yummy
Well….give the credit to the garlic plant and the farmer that decided to give these a try.
Stine Mari
I haven’t seen these before, but I love the sound of them, looks really delicious!
Homemade & Yummy
I am going to pick up more tomorrow at the market.
Sandra Shaffer
I haven’t seen garlic scrapes at my grocery store, but I bet my Farmer’s market has them. Thanks for the freezing tip. I’ll be stocking up!
Homemade & Yummy
YES….grab them at the market….so MUCH cheaper. Hurry….they will be gone soon. I need to pick up more this weekend too.
Jolina
You know we’ve seen these in the market before but we weren’t really sure what they were or what to do with them lol. Grilling is definitely up our alley. Great to know we can freeze them too.
Homemade & Yummy
These are so delicious grilled. We need to get more this weekend before they are all gone for the season. I will be putting more in the freezer too.
Nellie Tracy
These Garlic Scapes look amazing! And they will pair so perfectly with summer barbecues. So delicious!
Homemade & Yummy
They really are amazing. If you happen to have some black truffle salt….OMG so good. ENJOY.