This Garlic Scape Herb Compound Butter is so very tasty and couldn’t be easier! It enhances the flavor of fish and seafood, vegetables, potatoes, pasta, just about anything you can imagine!
I am so excited about this post! Not because it’s anything terribly special or clever but because Garlic Scapes are my new, favorite food on the planet!
I have always been afraid to try planting garlic because we have very heavy, clay soil. Garlic prefers well drained soils, which we do not have here!
Every year I would go to the garlic festivals in August and just wish. Last year I got my husband on board (because he loves garlic too). So we got 3 or 4 bags of sand from the garden center. We also used peat moss, pea stone and some topsoil I had leftover from spring planting. He got out the backhoe and went to town.
How to plant garlic
Any excuse to get out the heavy equipment and he is in! I don’t know why I didn’t think about it before!!
So I planted 18 cloves from the garlic I got at the garlic festival; a variety of cultivars, just to see which ones liked our soil best!
I was so excited when I saw them come up this Spring! I watched for garlic scapes (the stalk of and flower bud) carefully. They can not flower or the flower will take the nutrients from the bulb and the bulbs will be smaller. So you cut off the buds and stalks.
Too my further delight, in mid June the scapes finally appeared. I have been looking at other bloggers’ posts with envy every year with all the garlic scape recipes. I have never found them at the farmer’s market. Apparently, the farmers don’t know there is a demand for them.
What are garlic scapes?
Garlic Scapes are the flower bud and the stalk (botanically known as the peduncle) of the flower of the hardneck garlic plants. If the garlic “scapes” are not removed from the leaves, the flower will take nutrients from the garlic bulb, so that the bulb of the garlic will be very small. Therefore, it is important to break or cut the garlic scapes off, before they flower.
You can find garlic scapes in the late spring or early summer at farmer’s markets, farm stands or Asian specialty grocers.
Anyhoo, enough about garlic planting.. on to my Garlic Scape Herb Compound Butter! Garlic Scapes have a very mild flavor. No bitterness to be found! Not exactly like roasted garlic, but reminiscent. It couldn’t be easier to make either.
What you need
- garlic scapes – use fresh or frozen scapes
- chives – use fresh chives
- parsley – use fresh
- butter – we use unsalted butter
- any additional herbs you would like
How to make it
- Let your butter come to room temperature. Cut off the bottom of the stems Chop the garlic scapes fairly small, both the buds and the stalks.
- Saute the garlic scapes for a few minutes in just a tad of olive oil, just to soften. You don’t want them to brown or lose their glorious color! Then let them come to room temperature.
- Chop a bit of chives and parsley.
- Chop basil. Oregano, sage and thyme would be great too, depending on the flavor profile you are looking for.
- Add herbs and cooled garlic scapes to room temperature butter in a bowl.
- Mix well.
- Place waxed paper on cookie sheet. Spread butter mixture evenly in a thin layer.
- Place another sheet of waxed paper on top.
Freeze Garlic Scape Butter overnight. Place in storage bag and freeze. Break off a piece, when needed, for cooking.
Instead of spreading the butter flat, you can roll it into a log, in a sheet of waxed or parchment paper, which gives a nice presentation. Slice before long term storage.
Culinary uses for garlic scapes
What to make with garlic scape butter
Use the Garlic Scape Herb Compound Butter on fresh vegetables, here on mixed summer squash. It is also great on fish, seafood, grilled steaks or chicken.
Quick and easy variation of bruschetta or garlic bread is also great! This Garlic Scape Bread is crunchy and delicious! Check out my friend Laura Tobin’s post from Your Guardian Chef, for a great tutorial on bruschetta!
What else to make scapes
You also might like these other awesome recipes I’ve made with garlic scapes! Chicken Florentine Pizza with Garlic Scape Pesto, Garlic Scape Pesto, Garlic Scape vinaigrette
Love Gardening? If you love growing your own produce, these posts are packed full of information about how to get that big harvest by the end of the season! Don’t miss How to Start a Garden Series! The first part is Planning Your Garden!
Second is Preparing the Garden Site.
The third is Choosing Plants and Planting Your Garden.
The fourth is Garden Maintenance, and the last is Harvesting a Garden and Preserving the Harvest, this post has over 100 FREE recipes for preserving your harvest!
See our article How to store garlic scapes plus 16 free recipes article for more inspiration!
I hope you enjoyed the recipe today for garlic scapes compound butter. Leave a comment below and let me know if you have used garlic scapes and what your favorite recipes for garlic scapes are!
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Garlic Scape Herb Compound Butter
Ingredients
- 1 lb unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- 1/2 c garlic scape, buds and stalks, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 splash Olive Oil
Instructions
- Chop garlic scapes roughly in food processor or with chef's knife. Chop herbs.
- Soften garlic in olive oil over medium low heat, watching carefully. Garlic should just soften, not brown. Once garlic has softened, allow to cool to room temperature.
- Add butter, garlic and herbs together. Mix thoroughly. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Cool in refrigerator or store in freezer to prolong shelf life.
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Nutrition
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Originally published July 21, 2017. Updated with new text and photos September 21, 2021
Sharon
I have frozen my chopped scapes can I still use them to make herbal butter
Beth Neels
Absolutely! I usually freeze a big batch of scapes and then use them in pestos and butter throughout the year! Thanks for checking out the recipe, Sharon!
Sonia
Never knew it was so easy to make at home! Both my boys love garlic bread and I use to buy the spread from store. Going to try this next time I make garlic bread. Nothing beats Homemade.
Beth Neels
It is super easy! Let me know how you like it, Sonia!
Courtney | Love & Good Stuff
Sounds delicious! I’m never quite sure what to do with garlic scapes when I see them at our market – now I know! Can’t wait to try this!
Beth Neels
They are good with lots of recipes! Thanks Courtney!
Saima
Ooh! This garlic scapes butter looks so fresh and inviting! I would love to spread this on bread and bake it in the oven for some garlic bread.
Beth Neels
Oh, yes! It is perfect for garlic bread! Thanks Saima!
kim
Such a fabulous condiment! So much flavor and so easy!
Beth Neels
Super easy! Thanks Kim! Have a great weekend!
Sara Welch
What a great tasting butter! This will be perfect for garlic bread with dinner tonight! Delicious!
Beth Neels
It is so delicious! I could slather it on just about anything! Thanks Sara!
Patty
Fantastic recipe as always Beth! I just love these butters with herbs and/or garlic, if there is any, I will use it on all my food, YUM!
Binky
Thank you Patty! Yes, I agree and garlic scapes are my new favorite food!
cookilicious
I too love the idea of making flavored butter at home. Just the other day I made one using sun dried tomatoes. Love your idea of using garlic & herbs.Gorgeous!
Binky
Garlic scapes are delicious! You should give them a try, Priya!
Ginny
I love garlic scape too and haven’t thought about planting it in my garden. Great idea! I bet that spread is amazing!
Binky
They are super easy! The only maintenance required is cutting off the scapes! Which is a pleasure! Thanks, Ginny!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
I love scapes! I put them in potato salad (no mayo) but this looks like a good idea, too!
Binky
Yes they are great in a lot of things! I have a few new ones coming to the blog soon! Thanks, Christina!
Mary // Chattavore
I love scares! They can be hard to come by around here, but next time I see them I am making this!
Binky
It’s like the farmers don’t know they are saleable! I have tried to educate a few local guys! Hopefully… Thanks, Mary!
Ginny McMeans
I also love garlic scape and get mine through the mail from Oregon. Your garden sounds wonderful too!
Binky
Oh, do you really? I have talked to 2 local farmers and told them to save them for me next year. Hopefully next year! Thanks Ginny!
Elaine
This garlic scape looks fabulous! I love the herbs and the different ways you can use it! Awesome recipe as always Beth!
Binky
Thank you Elaine! I will save you some next year and ship it over!
Liz
I can think of SO MANY things that this would be delicious on/with!! So perfect even with just a simple loaf of fresh bread!
Binky
Absolutely! I’ve made a few things but I could honestly eat it straight, lol! I still have 1/2 pound left, I’ll update and show you what I made with it!
Anita
I’m not a gardener and have never planted anything in my life. In fact, I even managed to kill off a plant from my in-laws that they said will definitely not be kill-able (oh hello, not kill-able you say?). Jokes aside, this compound butter looks so lovely, I’m drooling at the pictures. I’m guessing I will need to use garlic cloves then 🙂
Binky
I would try roasting the garlic cloves and adding a bit more fresh herbs so you don’t lose the pretty color! It will be a bit different, but closer to the flavor than raw garlic! Thanks for your comment Anita! (If it makes you feel any better I have a BS in horticulture and kill houseplants too! 🙂 )
Rae
I am drooling just thinking about spreading this across a nice, juicy steak. I need to make this!!
Binky
Absolutely! Beautiful on steak! If you can’t find scapes, you can substitute garlic cloves. Thanks Rae!