Garlic Scape Butter Recipe + Easy Freezing Tips
Garlic scape butter is the easiest way to capture the fresh, mild garlic flavor of spring. This simple recipe takes just 5 minutes, freezes beautifully, and adds instant flavor to vegetables, meats, seafood, bread, and more.
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, resulting in a smaller garlic bulb. Therefore, it is vital 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.
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 (fresh or frozen)
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh herbs (chives, parsley, basil, etc.)
- Optional flavorings (lemon zest, rosemary, honey, etc.)
How to Make Garlic Scape Butter
Let your butter come to room temperature. Cut off the bottom of the stems. Chop the garlic scapes into relatively small pieces in a food processor, including both the buds and the stalks.
Chop any additional herbs you’d like.
Add herbs and garlic scapes to room temperature butter in a bowl.
Mix well with a baking spatula.
Form the softened butter into a log inside a sheet of waxed paper. This will allow you to cut rounds of butter.
Or, place waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Spread the butter mixture evenly in a thin layer. Place another sheet of waxed paper on top and freeze.
Optional Herbs and Flavorings to Add
- Chives
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Honey
- Lemon Zest
- Lime Zest
How to Store Garlic Scape Butter
Once the garlic scape butter is wrapped, freeze it overnight. Place it in a freezer bag and freeze it for about a year. Break off a piece when needed for adding to your favorite recipes.
If you roll it into a log, it can be refrigerated for about one week. For longer storage of the log, cut it into rounds. Freeze the rounds flat on parchment paper or waxed paper for at least 4 hours. Then remove them from the freezer and store them in freezer containers.
FAQs
No, if the garlic scapes are chopped finely, there is no need to cook them.
But, if the scapes were left on a bit too long, they may have become tough. If this is the case, blanch them for about five minutes or lightly sauté them over low heat, sot= they soften, but the color doesn’t change.
They should be cut off immediately after they curl. They can be stored for about a month in the vegetable drawer, or frozen raw or cooked. See our informative article on How to Store Garlic Scapes for more information.
Yes. Thaw frozen scapes in the fridge before chopping and mixing them into butter. The texture will be slightly softer than fresh, but the flavor stays delicious.
How to Use Garlic Scape Butter
- Top fresh vegetables, such as mixed summer squash, green or yellow beans, corn, potatoes and broccoli.
- Top of grilled steaks or pork chops with a pat of garlic scape butter.
- Baste grilled chicken with the butter.
- Broil or grill fish or seafood and baste with melted garlic scape butter, like this Seared Salmon with Garlic Scape Butter.
- Flavor any rice with the butter. It adds a great flavor.
- Make a garlic bread or bruschetta.
- Spread it on bagels or toast.
- Use it on a butter board.
More Garlic Scapes Recipes
- Chicken Florentine Pizza with Garlic Scape Pesto
- Garlic Scape Pesto
- Garlic Scape vinaigrette
- Grilled Garlic Scapes with Chicken Tenders
- Potato Garlic Scape Soup
- Garlic Scape Relish
- Pickled Garlic Scapes
Love to Garden?
If you enjoy growing your own produce, make sure you check out my How to Start a Garden series. It walks you through every step:
- Planning Your Garden
- Preparing the Garden Site
- Choosing Plants and Planting
- Garden Maintenance
- Harvesting and Preserving (includes 100+ free recipes!)
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Want the backstory? Keep reading below the recipe to see how I started growing garlic and harvesting my scapes; it involves a lot of sand, a backhoe, and a very patient husband.
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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.
- If the scapes seem tough, soften them in olive oil over medium-low heat, watching carefully. Garlic scapes should just soften, not brown. Once garlic has softened, allow it 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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My Garlic Scape Story
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 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 mixing soil.
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, to see which ones liked our soil best.
I was so excited when I saw them come up this Spring. I carefully watched for garlic scapes.
To my further delight, in mid-June the scapes finally appeared.
Originally published July 21, 2017. Updated with new text and photos August 12, 2025.
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!
Thank you Patty! Yes, I agree and garlic scapes are my new favorite food!
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!
Garlic scapes are delicious! You should give them a try, Priya!
I love garlic scape too and haven’t thought about planting it in my garden. Great idea! I bet that spread is amazing!
They are super easy! The only maintenance required is cutting off the scapes! Which is a pleasure! Thanks, Ginny!
I love scapes! I put them in potato salad (no mayo) but this looks like a good idea, too!
Yes they are great in a lot of things! I have a few new ones coming to the blog soon! Thanks, Christina!
I love scares! They can be hard to come by around here, but next time I see them I am making this!
It’s like the farmers don’t know they are saleable! I have tried to educate a few local guys! Hopefully… Thanks, Mary!
I also love garlic scape and get mine through the mail from Oregon. Your garden sounds wonderful too!
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!
This garlic scape looks fabulous! I love the herbs and the different ways you can use it! Awesome recipe as always Beth!
Thank you Elaine! I will save you some next year and ship it over!
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!
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!
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 🙂
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! 🙂 )
I am drooling just thinking about spreading this across a nice, juicy steak. I need to make this!!
Absolutely! Beautiful on steak! If you can’t find scapes, you can substitute garlic cloves. Thanks Rae!