This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.
This quick, vibrant, comforting garlic scape pasta highlights a seasonal favorite with ease. Equally great for a weeknight or dinner party. Ready in 20 minutes.
Why we love this recipe
I look forward to garlic scapes every year. Pungent when raw and mild when cooked completely, they’re fun and versatile to work with. This garlic scape pasta hits the sweet spot with gentle cooking that leaves the scapes bright and vibrant yet sufficiently tamed to use in quantity.
In this recipe, the scapes act as both allium and vegetable. This bowl of pasta is:
- Positively bright and springy
- Yet also cozy and comforting
- Weeknight-friendly
- Yet totally worthy of a causal dinner party
- Ready in 20 minutes
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this simple recipe.
- A whole lot of garlic scapes. These are the shoots that grow out of the ground from hard-neck varieties of garlic. You can find them at farmers’ markets and in your CSA box early in the growing season (and sometimes after a second planting). For this recipe, you can slice up the whole thing, including the stem, bulb, and wispy top.
- Use any long pasta shape that you like. I’ve featured spaghetti for its simplicity, but this is not a fussy recipe.
- Choose parmesan, pecorino, or a combination for a welcome burst of umami.
How to make it
Here’s what you’ll do to make a great pot of garlic scape pasta. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Warm the butter and olive oil in a large pan. Add the sliced scapes and the salt.
- Cook, stirring frequently, for two to three minutes. The key to this recipe is the quick sauté that leaves the scapes tamed but not obliterated.
- Cook the pasta to al dente in very well salted water according to package directions. Drain and transfer to pan. The residual heat from the pasta will be enough to bring the dish together, so you can do this part off the heat if that’s how the timing works out.
- Toss pasta to coat with sauce. Then stir in the lemon juice, grated cheese, and pepper. Serve right away.
Expert tips and FAQs
Freshly harvested scapes will last a long time in the fridge. I like to place them in a zip-top bag along with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture and seal the bag almost completely. Stored this way, they’ll keep well for up to about three weeks.
It’s best to make this quick and easy recipe right before serving. Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Reheat gently before serving.
More ways to use garlic scapes
- To flavor our super-popular hummus
- In a savory frittata
- In a luscious tart
- To make a simple, fabulous compound butter
- And of course, in pesto
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
Garlic Scape Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 grams) spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 30 garlic scapes, sliced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for the pasta water
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons/(45 ml)
- ½ cup 2 ounces/(60 grams) grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente in very well salted water according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, set a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil and heat until butter is melted.
- Add scapes and salt.
- Cook, stirring frequently, for two to three minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta and transfer to pan. The residual heat from the pasta will be enough to bring the dish together, so you can do this part off the heat.
- Toss pasta to coat with sauce.
- Stir in the lemon juice, grated cheese, and pepper. Serve right away.
Notes
- Scapes vary in size, but the exact quantity doesn’t matter much here. I’ve called for 30 average-sized scapes, which yields somewhere around 2 cups sliced. Don’t sweat it.
- You can slice the scapes very thin or leave them in slightly longer segments, whichever makes you happy. For this recipe, you can slice up the whole thing, including the stem, bulb, and wispy top.
- The key to this recipe is the quick sauté that leaves the scapes tamed but not obliterated.
- Use any long pasta shape that you like. I’ve featured spaghetti for its simplicity, but this is not a fussy recipe.
- Choose parmesan, pecorino, or a combination for a welcome burst of umami.
- Make this quick recipe right before serving. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
This is amazing! I look forward to harvesting my garlic scapes so I can make this recipie. I’ve frozen the scapes, sliced, so I can make your recipie in the winter too. Delicious!!
I sauté some diced red Pepper and white onion in with the scapes. I have used spaghetti noodles and have made this with penne. Excellent every time!
Thank you for this delicious recipie
Hi Mary Lou, I’m so glad! Thank you for the comment.
This was delicious! I bought scapes at the farmers market and had no idea what to do with them. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.