Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe
My Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe adds some Swiss Chard to avoid the too-garlicky flavor that pesto made from Garlic Scapes can sometimes have! And everyone who likes garlic is going to love this tasty pesto made with these garlic shoots that show up in the late spring and early summer.
PIN the Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe to try it later!
This Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe is something I first made years ago, after I discovered garlic scapes at the farmers market. I liked the pesto I made with garlic scapes well enough, but they’re such a strongly-flavored ingredient that this year when my friend Margarethe gave me garlic scapes that she’d gotten in her CSA box, I thought it would be fun to try coming up with a garlic scapes pesto recipe that combined garlic scapes with something else, for a milder pesto.
I thought of kale, but when I went out into the garden the Swiss chard was calling out to me, and I thought this Garlic Scape Pesto with Swiss Chard was a delightful combination of flavors. If you happen to get some garlic scapes when they show up in the spring, I hope you’ll try this pesto recipe.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)
- garlic scapes
- Swiss Chard leaves
- fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- Pine Nuts (affiliate link)
- Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
What are Garlic Scapes?
Garlic Scapes are long green shoots that grow out of the top or hardneck garlic, and they’re a delicacy that shows up in the spring. You will probably find them at the Farmers Market if you have one that opens early in the season.
What is Pesto?
Pesto is a fresh herb sauce that originated in Italy, and traditional pesto has fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. In recent years adventurous cooks are making pesto out of many different types of fresh herbs or vegetables!
What’s unique about this Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe?
You can find recipes for garlic scape pesto all over the web, but when I tried making it, I found it to be a bit too garlicky for my taste. This pesto that combines garlic scapes and Swiss Chard is perfect for my tastebuds.
How low in carbs is the Garlic Scape Pesto?
This flavorful pesto made with Swiss chard, garlic scapes, lemon, pine nuts, and Parmesan has about 8 net carbs and 7 grams of protein in one-fourth cup serving.
How to Make the Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- If you’re not familiar with garlic scapes, the first photo shows what they look like.
- I used a cup of chopped garlic scapes. I wanted them cut into short lengths before I put them in the food processor.
- It took 2-3 minutes in the food processor before I felt the scapes were chopped enough to start adding other things.
- The chard was from my garden, so I chopped it up and gave it a good wash in the salad spinner.
- I processed the scapes/chard about 2 minutes more.
- Then I added the lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil and processed about 2 minutes more.
- Last I added the Parmesan cheese and processed about another minute.
- I froze the pesto in a mini muffin tin, and then when it was frozen I transferred the cubes to a Ziploc bag
- Have fun thinking of interesting ways to use your Garlic Scape Pesto!
How to Use the Garlic Scape Pesto made with Chard:
This pesto is good on pasta, stirred into rice, on cooked vegetables, stirred into scrambled eggs or added to soup. And check out my 20 Amazing Swiss Chard Recipes for more ideas with Swiss Chard!
Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe
This Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe adds Chard to avoid the too-garlicky flavor this type of pesto can sometimes have, and it's a delicious combination of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped garlic scapes
- 4 cups chopped Swiss Chard leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste (I used about 2 tsp. salt)
Instructions
- Wash and dry garlic scapes; then cut into short lengths until you have one cup of chopped scapes.
- Wash, dry, and chop Swiss Chard until you have 4 cups chopped chard.
- Add garlic scapes to the food processor and process until they are starting to look finely chopped, about 2-3 minutes. (It took longer than I thought it would.)
- Add chard and process the mixture about 2 minutes more, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and pine nuts and process about 2 minutes more.
- Add Parmesan and process 1-2 minutes more, or until the pesto reaches the texture you prefer.
- I like to keep it slightly chunky.
- I froze the pesto in a mini muffin tin and then popped out the cubes and stored them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. You can also freeze pesto in ice cube trays or small plastic containers with a snap-tight lid.
- This pesto is good on pasta, stirred into rice, on cooked vegetables, stirred into scrambled eggs or added to soup. You could also use it as a green sauce on grilled fish or chicken.
Notes
To make this recipe you will need a food processor. There are many good brands, but I love my Cuisinart Food Processor. (affiliate link)
Nutritional information is calculated on 1/4 cup serving size.
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 217Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 14mgSodium 456mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Suggestions:
This Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe is suitable for any type of low-carb or Keto diet. Try it over grilled veggies, grilled chicken, or grilled fish for a low-carb meal. Pesto is a calorie-dense and high-fat food due to the cheese, but it’s not something you eat in huge amounts and I’d eat this for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Sauces to find more recipes like this one! Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This pesto recipe with garlic scapes and chard was first posted in 2011. It was last updated with more information in 2025.
39 Comments on “Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe”
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It never occurred to me to put chard in my garlic scape pesto but it is honestly brilliant! It seems like it might cut back on some of the sharp garlicky flavour from pure scapes!
Rebecca, exactly! I really like the combination!
Wow! How did you know garlic scapes and chard would come together in my CSA share?! I froze this and was licking the bowl imagining the pasta, pizza, panini, etc. I will use this pesto in. Great idea!
Glad you liked it!
Kalyn,
Thank you for sharing this recipe with me for my Garlic Scape Recipe Round Up! It's now live, and I'm so inspired I cannot wait for my scapes to appear.
You can see the round up here: http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/05/28-recipes-using-garlic-scapes-recipe.html or Pin it for later: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/316659417522383833/
Thanks!
This recipe looks fantastic! I am actually hosting a garlic scapes linky party at 2 Sisters 2 Cities as part of our Fresh Produce Tuesday series. I would love if you submitted this recipe!
-m
Jeanette, that sounds like a good idea. My chard was pretty young with small leaves (the quail ate my first planting of chard!) so it was pretty mild. But I might try that next time.
Great idea – freezing these in small portions, perfect for stir-fries and soups later on. I made some swiss chard garlic scape pesto this summer but blanched the swiss chard a little bit just to reduce the oxalic acid that is present in raw swiss chard. Loved how it made the pesto a bit milder.
Maureen, hope you enjoy the pesto as much as you did the Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake!
I am so excited to know what to do with those garlic scapes. Can't wait to try it. Also like the idea of the muffin tin.
Hope ok to mention here that I made the Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake and now that is my favorite zucchini dish. Such wonderful flavors!
Barbara, the garlic scapes are kind of a cross between strong onion and garlic I'd say. Glad you like the idea of the muffin tin.
I love this idea of freezing pesto in mini muffin tins. I have never eaten garlic scapes but the colour is gorgeous.
Harriette, I was not ignoring you, lol! I don't know why it takes so long for Comcast to get the comments to my e-mail. Glad you like the recipe.
Scott, you're so sweet. I got the idea from kale pesto someone mentioned, but when I went to pick kale I ended up deciding on chard!
Great stuff Thanks for sharing.
Very rare that I'm surprised by a pesto recipe these days Kalyn, but you always manage to outdo yourself!
I agree about the short season. Seems like I just remember what to do with them, and the garlic scapes are gone!
Garlic scape pesto is an all-time favorite of mine. I just wish the garlic scape season was a little longer! I make it like typical pesto with pine nuts, grated asiago and Parmesan cheese, lemon, olive oil and freshly ground sea salt. I haven't tried it mixed with other greens. Good idea!
I've never had garlic scapes before. Your idea to freeze it in a muffin tin is brilliant!
Isn't have a garden just the most fun ever? And I think pesto with walnuts or pecans sounds great. Glad the recipe inspired you!
What a terrific idea freezing. this is my first year with a garden and I am having so much fun (like my pasta I made (and credited to) from your inspiring post…
http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/2011/07/hello-again-my-friends-old-and-new.html
I have a HUGE batch of basil just waiting for something. But I am too cheap to use pine nuts, so I usually make a walnut pesto.
Cathy, that's exactly why I like to freeze it in these small amounts too! I really liked the garlic scapes with the chard.
Your suggestion to freeze pesto in mini muffin tins is a perfect one for me since I usually prepare dinner for one or two. I've seen garlic scapes at the farmer's market but haven't been sure what to do with them. Combining them with chard is a wonderful solution.
Maris, thanks. Some people say you can't freeze pesto with the cheese added in, but I have done it for years.
TW, I know what you mean; I love greens but every year I have a challenge using up the kale and chard from the garden too.
Joanne, yes the scapes are pretty pungent. I really liked them combined with another green like this.
Ruth, I bet they are good combined with basil; haven't tried that. If I find more scapes I might try combining them with kale.
Barbara, thanks. Love having those cubes of pesto in the freezer!
Thanks Shirley. I'm looking forward eperimenting with this healthy pesto!
I still haven't frozen pesto and using the mini-muffin pans is a wonderful idea to ensure the same amounts. I haven't tried garlic scapes either. This sounds and looks really good, Kalyn! 😉
Shirley
Not only does this pesto look fabulous, Kalyn, but I love your idea for freezing.
I made garlic scape & basil pesto just BEFORE I read your interesting choice. I'm saving this for my next trip to the market… fingers crossed that there will still be garlic scapes there.
Thanks for the great tip about freezing.
For some reason I always thought that scapes were less pungent than garlic…then I made pesto with them. WHOA. Spicy. The chard sounds like the perfect way to add extra nutrients and mellow them out!
I have committed myself to using the chard from my CSA as soon as I get it this year. This is a great idea and I love the vibrant green color you get combining the chard and the garlic scapes.
What a brilliant idea to make and freeze them like this.
I do like using the muffin tin; it seems like just about as much pesto as I'd use at one time.
I freeze my pesto in an ice cube tray, and then use two or three cubes, the muffin tin is a much better idea!!
Thanks, glad you like the idea. Garlic scapes only are available for about 3 weeks so they may be gone already, but I still wanted to post this so I would remember for next year!
What a beautiful pesto and a great way to use Swiss Chard. I've never used garlic scraps but I'm going to keep an eye out for them next time I go to the market. Beautiful post!
Thanks Margaret! And it's an easy way to get a few veggies into a dish.
love the gorgeous green color!
Lydia, I think the photo makes it look like the cubes of pesto are bigger than they really are, but to me it's just the right amount of pesto.
What a great idea to freeze pesto in the mini muffin tin! I'm going to make a few different pestos this week, so I'll give that method a try. Thanks for the tip.