Pickled Garlic Scapes are a delicious way to preserve garlic scapes, the edible stalk of garlic plants available seasonally from late spring through early summer. Learn how to make pickled garlic scapes with this quick, easy garlic scape recipe including canning instructions!
What are garlic scapes
Garlic scapes are the edible top of garlic plants. The garlic stalk or garlic stem that eventually turns to a garlic flower if not harvested. Garlic scape season typically runs from in the Spring, from May through June.
Growing garlic scapes is as easy as growing garlic. Scapes are the garlic shoots and buds that pop up above ground in the Spring and can either be left to flower so that you can harvest the ‘garlic seeds’. You can plant the seeds and each will produce a bulb in 2 years. OR you can cut and harvest the garlic scapes and enjoy delicious garlic scapes now as well as encourage the bulbs to grow as large as possible this year.
To harvest garlic scapes simply cut the stem at the base and store in a cool dark location for up to a month. There’s no need to refrigerate garlic scapes but you can if you’d like to extend the shelf life even further.
Garlic scapes can be cooked in many ways and I like to use fresh garlic scapes like I would scallions or garlic cloves. You can also serve garlic scapes like a side dish by making grilled garlic scapes or roasted garlic scapes. Or they’re especially delicious as garlic scape pesto which is like a mixture of regular basil pesto and spicy chimichurri sauce.
You can also preserve garlic scapes in a number of ways. Dehydrate garlic scapes to make garlic scape powder, similar to garlic powder. Make lacto fermented garlic scapes. Or my personal favorite use for garlic scapes – Pickled Garlic Scapes!
With a naturally crisp and crunchy texture garlic scapes are perfect for pickling!
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes – you can grow your own garlic, even in containers, for the most economical way to harvest garlic scapes. Or look for garlic scapes near you at farmers markets and farm stands. You can also find garlic scapes seasonally at some grocers, where they are sold by the bundle. You can also use the garlic scape flower buds for pickling if you have them available.
- Vinegar – apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or whatever vinegar you have on hand other than balsamic vinegar.
- Water
- Salt
- Dill – dried dill or substitute fresh dill, if available.
To make spicy pickled garlic scapes add sliced jalapenos to the jars with the garlic scapes. Or add garlic cloves to make garlic scape pickles with extra garlic flavor.
Step by step instructions
- Sterilize tall canning jars and rings.
- Set a large pot of water on to boil.
- Combine pickling brine ingredients in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer.
- Trim garlic scapes to a little smaller than the height of your jars.
- Pack scapes tightly into sanitized canning jars.
- Carefully pour hot brine to fill jars leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
- Place canning lids on jars. And add rings. Tighten just so that rings are secure but not tight. This is called ‘finger tightening’.
- Using tongs place jars in boiling pot of water ensuring that the water completely covers jars.
- Hot water bath process for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove using tongs and place onto towels on the countertop to cool.
- Lids will invert and make a popping sounds when they are processed correctly.
- For best taste allow garlic scapes to pickle for at least a week before opening jar.
- Enjoy!
How to use
Use Pickled Garlic Scapes like you would other dill pickles. Pickled garlic scapes taste very similar to pickled green beans or pickled asparagus. And are delicious eaten straight out of the jar. Or try garlic scape pickles wrapped in swiss cheese and salami as a quick snack. Pickled garlic scapes also make an absolute perfect garnish for bloody mary’s.
Shelf life
Canned pickled garlic scapes will last for up to 1 year at room temperature. Refrigerate after opening and use within 30 days of opening.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups vinegar apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 3 cups water
- ¼ cup salt
- 1 tablespoon dried dill or substitute 3 tablespoons fresh dill or roughly 2 small dill fronds.
- 4-6 bunches garlic scapes
Instructions
- Sterilize tall canning jars and rings.
- Set a large pot of water on to boil.
- Combine pickling brine ingredients in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer.3 cups vinegar, 3 cups water, 1 tablespoon dried dill, ¼ cup salt
- Trim garlic scapes to a little smaller than the height of your jars.4-6 bunches garlic scapes
- Pack scapes tightly into sanitized canning jars.
- Carefully pour hot brine to fill jars leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
- Place canning lids on jars. And add rings. Tighten just so that rings are secure but not tight. This is called ‘finger tightening’.
- Using tongs place jars in boiling pot of water ensuring that the water completely covers jars.
- Hot water bath process Pickled Garlic Scapes for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove Pickled Garlic Scapes using tongs and place onto towels on the countertop to cool.
- Lids will invert and make a popping sounds when they are processed correctly.
- For best taste allow garlic scapes to pickle for at least a week before opening jar.
- Refrigerate after opening.
Nutrition
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