Garlic Scapes: When to Harvest, How to Use Them & the Best Ways to Preserve Them

If you’re growing hardneck garlic, one of the first harvests you’ll enjoy isn’t the garlic bulbs—it’s the garlic scapes.

For many gardeners, garlic scapes are an unexpected bonus.

They appear weeks before the bulbs are ready and offer a fresh, mild garlic flavor that’s incredibly versatile in the kitchen.

Every year, I look forward to harvesting garlic scapes because they signal that garlic harvest season is just around the corner. Even better, removing them helps the plant focus its energy on producing larger bulbs.

If you’ve never grown or cooked with garlic scapes before, here’s everything you need to know.

What Are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the flowering stems produced by hardneck garlic varieties.

As they grow, they curl into loops before eventually straightening and producing flowers.

Although they’re completely edible, most gardeners remove them before flowering.

Why?

Because allowing the plant to flower uses energy that could otherwise go into producing larger garlic bulbs.

By harvesting the scapes, you get an early harvest while also encouraging a better garlic crop later in the season.

When to Harvest Garlic Scapes

Timing makes all the difference.

I like to harvest my garlic scapes once they’ve formed one full curl but before they begin to straighten.

At this stage, they’re tender, juicy, and have the best flavor.

If you wait too long, the stems can become fibrous and less enjoyable to eat.

Harvesting is simple.

Using clean pruners or scissors, cut the scape near the base without damaging the leaves. You can also gently pull it from the base until it snaps—if you’re like me, you’ll even enjoy the sound. 😂

Within minutes, you’ll have one of the most underrated vegetables in the garden ready for the kitchen.

What Do Garlic Scapes Taste Like?

Garlic scapes have a fresh, mild garlic flavor that’s much more subtle than mature garlic cloves.

They’re slightly sweet with a crisp texture, making them easy to use in both raw and cooked dishes.

If you’ve never tried them before, think of them as a cross between garlic, green onions, and asparagus.

My Favorite Ways to Use Garlic Scapes

One of the things I love most about garlic scapes is how versatile they are.

Some of my favorite ways to use them include:

Stir-fries
Fried rice
Soups
Omelets
Pasta dishes
Roasted vegetables
Homemade pesto
Compound butter
Garlic scape hummus
Fresh salads

You can even substitute garlic scapes for garlic cloves in many recipes when you want a milder garlic flavor.

I recently used them in place of dried garlic powder when making loaded cauliflower, and we absolutely loved the subtle garlic taste.

How I Preserve Garlic Scapes

Garlic scape season is short, so I like to preserve as much of the harvest as possible.

Freezing

Freezing is my favorite method because it’s quick and preserves both flavor and texture.

Here’s how I do it:

Wash the scapes thoroughly
Pat them dry
Chop them into the sizes I’ll use most often
Freeze them in freezer-safe bags or containers

This makes it easy to grab exactly what I need while cooking.

*Frozen garlic scapes used as a substitute for garlic.*

I usually chop the lower stalk into 1/4-inch pieces, and sometimes I run them through the food processor. I add them to all kinds of dishes when I want a mild garlic flavor. The blossom end can be a bit fibrous, so I often save those pieces for making bone broth.

Garlic Scape Pesto

One of the most popular ways to preserve garlic scapes is by making pesto.

Blend together:

Garlic scapes
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Freeze the pesto in small portions so you can enjoy it throughout the year.

Dehydrating

Garlic scapes can also be dehydrated until completely dry.

Once dried, they’re easy to grind into a flavorful seasoning that adds a mild garlic flavor to soups, roasted vegetables, popcorn, eggs, and spice blends.

Compound Garlic Scape Butter

This is a great option for spreading on bread, topping mashed potatoes, or adding to toast and omelets.

Simply use a food processor to finely chop the garlic scapes, then mix them into softened butter. Once combined, freeze the mixture in molds like an ice cube tray or Souper Cubes for easy portioning.

Don’t Throw Them Away

One of the biggest mistakes new garlic growers make is leaving the scapes on the plant—or worse, throwing them away after harvesting.

They’re one of the tastiest bonus harvests you’ll get from the garden.

Not only are they delicious, but harvesting them also helps your garlic bulbs reach their full potential.

It’s one of those rare gardening tasks where everyone wins.

Final Thoughts

Garlic scapes may only be around for a short time each year, but they’re one of my favorite seasonal harvests.

They signal that garlic harvest is getting closer, they’re incredibly versatile in the kitchen, and they’re easy to preserve so nothing goes to waste.

Whether you sauté them, blend them into pesto, pickle them, dehydrate them, or freeze them for later, garlic scapes are too good to overlook.

If you’re growing hardneck garlic, don’t let this bonus harvest pass you by. Harvest them at the right time, enjoy them while they’re fresh, and preserve a few so you can enjoy that fresh garlic flavor long after the season is over.

Let’s Grow Together

Have you ever cooked with garlic scapes?

I’d love to hear your favorite recipes or preservation methods! Share them in the comments below so we can all discover new ways to enjoy this delicious garden harvest.

If you found this guide helpful, consider saving it for garlic season or sharing it with another gardener. And if you enjoy practical gardening tips, seasonal harvest guides, and real experiences from my Zone 7 garden, be sure to follow along for more.