Best Garlic Scapes Butter

Here’s my go-to recipe for garlic scapes butter, made with fresh garlic scapes from the farmers market, good quality butter, and a pinch of sea salt. It’s one of those simple recipes that makes everything taste better.

I keep a small container of this butter in my fridge all summer long while garlic scapes are in season. It’s perfect spread on warm bread or melted over grilled vegetables – and honestly, I’ve been known to sneak a taste straight from the spoon!

What Kind of Garlic Scapes Should I Use?

Garlic scapes are the curly flower stalks that grow from hardneck garlic plants, and they’re typically available for just a few weeks in late spring or early summer. When shopping for scapes, look for ones that are bright green, firm, and still flexible – avoid any that are yellowing or overly woody. The younger, more tender scapes will have a milder garlic flavor, while more mature ones tend to be more intensely garlicky. If you can’t find them at your regular grocery store, try checking your local farmers’ market during their short season, or consider growing your own hardneck garlic to harvest the scapes yourself. Before using them in your butter, make sure they’re completely dry after washing to prevent any excess moisture from affecting the final texture.

Options for Substitutions

Let’s talk about what you can switch up in this garlic scapes butter recipe:

• Garlic scapes: If you can’t find garlic scapes (they’re only available for a short time in spring/early summer), you can use a mix of regular garlic cloves and fresh chives. Try 2-3 garlic cloves plus 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives to get a similar garlicky-green flavor.
• Salted butter: You can use unsalted butter and add ¼ teaspoon of salt, or try plant-based butter alternatives if you’re dairy-free. Just make sure whatever you use is soft and spreadable at room temperature. Keep in mind that margarine might change the texture and won’t have quite the same rich taste.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making garlic scapes butter is using butter that’s too cold or too warm – it should be soft enough to mix easily but still hold its shape (about 65°F is perfect, or when you can leave a slight indent with your finger).

Another common mistake is not chopping the garlic scapes finely enough, which can lead to large, stringy pieces in your butter – aim for very small, uniform pieces that will distribute evenly throughout.

Make sure your garlic scapes are completely dry before chopping and mixing them into the butter, as excess moisture can cause the butter to become watery and affect its storage life.

For the smoothest result, consider pulsing the chopped scapes in a food processor first, and remember to let the finished butter chill for at least 2 hours before using to allow the flavors to properly blend.

What to Serve With Garlic Scapes Butter?

This flavorful compound butter is super versatile and adds a nice punch of garlic flavor to so many dishes! Spread it on warm crusty bread or dinner rolls for an instant upgrade to your bread basket. It’s perfect melted over grilled steaks, chicken, or fish – just add a pat on top while the meat is still hot. You can also toss it with hot pasta, use it to finish off roasted vegetables, or spread it on corn on the cob in the summer. For breakfast lovers, try it on toast with eggs or work it into your next batch of scrambled eggs.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your garlic scapes butter will stay fresh and flavorful in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I like to shape it into a log using parchment paper or plastic wrap – it makes it super easy to slice off what you need!

Freeze: This butter freezes really well for up to 6 months! You can either freeze it as a whole log, or cut it into portions first. I often freeze it in smaller chunks so I can grab just what I need. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then pop it in a freezer bag to prevent any freezer burn.

Thaw: When you’re ready to use your frozen garlic scapes butter, just transfer it to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. Once thawed, it’ll spread just as nicely as when it was fresh. Remember to bring it to room temperature before spreading for the best consistency.

Preparation Time	5-10 minutes
Cooking Time	0 minutes
Total Time	5-10 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1600-1800
• Protein: 2-4 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 10-15 g

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 garlic scapes, rinsed and fully dried (include flower end)
• 1 cup salted butter (softened, equals 2 sticks or 16 tbsp)

Step 1: Mince the Garlic Scapes

• 4 to 5 garlic scapes, rinsed and fully dried (include flower end)

Roughly chop the garlic scapes—including the flower ends—so they will fit comfortably in your food processor.

Process the chopped scapes until they are very finely minced, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

Continue processing for about 2 minutes or until there are no long, stringy pieces, as you want the texture to be even throughout.

Step 2: Mix the Butter and Garlic Scapes

• minced garlic scapes from Step 1
• 1 cup salted butter (softened, equals 2 sticks or 16 tbsp)

Transfer the minced garlic scapes from Step 1 into a large bowl along with the softened salted butter.

Use a fork to mash and thoroughly combine the butter and scapes until the mixture is uniform and smooth.

I like to let the butter sit for a few minutes at room temperature after combining—it helps meld the flavors even more.

Step 3: Serve or Store the Garlic Scape Butter

Enjoy the garlic scape butter immediately, or transfer it to a clean jar or butter container with a lid.

Refrigerate the butter for longer storage and use within a week for the best flavor.

This butter is delicious on bread, vegetables, or grilled meats.