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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears (Garlic Scapes)

    May 20, 2016 • Updated: April 13, 2023 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Roasted garlic spears on a highly textured plate, with lemon slices. Pin text reads: "Oven-Roasted Garlic Scapes"

    This simple, flavorful Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears recipe takes less than 10 minutes to throw together and makes a fresh, tasty side dish for any spring or summer meal. 

    Roasted garlic spears on a highly textured plate, with lemon slices.

    Garlic scapes are the tender stalks and flower top of hardneck garlic plants; the kind of garlic that typically grows in North America. Garlic scapes (also known as garlic spears) are available for a few fleeting weeks in the spring and early summer at your grocery or local farmers market. They make a beautiful presentation and a tasty addition to your table. 

    Jump to:
    • What's the Scoop on Garlic Scapes?
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make this Garlic Scapes Recipe
    • Storage
    • Top Tip: How to Choose Garlic Spears
    • FAQ
    • More Garden Fresh Recipes
    • Recipes for Garlic Lovers
    • Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears

    What's the Scoop on Garlic Scapes?

    Garlic spears can be eaten raw or cooked. When raw, they carry a pretty hot punch, and can be used to spice up things like baked potatoes or salads.

    With a mild garlic flavor that mellows the longer they are cooked, garlic spears can be roasted, sautéed, steamed, chopped into pastas or casseroles, or pureed into soup, sauce, pesto, or hummus.

    We think this quick, easy oven-roasted garlic scapes recipe is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh garlic spears. The results are simply delicious!

    What Goes into this Recipe

    Fresh garlic scapes in a bundle, secured with a large red rubber band.
    • Garlic Scapes (i.e., garlic spears): You can find garlic spears at your local food co-op, Whole Foods, or farmers' market. Some chain grocery stores also carry them, but (in our experience) stock is often limited and intermittent.
    • Olive Oil: You can use any light-flavored olive oil or other neutral cooking oil. (We like to use this amazing Meyer lemon olive oil, which enhanced the flavors even more.)
    • Kosher salt
    • Freshly ground pepper
    • Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice. (Bottled lemon juice has an astringent quality that overpowers the scapes more subtle flavors.)

    How to Make this Garlic Scapes Recipe

    Cut off the ends of the garlic scapes.

    Garlic spears in a bundle, with about one inch of end of stalk pared off.

    Toss the pared spears in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

    Lay out in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.

    Garlic scapes prepped for roasting on a sheet pan, tossed in oil, salted and ready to roast.

    Roast in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 30-35 minutes, until the tips are lightly browned and the stalk is tender. Gently toss garlic scapes midway through roasting time if desired.

    Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

    Garlic scapes roasted, on aluminum foil-lined sheet pan.

    Storage

    Treat fresh garlic scapes as you would fresh asparagus stalks:

    • 1-3 Days: Cut the ends and stand them up in a glass of water on the counter or in the fridge.
    • Up to 2 Weeks: Refrigerate in a breathable vegetable bag in the refrigerator.
    • Up to 3 Months: Blanche in boiling water for 30-45 seconds. Vacuum seal or place in a large, resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

    Top Tip: How to Choose Garlic Spears

    Choosing garlic spears at the market is a lot like choosing asparagus, too. Look for spears that are firm, and bright green in color. Like asparagus, the more delicate the stalk, the more tender.

    Avoid yellow or papery flower bulbs, hard or woody stalks, and bruising or other damage.

    FAQ

    What do garlic scapes taste like?

    Raw garlic spears carry a pretty hot punch with decidedly garlicky overtones, and can be used to spice up things like baked potatoes or salads.

    Oven-roasted garlic spears (like the ones made from this recipe) have a mild, pleasant flavor that is somewhat like asparagus; but closer to an artichoke, with a subtle but distinct garlicky infusion.

    Close-up of roasted garlic spears on a highly textured plate, with lemon slices.

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    Recipes for Garlic Lovers

    If you love garlic, oven-roasted garlic is easy to make and the perfect way to add deep, rich, subtle garlicky flavor to everything from casseroles to compound butter.

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      Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Garlic & Almonds
    • Roasted Garlic Spinach-Artichoke Dip
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    Roasted garlic spears on a highly textured plate, with lemon slices.

    Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears

    This simple, flavorful Oven-Roasted Garlic Scapes recipe (i.e., garlic spears) takes less than 10 minutes to throw together and makes a fresh, tasty side dish for any spring or summer meal. 
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time:10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time:30 minutes minutes
    Total Time:40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 85kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Heavy Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1 pound garlic spears (i.e., garlic scapes)
    • 2 tablespoons light olive oil or other neutral cooking oil
    • Kosher salt
    • freshly ground pepper
    • fresh lemon Juice

    Instructions

    • Cut off the ends of the garlic scapes and toss them in olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
      Lay prepared garlic scapes out in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.
    • Roast in a 375°F | 190°C oven for 30-35 minutes, until the tips are lightly browned and the stalk is tender.
      Toss garlic scapes with tongs midway through roasting time if desired.
    • Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

    Notes

    What to look for when buying Garlic Scapes:
    Look for spears that are firm, and bright green in color. Like asparagus, the more delicate the stalk, the more tender. Avoid yellow or papery flower bulbs, hard or woody stalks, and bruising or other damage. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is self-taught home chef with a penchant for creating healthy(ish) comfort food recipes, and adapting vintage recipes for the 21st century cook. In her spare time, she writes unfinished novels and songs about cowboys.

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    1. Lindsay Ingalls (@RunWithTongs) says

      June 18, 2015 at 2:13 pm

      Such a creative way to use these! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Catherine says

      June 17, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      I've never tried these either, but I definitely want to now! I bet they'd be wonderful grilled on the BBQ too.

      Reply
    3. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

      June 17, 2015 at 1:05 pm

      I've always wondered what to do with garlic spears - These sound fabulous!

      Reply
    4. Tara Woodruff says

      June 17, 2015 at 11:55 am

      I am Now envisioning Myself Smearing These Tasted Garlic spears on Fresh French Bread. Wow These look delicious Can Wait to make these!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        June 17, 2015 at 12:00 pm

        Garlic spears on fresh french bread sounds fabulous!

        Reply

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