Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears (Garlic Scapes)

Name: Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 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

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This simple, flavorful Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears recipe (i.e., garlic scapes) 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.

Jump to:

What's the Scoop on Garlic Scapes?
What Goes into this Recipe
How to Roast Garlic Spears
FAQs & Expert Tips
Related Recipes
Oven-Roasted Garlic Spears

What's the Scoop on Garlic Scapes?

Garlic Spears - also known as "garlic scapes" - are the flower tops and stalks of the elephant garlic plant. They 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.

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.

Garlic scapes can also be steamed, lightly sautéed, or roasted. They have a very mild garlic flavor that mellows the longer they are cooked, and can be served alone, chopped into pasta or casseroles, or pureed into soup, sauce, pesto, or hummus.

Simple oven-roasting is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh garlic spears. The results are wonderful!

What Goes into this Recipe

Fresh garlic scapes in a bundle, secured with a large red rubber band.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• 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.

Choosing garlic scapes is a lot like choosing asparagus. 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.

• 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.

How to Roast Garlic Spears

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. Toss garlic scapes midway through roasting time if desired.

Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

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

FAQs & Expert Tips

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.

How do you store garlic scapes?

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.

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

For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.