This may be the first time you heard about garlic scapes! But it is an amazing vegetable that is very few people know about (or use).
Garlic scapes are the stalks that grow from the bulbs of hardneck garlic plants. If you leave garlic out for some time, they will begin to sprout a stem. A few months later, you will see that the stem will develop into a stalk which grows straight and then starts curving into a circle. Most farmers cut these scapes of their garlic plants, since leaving them may take away some nutrition away from the plump garlic bulbs.
So what does it taste like? It has a mild and sweet taste, like scallions, but with (of-course) a hint of garlic flavor. In terms of texture, it reminds me of green beans or asparagus. It has a nice crunch to it! There are many different ways to cook with garlic scapes. But today, we will give them a light stir-fry using Baek's Soy Sauce Recipe.
This vegetable couples well as a side-entree to any meat dish. From steak to fish, it refreshes the palette with its crunchy yet subtle flavor. In Korea, you will see it served as banchan. Take a trip to the farmer's market (or Korean market) and see if they any in season. It may soon become one of your favorite vegetables to cook!

Garlic Scapes - Special Banchan for Garlic Lovers
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes - 2 cups
- Spring onion - ⅓ stalk
- Baek's Soy Sauce - 2 Tablespoon
- Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Prep Veggies
- Cut the garlic scapes into roughly 4cm pieces.
- Dice the spring onion into small thin circles.
Stir-fry time
- Put a large frying pan on high heat. Add oil and add spring onions into frying pan.
- Once spring onions begin to sizzle, add garlic scapes.
- Then add flavored soy sauce. Gently stir the garlic scapes in the frying pan until all of the liquid has evaporated in the pan.
- Garnish with sesame seeds. Eat with a bowl of rice
Notes
- Eat with a bowl of rice
- See video below for more details
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