The entire garlic plant, not just the familiar underground bulb, offers several edible parts throughout its life cycle. The term “garlic leaves” generally refers to either the young, tender foliage harvested early in the season, known as green garlic, or the firmer flower stalks that emerge later, called scapes. This use of the whole plant extends the garlic harvest from early spring through the summer. Both the young leaves and the scapes are safe for consumption and provide a milder, fresher version of the classic garlic flavor.
Verifying Edibility and Safety
Garlic greens and scapes are entirely safe to eat, belonging to the Allium genus alongside onions and chives. The flavor profile of the green parts is notably less pungent and spicy than the mature bulb, offering a fresh, grassy, and slightly sweet garlic essence. This milder taste makes them a versatile addition to many dishes where the intensity of a raw clove might be overwhelming.
The young leaves, or green garlic, are tender and have a taste often described as a cross between chives and garlic. Garlic scapes, the flowering stalks of hardneck varieties, are firmer and possess a flavor that is slightly more potent than the young greens but still sweeter and less sharp than the bulb. The scapes’ flavor mellows significantly when they are cooked.
These green parts of the plant also provide nutritional benefits, containing compounds found in the bulb. They are a source of antioxidants, including allicin, which is responsible for much of garlic’s characteristic flavor and health properties. Scapes are also a good source of vitamins, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, as well as minerals like manganese and potassium.
Timing and Techniques for Harvesting
Harvesting the garlic plant involves different techniques depending on whether you are collecting the young leaves or the later-forming scapes. Green garlic is harvested early in the season, typically in the spring, before the bulb has begun to fully divide into cloves. To harvest the young leaves, you can either selectively snip the tops of the foliage or pull the entire plant, similar to a scallion, for a full-stalk harvest.
If you are harvesting only the leaves, take care not to cut more than one-third of the plant’s foliage at any one time. The leaves are the plant’s solar energy collectors, and removing too much green material will significantly reduce the size of the final bulb harvest. This selective clipping is best done early on when the leaves are most tender, before the plant directs its energy toward bulb formation.
Garlic scapes, which only grow from hardneck garlic varieties, are a distinct, curly stalk that emerges from the center of the plant in late spring or early summer. Removing the scape is a recommended practice because it directs the plant’s energy back into the underground bulb, potentially increasing the bulb’s size by 20 to 30 percent. The ideal time to harvest a scape is when it has grown above the top leaves and has formed one full curl or loop.
To remove the scape, simply cut it with a sharp knife or shears at the point where it emerges from the top set of leaves. Some growers prefer to snap the scape off by hand, which can be done easily at the tender point above the foliage. Harvesting them when they are still young and tender, before they straighten out, prevents them from becoming tough or woody. This scape harvest usually occurs about four weeks before the main bulb is ready to be dug up.
Culinary Preparation and Applications
Garlic greens and scapes offer diverse culinary uses, often replacing green onions or chives in recipes. The young, tender green garlic can be chopped and used raw as a garnish for soups, salads, or baked potatoes, providing a fresh, mild garlic flavor without the sharpness of a raw clove. It can also be sautéed lightly and incorporated into omelets, stir-fries, or rice dishes.
Garlic scapes are versatile and become sweeter and more delicate when cooked. Before using, trim the fibrous bottom end of the stalk and the small, pointed flower bud at the tip. Scapes can be cut into one-inch pieces and prepared in several ways:
- Roasted or grilled like asparagus.
- Blended with olive oil, nuts, and Parmesan to create a vibrant, seasonal pesto.
- Used to flavor compound butter, which is excellent melted over grilled meats or crusty bread.
- Pickled in a brine for longer storage.
- Finely chopped and frozen for later use in winter soups and stews.
When substituting scapes for garlic cloves, keep in mind that the flavor is milder, so a larger quantity may be needed to achieve a comparable depth of taste.