Each spring, I find myself in ramp heaven for a brief window when ramps find their way into almost every meal. The unmistakably garlicky scent and flavor of the ramp feels deeply nourishing and refreshing as we pivot away from winter and toward the warmer seasons ahead. From grilling to lightly sautéing ramps in a tad of olive oil with salt to taste, to featuring them in omelets, stir-fries, sandwiches, risottos, tacos, soups, crêpes, grain bowls, and pasta dishes—it seems like there isn’t anything that doesn’t go well with ramps.
Alas, ramp season will not last forever and these ephemeral, savory plants will soon wither as the trees leaf out, sending energy back down to their bulbs. Making ramp pesto has become my annual ramp ritual culmination. I always enjoy fresh, and I make extra batches to freeze to savor this favorite wild edible plant in future months.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces or 2 cups ramp leaves (packed)
- ½ cup lightly toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
Preparation
Prepare the ramps by gently washing off any soil, and removing and setting aside the bulbs if they are still attached. Note: if you’re harvesting the ramps yourself for this pesto recipe, simply selectively snip leaves from ramp plants as opposed to digging up the bulbs. Blanch 70 to 100 percent of the ramps for 30 seconds in salted boiling water, depending on desired potency of garlic flavor. Then immediately place the ramps under very cold water or in a bowl of ice water. Thoroughly drain the ramps and set aside. In the past, I have used 100 percent raw ramps, but not without suffering dragon breath and heartburn!
Pulse all ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor to form a coarse paste. Then, add the oil and pulse briefly. Serve with pasta, on pizza, in a sandwich, or as a garnish on your favorite fish or meat.
RAMP PESTO VARIATIONS
Have a dietary restriction or do you need to substitute an ingredient? Here are some tips:
- Pistachios are a favorite substitute for pine nuts, or try pecans or walnuts
- To make this recipe vegan, skip the cheese
- Do you have a nut allergy? Consider subbing pepitas or sunflower seeds
About this recipe
An earlier iteration of this ramp pesto recipe was first published on The Mushroom Forager’s popular blog in 2011.
