Skip to Content

Ramps, and a Delicious Quick and Easy Ramp Pesto

With a short growing season, ramps are a fragrant, wild onion that’s procured by foraging. This quick and easy recipe for Ramp Pesto uses the seasonal wild onion to make a bold pesto that my kids and I love.

Meet ramps …

Until this past weekend, I had never had one, despite hearing raves about them. At right, you can see what they look like in their natural form.

Basically, you remove the root part and use the rest of them. Stems, leaves … it all works.

Are you familiar with ramps?

I’ve known about them for a few years, but have never been able to procure any.

However recently when my Garlic Scape Carbonara recipe was featured on Saveur, I received a kind note from a new reader asking if ramps could be used in the recipe. I told him that it was possible – though I’ve never actually had ramps. He offered to send me some, and I excitedly agreed. Last week, they arrived.

Now, it’s one thing to read about the garlic-onion taste of ramps and a whole other to experience it. I sauteed a few up to get a feel for their taste and fell in love. Head over heels love.

Then I whipped up a Ramp Pesto … oh my.

That night, the kids and I feasted on more sauteed ramps, Tortellini with Ramp Pesto and a Jamie Oliver recipe for braised cabbage (more on that tomorrow!).

It was a delicious, decadent night. Will wasn’t a fan of the cabbage, but couldn’t get enough of the ramps – particularly the pesto.

Do you have a favorite ramp recipe? Share! I have a few more to play with and am trying to decide what to do with them.

A special thank you to reader Mark! And thank you to the Colrain, Massachusetts, farm where these were harvested. We LOVE them.

Ramp Pesto

Ramp Pesto

Yield: 1 cup (4 servings)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

With a short growing season, ramps are a fragrant, wild onion that's procured by foraging. This quick and easy recipe for Ramp Pesto uses the seasonal wild onion to make a bold pesto that my kids and I love.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup ramps, greens and white part, cut into 1 inch lengths
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Add ramps, spinach, walnuts and salt to a food processor and process to a paste. Add oil and process again. Stir in Parmesan.

Tonia

Thursday 13th of May 2010

Sarah - Can you believe this WV girl has never had ramps? Thanks for the great recipe - I'm going to pick up some ramps at the farmer's market on Saturday. .-= Tonia´s last blog ..The Best Birthday Ever =-.

Kristen

Wednesday 12th of May 2010

Thanks for telling me about ramps. Will have to try them. The pesto looks wonderful! .-= Kristen´s last blog ..The Prepared Mama (Recipe – Turkey Black Bean Burgers) =-.

Viktoria

Wednesday 12th of May 2010

Never heard of ramps - thanks for telling me what they are!

Donna

Tuesday 11th of May 2010

Must . . . find . . . ramps!!!

Thanks for the motivation to try these - I've never had them before! .-= Donna´s last blog ..Meatless Monday: Hip Hip Hooray for Mario Batali! – and featuring his fabulous Broccoli Rabe Pesto =-.

The Teacher Cooks

Tuesday 11th of May 2010

I have never had ramps either. Your description sounds really delicious. .-= The Teacher Cooks´s last blog ..Chocolate Pudding Pie and a Lesson Learned! =-.

Skip to Recipe