This is the BEST ever garlic scape soup! It’s incredibly fresh and loaded with flavor, but only has a handful of simple ingredients. If you’re not cooking with garlic scapes yet, it’s time to give them a try in this vegetarian soup!
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Garlic is one of the top five herbs out there, am I right? It adds a pungent, strong flavor to dishes and a slew of health benefits, too.
But did you know that other parts of the garlic plant are edible, not just the cloves? Yep, the curly, green flower stems that grow up from the bulb–garlic scapes–are not only safe to eat, but also a real treat to use in recipes.
Garlic lovers, rejoice! (PS – if you have a ton of garlic on hand, make sure to check out my tips on freezing garlic!)
How do you use garlic scapes?
Garlic scapes taste just like garlic, but with a little less kick and a faint hint of scallions or chives. They can be used in place of garlic in most recipes. You can add scapes to soups, stir fries, eggs, salads, pasta, and more.
They also taste delicious grilled, like in my Charred Garlic Scapes with Parsley Butter.
Nutrition of Garlic Scapes
In terms of their nutrition and possible health benefits, garlic scapes are similar to garlic bulbs.
They are rich in vitamin C and a number of beneficial plant compounds that may act as antioxidants and help fight underlying cell damage that leads to disease (1, 2).
Consuming garlic scapes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and inhibit the growth of tumors, among other benefits (3).
Where to Buy Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are sold in bunches at grocery stores and farmers markets in late June and early July. They are harvested at this time to allow the garlic plant to focus its energy on growing its bulb.
For another summer soup recipe, check out the Summer Harvest Beet Gazpacho!
Ingredients
Even though it may seem counterintuitive to eat soup in the middle of July, you’re going to want to make this one! The ingredients and process are unbelievably simple, but the flavor is incredible.
Here’s what you need for this recipe:
- Garlic scapes
- Sweet onion
- Mini white potatoes or russet potatoes
- Vegetable stock
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh herbs for garnish: dill, chives, etc.
How to Make Garlic Scape Soup
To make this recipe, start by dicing the onion and roughly chopping the scapes. Add them, and some olive oil, to a big pot over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, or until the onion starts to get tender.
(Pro tip: I like to use a slightly bigger pot than I need, so that when I use my immersion blender to blend the soup, I don’t get any hot liquid splashing up at me.)
Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer/low boil and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Turn off the heat, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or transfer it carefully to a regular blender in batches. Stir in the sour cream or Greek yogurt and mix until it’s melted.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with fresh herbs, such as dill and/or chives. Enjoy!
If you love this garlic scape soup, check out:
- Broccoli Soup with Potatoes and Peas
- Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Stew
- Celeriac and Apple Soup
- Carrot and Celery Soup with Thyme Pecan Crumble
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
Potato Garlic Scape Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 cups garlic scapes - roughly sliced; about 3 bunches or 20 scapes
- 1 sweet onion - diced
- 4 cups white potatoes - diced; about 8-10 mini potatoes or 1-2 russet potatoes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- ¼ cup sour cream - or plain Greek yogurt
- Fresh herbs - for serving; dill or chives taste great
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic scapes and diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the onion is tender.
- Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down heat to a low boil/simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Turn off heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup. If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer the soup in batches (very carefully) to a regular blender and blend until smooth.
- Stir in the sour cream or yogurt and mix until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a generous portion of fresh herbs, such as dill or chives. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Storage and reheating: This soup will last in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a small saucepan on the stove or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on high.
- Nutrition: The sodium content of this soup will vary depending on the type of vegetable stock or broth you use (use a low sodium option for a lower sodium content).
- Using a stand blender: Transfer the soup in batches to the blender (do not fill all the way). You may want to remove the center of the blender top and cover with a towel to let steam escape.
Nutrition
Happy middle of the week! – Lizzie
Rebeca
easy and delicious hot or cold (like a vichyssoise). Next i will try it with all the frozen garlic scapes I have from last years harvest (used fresh this time). Thank you!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yay! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe, Rebeca. I’m glad you will be making it again in the future!
Indira V.
I thought the salt & pepper amounts should have been the opposite, which I did. I also added double the sour cream, cause I love it. The soup came out delicious. I’m wondering if it will freeze well.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
I’m so glad you enjoyed this soup! It freezes very well. After cooking, let the soup cool before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Leave about an inch of headspace to allow for the soup expanding while freezing. Thaw from frozen in a saucepan over medium heat or put in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Gina Wagner
I must confess at first I was afraid of the amounts of garlic plus onion in this recipe. But OH My, was I surprised and very pleasantly surprised ! Love this soup and going to make another batch tomorrow. I have over 8 pounds of scapes and look forward to selling some and making great recipes like this. Thank you, thank you, thank you !
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Gina, that’s wonderful! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe and are using it for the garlic scapes you have! Thanks for commenting.
susan
Can this be frozen?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Susan, I haven’t tried it but I think it would work really well! I’d recommend leaving an inch of headspace in the container, since the soup will likely expand during freezing.
Tony
I freeze my soups for lunch all the time. It works great
MPaula
I use scapes in pesto with basil and a lesser amount of garlic. Do you not allow Pinning?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Great uses for scapes! Pinning is allowed on my posts. You can pin a post by clicking the Pinterest icon at the top or bottom of the post or on the recipe card.
Will
World Champion of Potato Soups