By Candice Walker on April 11, 2024 (Last updated April 11, 2024) This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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This ramp pesto is hands down my favorite pesto. Ramps are like a cousin of garlic and onion – they’re in the allium family and have a distinct, bold pungency with a subtle sweetness.
🌟 Why you’ll love this recipe
Complex flavor with only four ingredients – A classic basil pesto has oil, garlic, pine nuts, and basil. The ramps fill the garlic and basil role to offer an even better taste and texture while reducing the number of ingredients.
The flavor of ramps gets to shine – This pesto allows the flavor of the ramps to impress you. On the first bite, there’s a potent burst of garlicky pungency which develops into a delicate earthiness just like wild mushrooms. It’s truly the pesto of your dreams!
Special and unique pesto – Ramp pesto could be considered a delicacy because ramps are in season for such a short time. This pesto takes advantage of this amazing ingredient and will be the talk of the dinner table. Another unique pesto is this purslane pesto.
💚 Extra special recipe 💚
This recipe is extra special for me because my friend Justin shared it with me. He has a blog that focuses on BBQ & smoker recipes. Be sure to check out all the tips & guides at Salt Pepper Skillet.
🌱 When and Where Can I Find Ramps?
Ramps a.k.a wild leeks or spring onions are in the allium family, closely related to onions, garlic, and shallots. The exact time that ramps are in season varies across North America, but you typically start to see them in early spring, and ramp season generally spans from March to May.
I usually find my ramps at a local farmers’ market in early April, after keeping an eye out for them for weeks! I think this is the best place to find them. You can forage them, but I would only recommend doing this if you have experience foraging wild herbs and plants. You can learn about foraging ramps in my guide to ramps.
Ramps resemble a variety of other plants including poisonous lily of the valley, so you must know how to identify them and forage them safely.
🧾 Ingredients in Ramp Pesto
Ramp leaves – We need only the leaves for this recipe, not the stems or bulbs. You can forage these wild, or find them at farmers’ markets.
Pine nuts – Pine nuts are traditional and give that distinct pesto flavor and a close second favorite is pistachios in this recipe.
Olive oil – This is crucial for flavor and texture. Use as high a quality olive oil as you can get your hands on for this recipe.
Parmesan – This adds a creaminess, saltiness, and nuttiness to the pesto. Some suitable alternatives would be grana padano or pecorino romano.
Salt & pepper – Adjust these to season the pesto to your preference.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
First, blanch the ramp leaves in for 15 seconds in boiling water.
Transfer ramp leaves immediately into an ice bath
Squeeze out as much of the water as you can from the ramp leaves.
Next, toast pine nuts over medium heat. Keep a close eye on them and stir regularly to make sure they don’t burn.
Add the blanched ramp leaves and nuts to the bowl of a food processor or blender. With the food processor on, slowly add the olive oil.
Finely grate the parmesan into a medium-sized bowl. The parmesan is salty so we don’t add salt until the end of the process.
Add the contents of the food processor to the parmesan to bring your ramp pesto together.
Taste test the pesto and add salt and pepper to your liking.
I used my ramp pesto as a pasta sauce, and it was divine!
💚 Pro Pesto Tip 💚
Use this pesto as a spread for sandwiches, as a dip for fresh veggies, and even as a pizza sauce! Try it in this focaccia pizza 👌
🏆 Tips for The Best-Tasting Pesto
Use the freshest, most high-quality ingredients – in simple recipes with only a few ingredients, the quality of each element matters. Using high-quality olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan, and fresh ramps will take this pesto to the next level.
Always toast nuts – toasting the pinenuts helps release their aroma and flavor, adding a more complex warm nuttiness to the pesto. It takes a little extra time but is 100% worth it.
Blanch the ramp leaves – You could skip this step and not sacrifice taste, but blanching the leaves gives the pesto that enticing vibrant green color. It enhances your presentation and how appetizing the pesto looks.
🥡 How to Store Ramp Pesto
Keep this pesto in an airtight container like a jar or small plastic tub. It should have a tight seal.
The pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I advise eating it in 2-3 days for maximum freshness.
🍴More Ramp Recipes
Ramps are more versatile than you think! Here are some creative ways to use them.
Ramp pesto is hands down my favorite pesto. Ramps are a cousin of garlic and onion and have a distinct, bold pungency with subtle sweetness.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American, Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 494kcal
Ingredients
7oz.ramp leaves1 lb. of ramps with bulbs and roots
2/3cuppine nutsor pistachios
1/2cupolive oilplus more to get to the right consistency
3/4cupparmesangrated
salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Blanch* the leaves in for 15 seconds in boiling water then immediately transfer to an ice bath. Then, squeeze out the water.
Toast pine nuts over medium heat. Keep your eye on them to make sure they don't burn.
Add the blanched leaves and nuts to the bowl of a food processor or blender. With the food processor on, slowly add the olive oil.
Finely grate the parmesan into a medium sized bowl. The parmesan is salty so we don't add salt until the end.
Add the contents of the food processor to the parmesan.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
* You can skip blanching the leaves, however, the pesto will have a less vibrant green color.This recipe works best with just the leaves, which is also the most sustainable usage of ramps. If I have the bulbs, I will trim the bottom roots off, slice the bulbs in half, and crosswise into smaller pieces. Then, heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Sautée the ramp bulbs with a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until they start to become translucent. Stir into the pesto.
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.
