• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Peel with Zeal

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • GF Resources
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • GF Resources
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Gluten-Free Sauces and Salad Dressings

    Published: Apr 23, 2018 · Modified: Mar 8, 2022 by Jen Wooster

    Ramp Pesto

    404 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Email
    - Jump to Recipe -
    ramp pesto in bowl on wooden table.
    ramp pesto over pasta.
    ramp pesto.

    The perfect spring recipe is our wild ramp pesto. Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are the perfect mix of garlicky, oniony, and chive flavors. They are only around for a few short weeks each spring so run, don’t walk, to your farmers market this weekend to pick up your wild ramps. Make extra to freeze!

    ramp pesto in bowl on wooden table.

    This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!

    Why This Recipe Works

    The bright green leaves of ramps are reminiscent of basil. This is probably why someone first decided ramps need to be made into pesto.

    And honestly, that person was right! You can chop ramps up in salads, you can pickle the ends, and you can saute the greens. But pesto is truly the one and only magical way to eat pasta.

    This pesto recipe features walnuts rather than pricey pine nuts. I love the earthy flavor walnuts give. They stand up to the ramps and give a beautiful texture to the sauce.

    Serve it over pasta, pair it with our fresh and bright San Marzano tomato sauce or dip garlic bread in it. Just make it!

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • All About Ramps
    • 🧾Recipe Ingredients
    • How to Make Ramp Pesto
    • 👩🏻‍🍳Expert Tip
    • 💭 Variations
    • 🌡️Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    • ⭐Reviews

    All About Ramps

    Ramps are often called spring onions or wild leeks but they are neither. They have a stronger garlic flavor with a bit of sweetness like an onion.

    Ramps are not easily cultivated, therefore they must have to be foraged. They grow wild in the eastern US and Canada and are in season for 2 to 6 weeks during the early Spring.

    I typically find them at specialty grocers and farmer's markets but you might find them in your own backyard.  

    fresh ramps.

    How to Store Ramps

    If the ramps haven't been cleaned at all rinse the majority of dirt off and drain in the sink. Don't worry if they come covered in mud- that is totally normal.

    Next, roll them in a damp paper towel, place them in a plastic bag, unsealed. and keep them in the fridge. Make all the leaves are covered by the towel and don't bend or crush the plant.

    Warning, your entire refrigerator now smells like garlic.

    How to Clean Wild Ramps

    First off, ramps require a significant amount of cleaning. These babies are special and therefore so worth the extra effort.

    1. Rinse ramps under cool running water.
    2. Discard any tough, overly large leaves unless your recipe involves pureeing. (They offer a lot of flavor, but can be difficult to chew).
    3. Trim off roots.
    4. Pull back and peel off any translucent skins (these are similar to the skins you find on scallions or green onions). Warning- they do feel a bit slimy.
    5. Give a final rinse until the water is clear and the ramps are free of dirt and sand.

    How to Use Ramps in Recipes

    Now that they are cleaned up, how do we use wild ramps in our cooking?

    We use ramps in 4 ways:

    Pesto- always a favorite, and great over pasta, fish, meat or veggies. You can even substitute it for the basil pesto on our roasted veggie sandwich.

    Grilled- keep them whole and cook them hot, just like a charred scallion.

    Sauté- caramelize the white and pink parts, throw in the green tops at the end. They pare especially well with mushrooms. But personally, we like them with roasted watermelon radishes.

    Pickled- Pickling the bottoms and use in your favorite East Asia or Indian dishes. A great way to keep the wild ramp love going past Spring.

    🧾Recipe Ingredients

    This recipe uses the standard pesto format. Replacing wild ramps for basil leaves and walnuts for pine nuts.

    If you have walnut oil on hand I prefer that over olive oil in this pesto recipe. Walnut oil adds a lovely richness to the pesto. Whichever oil you choose, make sure it is high quality as the oil adds a lot to the flavor.

    ramp pesto ingredients.

    How to Make Ramp Pesto

    Once you have your ramps cleaned and prepped, this pesto comes together quickly.

    Step 1- Toasted Walnuts

    Just like with all pesto, we toast the walnuts first to bring out their nuttiness. Add

    the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. This helps to bring out their flavor. Be sure to watch them carefully as they can burn quickly.

    Once the walnuts are toasted, add them to a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times to break up the pieces.

    Step 2- Saute

    This ramp pesto has a twist.  Sautéing the white and greens part for just a couple of minutes will bring out a sweetness that perfectly complements the garlicky bite. This is what makes ramp pesto so different than a traditional basil pesto recipe.

    The ramps should be sauteed over low heat and maintain their beautiful color.

    Step 3- Blend

    Add the wild ramps, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the food processor. With the food processor running slowly drizzle in the oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    ramp pesto over pasta.

    👩🏻‍🍳Expert Tip

    Some chefs may tell you they blanch the green leaves to keep their vibrant color. I don’t find this really matters if you are eating the pesto right away or freezing it.

    💭 Variations

    To make this recipe vegan substitute 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast for the parmesan cheese.

    Note that parmesan cheese is not vegetarian as it contains rennent. Try using Romano or Asiago cheese as a substitute.

    🌡️Storage

    Wild ramps should not be frozen whole but the prepared pesto can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days or frozen up to 3-4 months.

    I prefer to freeze pesto in ice cube trays for easy use. Once frozen the blocks can be removed from the tray and moved to a ziptop freezer bag.

    If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave us a rating or a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with our food.

    📖 Recipe

    ramp pesto in bowl with spoon.

    Ramp Pesto

    Recipe Created By: Jen Wooster
    The best ramp pesto made with wild leeks and walnuts for a bold sauce that is perfect on pasta, breadm, and veggies.
    5 from 29 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Sauce
    Cuisine American, French, Italian
    Servings 6
    Calories 231 kcal

    Equipment

    • Blender or food processor
    • Small saute pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 bunch wild ramps
    • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
    • ½ cup walnut oil, divided or extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
    • kosher salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Thoroughly clean ramps. Separate green leaves from white/ pink roots. Roughly chop.
      1 bunch wild ramps
    • Place a saute pan over medium high heat, toast the walnuts 3 to 5minutes. Keep a close eye, walnuts go from toasty to burnt quickly. Add toasted walnuts to blender or food processor. Give it a quick whirl to to break up the pieces.
      ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
    • Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium. Add 1-2 tablespoon of walnut oil to the pan. Add green and white ramp parts, saute 3 to 5 minutes until soften. Move to blender.
      1 bunch wild ramps, ½ cup walnut oil, divided
    • Add green ramp leaves, lemon juice, cheese, and pinch of salt to blender. Pulse to combine. Slowly add the walnut oil while blending on high speed. Start with a ⅓ cup of walnut oil and add more, if needed, to get to desired consistency.
      ½ cup walnut oil, divided, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, kosher salt and pepper
    • Adjust salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

    Notes

    • It is optional to blanch the green ramp leaves. I only do this if I am making the pesto ahead of time and want to ensure it stays vibrant green.
    • Sauteeing the wild ramps is an optional step but I find it brings out a bit of the natural sweetness.
    • Pesto will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 231kcal | Carbs: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 23g | Fiber: 1g
    Keyword Ramps, Spring Pesto, wild onion pesto, Wild Onions, Wild Ramps
    Tried this recipe?Tag us @peelwithzeal so we can see your creation!

    Easy Ramp Pesto Recipe Web Story

    Next Recipe

    • House Salad Dressing
    • Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Mango Habanero Salsa
    404 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Join the Discussion Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Butterfly says

      April 30, 2022 at 1:44 pm

      I'm confused. In #3 it says "Add green and white ramp parts, saute 3-5 minutes...." In #4 it says "Add green ramp leaves, lemon juice..." Are the leaves being sauteed? I ended up sauteing both and adding to the food processor. Seems like way too much oil too. It was almost runny.

      Reply
      • Melanie says

        May 22, 2022 at 1:01 pm

        5 stars
        I noticed this too. I've made my foraged ramp pesto many times before, but never sauteed any of it. So I halved the bulbs and sauteed them throwing in a small handfull of leaves. I'm very glad I didn't do more, as they cooked down very quickly leaving a cooked spinach sized portion. Cooking the bulbs did take a bit of the bite out. I doubled the recipe, using about 25 ramps (I wondered what constituted a "bunch" as well). It came out very well! Next time I'll go back to no sautee, olive oil and pine nuts and compare the two.

        Reply
    2. Heather says

      April 16, 2022 at 7:43 pm

      What is one bunch?

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        April 23, 2022 at 5:44 pm

        You should be able to hold the stems in hand.

        Reply
      • Melanie says

        May 22, 2022 at 1:02 pm

        5 stars
        See my reply to Butterfly?

        Reply
        • Jen Wooster says

          May 24, 2022 at 8:12 am

          5 stars
          Yes thank you for your feedback. Much appreciated!

          Reply
    3. Swathi says

      March 25, 2020 at 9:51 pm

      5 stars
      I am yet to cook with wild ramps sounds like they make excellent pesto I am going to check it out after the current situation. Love that gluten free pasta great with pesto.

      Reply
    4. Leslie says

      March 25, 2020 at 5:35 pm

      Oh my goodness. Your ramps pesto looks divine! What a clever recipe!

      Reply
    5. Uma Srinivas says

      March 24, 2020 at 11:26 pm

      5 stars
      This pesto sounds awesome. I like to try different types of pesto recipes. Looks yummy!

      Reply
    6. Pavani says

      March 24, 2020 at 6:59 pm

      5 stars
      I have heard a lot about ramps but never tried them. Your wild ramp pesto sounds absolutely delicious and has a very vibrant color. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.

      Reply
    7. Noelle says

      March 24, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      I have never ad ramps before but they were delicious and I really love the pesto recipe, all-around great recipe!

      Reply
    8. Emily Liao says

      March 24, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great homemade pesto recipe! The flavors are so fresh and the consistency is perfect for pasta.

      Reply
    9. Patrice says

      March 24, 2020 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      I've never cooked with wild ramps before so I learned something new! Always love new pesto ideas.

      Reply
    10. Katie says

      March 24, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious! Can't wait to try it.

      Reply
    11. Diana Reis says

      March 24, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      I love alternatives to basil for pesto. Great choice and great recipe.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome Friends!

    picture of Jen

    My name is Jen and I am the recipe developer, writer, and photographer around here. Since being diagnosed with celiac disease over 10 years ago I have been slowly curating a recipe box full of gluten-free goodness. I adore vegetables, crave chocolate, and I am always up for an adventure.

    Subscribe

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Roast Turkey with Sage and Orange
    • How to Dry Brine a Turkey
    • Homemade Turkey Broth
    • Citrus and Herb Cornish Hens
    • Cranberry Gin Cocktail
    • Cranberry Jalapeno Dip

    Popular Recipes

    • Parmesan Roasted Zucchini and Squash
    • San Marzano Tomato Sauce
    • Demerara Syrup
    • Tanghulu
    • Easy Dog Birthday Cake
    • Easy Oven Roasted Eggplant Slices

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Check out our new Web Stories

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Partnerships

    Copyright © 2022 Peel with Zeal