Skip to content

Green Garlic

Green garlic is young garlic harvested in early spring before the bulb has fully formed — it looks similar to a thick scallion, with a white base shading into green stalks, and no papery outer skin yet. At Cold Springs Organics it’s one of the earliest spring crops, available for just a few weeks in April and May. The flavour is fresh, mild, and clearly garlic without the sharpness of a cured clove — a seasonal treat worth using generously.

  • Refrigerate loosely wrapped or in a produce bag in the crisper drawer; green garlic keeps for up to a week.
  • The green tops wilt faster than the white base — use the tops first if stored longer.
  • Green garlic does not keep as long as cured bulbs; treat it more like a fresh herb than a pantry staple.

Rinse well under cold water. Trim the root end and any dry or damaged outer layer. The entire plant is usable: the white and pale green base is used like a garlic clove (minced, sliced, or sautéed); the green tops can be used like scallion greens — sliced thin and added at the end of cooking or used raw. No peeling needed.

  • Sautéed as a base — slice the white part and cook gently in olive oil or butter 2–3 minutes before adding other ingredients; it imparts a mild, sweet garlic flavour.
  • Raw in dressings or dips — mince finely and whisk into vinaigrettes, aioli, or yogurt-based dips for fresh garlic flavour without harshness.
  • Roasted — halve lengthwise, brush with oil, and roast at 400°F for 15–20 minutes until tender and lightly golden.

Green garlic scrambled eggs — cook sliced green garlic in butter until soft, pour in beaten eggs, and scramble gently; finish with the sliced green tops and a pinch of flaky salt.