11 Delicious Ramp Recipes to Celebrate Spring

Let’s celebrate spring with a collection of delicious ramp recipes! I discovered ramps, or wild leeks about a decade ago and look forward to cooking with them every spring. While I enjoyed ramps at restaurants, it wasn’t until seven years ago that a friend I met on Instagram sent me a box of ramps that he had harvested in upstate New York. What an incredible gift that was!

Another year we traveled to New York during spring and I brought back a few pounds of ramps from the Union Square Greenmarket. Since then, I’ve discovered that Specialty Produce and Whole Foods carry them in the spring. From ramp pesto, soup, tart, pizza, to scones and bread, you can’t go wrong with any of these recipes.

What Are Ramps

Ramps are a type of wild leeks (Allium tricoccum) native to the woodlands of North America. They are the first plants to appear in the spring, growing wild in only certain regions along the Appalachian ridge from Georgia to Quebec. In Europe, a similar species is called wild garlic (Allium ursinum) or ramsons.

What Do They Taste Like

Ramps taste like a cross between an onion and a garlic with a distinctive garlic kick. The leaves taste more mild compared to the bulb.

Where to Buy Ramps

Nowadays ramps are much more accessible due to its high demand during spring. Ramp leaves appear from March to April and last until around mid-May to June depending on where you are. You can find them at specialty produce stores, farmers markets, and online.

How to Choose Them

Pick ramps with fresh looking dark green leaves that are not wilted with a long stalk, about 10-12 inches.

How to Store Ramps

For fresh ramps, soak the roots in water for 30 minutes. Wrap the ramps in a paper towel and store them in a lidded container or ziplock bag for up to a week. To make them last longer, you can turn them into pesto and freeze the pesto. Another way I extend the season is to blanch the leaves, shock them in an iced water bath, squeeze out excess water, and store them in a zip lock bag. You can also clean the bulbs of any dirt, air dry them, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before storing them in a ziplock bag. Both the leaves and bulbs can stay in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How To Cook With Ramps

Every part of a ramp is edible from the roots, stems, to leaves. Trim off the roots at the end of the bulb and use the rest. Use ramps similar to how you would use scallions, leeks, or garlic. They are used as flavor enhancers and are quite versatile when it comes to cooking and baking.

a plate of ramp gnudi next to fresh chive blossoms

Wild Garlic Ramp Gnudi

Incredibly light and garlicky, these ramp gnudi taste wonderful with a brown butter sauce, freshly grated Parmesan, and chive blossoms.

Get the ramp gnudi recipe here!

baked ramp tart on platter next to chive blossoms

Ramp Olive Oil Tart

This ramp olive oil tart makes the perfect spring lunch with a garlicky, cheesy filling in contrast to an herby crust.

Get the tart recipe!

Parmesan Ramp Wreath Bread

The ramp wreath bread has layers of heady ramp pesto and Parmesan layered between warm, buttery dough.

Get the ramp wreath bread recipe!

baked ramps scones stacked on a cooling rack

Ramp Scones

These tender and flaky ramps scones are unapologetically garlicky and make an irresistible breakfast served warm from the oven with a generous smear of butter.

Get the ramp scone recipe!

Ramp Fava Bean Soup

This ramp fava bean soup is deeply satisfying with its velvety texture and subtle garlicky note.

Get the ramp fava bean soup recipe!

Steamed Razor Clams With Ramps and White Wine

My delicious, one pan wonder of steamed razor clams with ramps and white wine takes less than 15 minutes to cook. Slurp up the flavorful broth with delicate, sweet clam meat.

Get the ramp razor clams recipe!