If you’re into foraging, or happen to have a patch of wild garlic growing in your garden, you’ve probably experienced that short but intense season when it’s suddenly everywhere. I’m a huge fan of wild garlic when it’s fresh. It’s bright, garlicky, super versatile to use, and simply fun to pick. But it also disappears just as quickly. That’s why it’s such a good idea to preserve some while it’s in season, so you can enjoy it until the next season starts again.
That’s why I wanted to share with you my 5 favorite ways to preserve wild garlic.
What is wild garlic?
Wild garlic (Allium ursinum), also known as ramsons or bear’s garlic, is a leafy green plant that grows in forests and shady areas across Europe in early spring. It has long and soft green leaves and a distinct garlic smell, which makes it easy to recognize once you know what to look for.
The flavor is fresh and mildly garlicky, kinda less sharp than raw garlic cloves, but still very aromatic. It’s often used in pestos, soups, spreads, sauces, or simply sautéed like spinach.
How to identify wild garlic
The easiest way to identify wild garlic is by its smell. If you gently rub a leaf between your fingers, it should smell clearly like garlic. If it doesn’t, don’t pick it.
Wild garlic has long, soft, matte green leaves that grow individually from the ground, often covering large areas like a carpet. Later in the season, it also produces small white star-shaped flowers (that are also edible).
Be careful not to confuse it with toxic lookalikes like lily of the valley or autumn crocus. These plants look similar but do not smell like garlic and are poisonous. When in doubt, always double-check or go foraging with someone experienced.
When harvesting, try not to overpick. Only take one or two leaves per plant so it can keep growing, and never pull out the bulb, so the plant can come back year after year. Taking a little from each plant instead of a lot from one spot helps keep the patch healthy too.
5 Ways to Preserve Wild Garlic
There are several easy ways to preserve wild garlic, depending on how you like to use it later. Here are five simple methods I like to use each year:
1. Fermenting
Chop wild garlic roughly and mix it with salt (2-3% of the weight). Pack it tightly into a clean jar so it releases its juices, then let it ferment at room temperature for a few days to a week. This creates a tangy and flavorful ferment, that can be served as a side dish or healthy topping for sandwiches, pasta, or salads. You can also chop the wild garlic finely and ferment it that way. It creates a paste that works great in sauces, dressings, or spreads.
You can add extras to your fermented wild garlic as well. I especially like fenugreek and chili flakes, but black pepper, Sichuan pepper, caraway seeds or allspice are great additions too.
2. Blanching and freezing
Blanch the leaves briefly (about 30 seconds), then transfer them to ice water. Squeeze out excess moisture and freeze in small portions. This helps preserve the color and flavor while making it easy to use later in cooked dishes.
Simply use it as you would use frozen spinach.
3. Making pesto
Probably the most popular way to enjoy wild garlic, and for a good reason!
Simply blend wild garlic with oil, nuts or seeds, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan, a little lemon juice, and salt to make a simple pesto. Store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for longer storage. This is one of the easiest and most versatile ways to preserve it.
4. Drying
You can air-dry or use a dehydrator (or oven) to dry wild garlic leaves. Once fully dried, crumble them into a green herb mix or blend with salt to make wild garlic salt. The flavor is milder than fresh but still lovely.
5. Freezing with oil
Blend wild garlic with olive oil and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a container or bag. This is perfect for quickly adding flavor to soups, pasta, or sautéed dishes.
More wild garlic recipes to try:
- Creamy Butter Beans with Wild Garlic
- Vegan Spinach Yogurt Dip with Wild Garlic
- Wild Garlic Cheese Stuffed Vegan Challah
- Savoury Chickpea Crepe Cake with Wild Garlic Zucchini Spread
- Creamy Wild Garlic Spring Pasta
5 Ways to Preserve Wild Garlic
Ingredients
- 7 oz/200 g wild garlic leaves
- 2/3 tsp (or 2% of weight)
- extra flavorings of your choice (optional): chili flakes, fenugreek, black pepper corns, Sichuan pepper, caraways seeds, etc.
- 7 oz/200 g wild garlic leaves
- water + ice
- 3.5 oz/100 g wild garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup toasted nuts or seeds (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds or cashews)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt, pepper
- wild garlic leaves
- salt
- 7 oz/200 g wild garlic
- 1 cup/250 ml olive oil
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
1. Fermented Wild Garlic
- Chop wild garlic, and add to a bowl with salt. Massage the leaves with clean hands for a couple of minutes, until they turn dark and soft, and release some juice.
- If you are adding extras like chili, fenugreek or pepper corns, add them to the wild garlic at this point, and mix well.
- Pack tightly into a clean jar, pressing it down until the liquid covers the leaves. Place a fermenting weight or a small plate on top, and close the jar loosely. Let ferment at room temperature for 3-7 days. Store in the fridge for up to a year once it reaches your desired flavor.
2. Blanched & Frozen Wild Garlic
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add wild garlic leaves, and blanch them for 30 seconds, or until just wilted. Then transfer immediately to ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess moisture.
- You can keep the leaves whole or chop them roughly. Portion and freeze in airtight containers or bags, then use as you’d use frozen spinach.
3. Wild Garlic Pesto (Freezer-Friendly)
- Add ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Portion into small jars, and store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
4. Dried Wild Garlic / Wild Garlic Salt
- Wash and dry leaves thoroughly. Using a dehydrator, or oven at the lowest temperature (105–120°F/40-50°C) dry wild garlic until fully crisp (it can take up to 12 hours).
- Crumble the leaves for a course texture, or pulse in a food processor for a finer texture, and store in an airtight container.
- If making wild garlic salt, mix dried wild garlic powder with salt. I like to use 1 part dried wild garlic to 2-4 parts of salt, but you can very much go with whatever ratio tastes best for you. Store wild garlic salt in an airtight container.
5. Wild Garlic Oil Cubes (Freezer)
- Add wild garlic and olive oil to a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
- Once frozen, transfer to a container or freezer bag. Use cubes as little wild garlic flavor bombs in cooking.
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