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Spring Staples: Wild Garlic Oil, Mayonnaise & Pesto
There’s something magical about the first signs of spring: the tender shoots, the longer days, and the unmistakable aroma of wild garlic in the woods. It’s one of those seasonal ingredients that feels like a reward for making it through winter. Sharp, green, and alive with flavor, wild garlic (also called ramps, ramsons, or bear’s garlic) has a short season and a lot of potential. It’s perfect for light spring recipes and adds a burst of vibrant flavor to just about anything.
This post is all about three of my go-to wild garlic staples: oil, mayonnaise, and pesto. Each one is simple to prepare, takes less than 15 minutes, and opens up a world of possibilities in the kitchen. These aren’t just condiments; they’re flavor bases, finishing touches, and shortcuts to making a dish feel a little more special. Whether you’re swirling the oil into soup, spooning the mayo onto a sandwich, or tossing the pesto through hot pasta, these recipes bring spring straight onto your plate.
Wild Garlic: Free, Flavorful, and Full of Life
Wild garlic is one of nature’s most generous gifts. It’s rich in nutrients (especially vitamin C and iron) and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Its flavor is garlicky, of course, but gentler and greener than a clove of garlic. Almost like garlic’s wilder, more charming cousin.
Buying it at the store or market can be expensive, but if you’re lucky enough to live near a forest or riverbank where it grows, it’s completely free. It’s best harvested in early to mid-spring, when the leaves are tender and vibrant green. Always check local regulations before foraging, though, some places restrict wild plant harvesting to protect the ecosystem.
Wild garlic.
And be careful: wild garlic can be confused with toxic lookalikes, like lily of the valley or autumn crocus. The easiest way to check is to break a leaf and smell it, as wild garlic has a strong, unmistakable garlic scent. It grows in clusters, with broad, spear-shaped leaves and delicate white star-shaped flowers that bloom later in the season. When in doubt, don’t pick it.
Wild Garlic Oil: A Chef’s Secret Weapon
This oil is pure green gold. To make it, the garlic leaves are gently cooked in neutral oil at 90°C (195°F); just enough to release the flavor without destroying the color. Once it’s blended, it’s strained over a bowl set above an ice bath using a fine mesh strainer lined with cloth. This quick cooling is key to keeping that gorgeous green color intact. The cloth helps catch all the tiny particles and makes for a cleaner, more elegant oil.
If you want an even clearer result, let the oil rest in its container. The pale green sediment will settle at the bottom over time. You can also pour it into a piping bag and hang it up – the lighter green part collects at the tip, and you can simply snip it off to release only the darkest, clearest oil. It’s a neat trick, especially if you’re going for restaurant-style presentation.
Wild garlic oil.
How to use it? Drizzle it over a salad, mix it into mayo or hummus, use it as a base for vinaigrettes, or dot it on top of soups or roasted veggies for that finishing touch. It makes even the simplest dish feel refined. The finished oil needs to be stored in the fridge.
Wild Garlic Mayonnaise: Creamy, Punchy, Perfect
Once you’ve got that beautiful oil, the next step is mayonnaise. I love making mayo in a blender. It’s faster, easier, and honestly more fail-proof than whisking by hand. A handheld immersion blender works especially well (I recommend this one). While whisking is a lovely ritual, the blender just gets better results with less risk of breaking the emulsion.
Wild garlic mayonnaise.
I like to mix wild garlic oil with a bit of neutral oil in my mayo. Wild garlic can be strong, and this combo keeps it balanced. But feel free to play with the ratio. If you love bold flavors, go all in on the green stuff.
Wild garlic mayo is insanely versatile. Spread it on sandwiches, pile it onto burgers, or use it as a base for cold sauces like tartar or herbed dips. You can also use it in (or as) salad dressing. It’s silky, punchy, and keeps well in the fridge.
Wild Garlic Pesto: My Personal Favorite
Of all the wild garlic staples, pesto is my favorite. It’s rich, nutty, cheesy, and garlicky, but not in an overpowering way. Wild garlic brings a mellow warmth that blends beautifully with the cheese and nuts. I usually use pine nuts, but hazelnuts work beautifully too. Toast them lightly to bring out their flavor, and pulse everything together in a food processor (this one is excellent if you’re looking). The texture should be smooth but not too fine; leave a little rustic charm in there.
Wild garlic pesto.
For the cheese, I use a blend of Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. The Parmigiano adds nutty richness, while Pecorino brings a salty tang. Be generous with the cheese and olive oil. And here’s a tip: the pesto tastes even better the next day. A night in the fridge helps the flavors meld into a richer, more rounded sauce.
This pesto is perfect as a pasta sauce. just toss it with hot noodles and nothing else. Truly the easiest pasta dish ever. It’s also great on toast, pizza, grilled vegetables, or stirred into soup or risotto. Store it in the fridge.
Wild garlic pesto is perfect for a simple pasta lunch or dinner.
The Beauty of Wild Garlic Staples
Making these three staples – oil, mayonnaise, and pesto – takes just a little time and gives you a week or more of incredible flavor at your fingertips. They celebrate the season in the most delicious way and help you waste less by preserving wild garlic before it wilts.
Whether you’re foraging wild garlic yourself or splurging on a market bunch, these staples make the most of it. They’re quick, vibrant, and endlessly adaptable, just the kind of recipes spring calls for. So next time you’re out in the woods and smell that unmistakable scent, you’ll know exactly what to do with it.
These are my three go-to wild garlic staples: oil, mayonnaise, and pesto. Each one is simple to prepare, takes less than 15 minutes to make, and opens up a world of possibilities in the kitchen.
Total Time:10-15 minutes per staple
Yield:1 medium-sized jar of each staple 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Wild Garlic Oil
1 liter (4 ¼ cups) neutral cooking oil
1 liter (4 ¼ cups) wild garlic, roughly chopped
1 dl (⅖ cup) parsley, roughly chopped
Wild Garlic Mayonnaise
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 dl (⅖ cup) neutral cooking oil
1 ½ dl (⅗ cup) wild garlic oil
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Wild Garlic Pesto
100 g (3 ½ oz or ¾ cup) pine nuts or hazelnuts
4 dl (1 ⅔ cups) olive oil
70 g (2 ½ oz or ¾ cup) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
50 g (1 ¾ oz or ½ cup) Pecorino Romano, grated
1 liter (4 ¼ cups) wild garlic, roughly chopped
3 dl (1 ¼ cups) basil, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Wild Garlic Oil
Heat the neutral cooking oil to 90°C (195°F) in a pot.
Add the wild garlic and parsley, stir, and bring the oil back to 90°C (195°F).
Blend the oil, wild garlic, and parsley using a blender or food processor.
Place a bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice water. Set a fine mesh strainer lined with a straining cloth over the top bowl. Strain the oil and let it cool down completely.
Pour into a jar and store in the fridge.
Wild Garlic Mayonnaise
Add all the ingredients to a bowl or jar (if using a handheld blender) or to a stand blender.
Pulse until the mixture begins to emulsify, then blend until thick, smooth, and creamy. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Pour into a jar and store in the fridge.
Wild Garlic Pesto
Lightly toast the pine nuts or hazelnuts in a frying pan, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor.
Pulse until a fine pesto forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
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