17 Recipes with Wild Garlic: Easy Ways to Use Ramsons

If you’ve picked a handful of wild garlic (also known as ramsons) during the short spring season, you might be wondering what to do with it.

The good news is there are loads of recipes with wild garlic, from pesto and pasta to butter, hummus, risotto, and soups. These fragrant spring leaves are incredibly versatile and can be used in everything from quick sauces to hearty main dishes.

Below you’ll find some of my favourite wild garlic recipes, including a few dedicated dishes as well as ideas where wild garlic can easily replace spinach in savoury recipes. If you're lucky enough to have a patch growing nearby, these simple recipes are a great way to make the most of wild garlic season. 🌿

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New to wild garlic? Start here

If you’re new to cooking with wild garlic, it’s worth learning a bit more about this seasonal ingredient before diving into the recipes. See my ultimate guide to wild garlic (ramsons) to learn what it is, how to identify it safely, where to find it in the UK, and how to prepare it for cooking.

Wild garlic as a substitute for spinach

Several of the savoury recipes below are essentially substituting spinach for wild garlic, since wild garlic leaves are tender and mild and work well in its place.

The 'garlicky' taste of wild garlic isn't quite as strong as garlic cloves once cooked, but you may also want to slightly reduce the amount of garlic where applicable in the respective recipe.

1. Wild Garlic Pesto

Wild garlic pesto – also known as ramson pesto – is one of the simplest and most popular ways to use freshly foraged leaves. This vegan version blends wild garlic with walnuts, olive oil, and nutritional yeast for a rich, garlicky sauce that’s perfect with pasta, bread, or roasted vegetables.

2. Wild Garlic Pasta

A simple wild garlic pasta is a great way to let the flavour of the leaves shine. In this quick recipe, wild garlic is paired with a creamy cashew-based sauce to create an easy weeknight meal that comes together in around 20 minutes.

Check out my full library of vegan pasta recipes.

3. Wild Garlic Soup

Wild garlic soup is a classic spring dish that makes the most of the tender green leaves that appear each year. This version uses potatoes to add body to the broth before blending everything together into a smooth, comforting soup.

I enjoy this with blobs of wild garlic pesto, a drizzle of cashew cream, and a sprinkling of super seed mix.

Check out my full library of vegan soup recipes.

4. Go-To Vegan Dal with Wild Garlic

This comforting lentil curry normally uses spinach, but chopped wild garlic leaves make a great seasonal alternative. Stir them in near the end of cooking so they wilt into the dal.

5. Couscous with Wild Garlic and Lemon

This simple couscous dish normally uses spinach, but wild garlic makes a fantastic seasonal substitute. Stirred through fluffy couscous with lemon, it adds a mild garlicky flavour that works beautifully in this quick vegan side.

6. Aloo Palak with Wild Garlic

Aloo palak – also known as palak aloo or sometimes saag aloo – is traditionally made with spinach, but wild garlic makes a wonderful seasonal substitute. Combined with spices, aromatics, and hearty potatoes, it creates a comforting curry that works perfectly as a vegan and gluten-free main or side.

7. Vegan Haggis Toastie with Wild Garlic

This haggis toastie is a great way to use up leftover vegan haggis while adding a burst of spring flavour. Featuring crispy toasted bread, gooey vegan cheese, and a layer of wilted wild garlic, it’s a brilliant example of how satisfying a simple toasted sandwich can be.

8. Smoky Butter Bean Soup with Wild Garlic

This creamy butter bean soup is a simple, comforting dish that adapts beautifully to wild garlic season. Blended with vegetables and smoky flavours, the addition of wild garlic lifts the whole thing with a gentle garlicky note.

9. Butter Bean Stew with Wild Garlic

This vibrant butter bean stew is hearty, healthy, and perfect for wild garlic season. Swapping spinach for chopped wild garlic adds a gentle garlicky flavour that pairs beautifully with the stew’s bright citrus notes, creating a satisfying vegan dinner that’s low-fat and gluten-free.

10. Scrambled Tofu with Wild Garlic

This eggy scrambled tofu is the perfect vegan alternative to scrambled eggs. Stirring in a handful of chopped wild garlic adds a fresh, garlicky flavour that works beautifully in this hearty, protein-packed dish that’s quick and easy to make.

11. Wild Garlic Butter

Wild garlic butter is one of the simplest ways to use freshly picked leaves. Just mix finely chopped wild garlic with softened vegan butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of salt for a flavourful spread that’s perfect on bread, potatoes, or roasted vegetables.

12. Wild Garlic Bread

Wild garlic bread is a quick and delicious twist on classic garlic bread. Stir chopped wild garlic into vegan butter, spread it over a sliced baguette, and bake until golden and fragrant.

13. Wild Garlic Hummus

Wild garlic hummus is a fresh spring take on the classic dip. Blend chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and a handful of wild garlic leaves for a vibrant green hummus with a gentle garlicky flavour.

If you haven't made it before, here's a simple hummus recipe to get you started.

14. Wild Garlic Risotto

Wild garlic risotto is a creamy, comforting dish that lets the flavour of the leaves shine. Stir chopped wild garlic into the risotto towards the end of cooking so it wilts gently into the rice.

I'd recommend trying this smoked tofu risotto as the base recipe.

15. Wild Garlic Potatoes

Wild garlic pairs beautifully with potatoes. Toss boiled new potatoes with chopped wild garlic, olive oil or vegan butter, and a pinch of salt for a simple seasonal side.

If you want to level up, look no further than this dairy-free potato salad.

Have fun!

If you’re new to cooking with wild garlic, don’t be surprised if it becomes a bit of an obsession... Once you start spotting those bright green leaves carpeting the woodland floor each spring, it’s hard not to imagine all the ways they could end up in the kitchen.

Whether you turn your foraged finds into pesto, stir them through pasta, or experiment with things like butter, hummus, or risotto, wild garlic is one of those ingredients that makes seasonal cooking feel especially rewarding.

Happy foraging and cooking – and may your spring walks always lead you to another patch of ramsons. 🌿

New to the world of foraging? Learn all about what wild garlic is and how to use it, or get up to speed on how to preserve wild garlic.

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