Garlic Scape & Crispy Beef Stir Fry
If you are looking for a way to use garlic scapes, look no further than this Garlic Scape and Crispy Beef Stir Fry. Garlic scapes are stir fries with crispy beef, plus garlic, peppers and scallions and cooked in a delicious sauce for the perfect 30-minute one pan meal. 
This Garlic Scape and Crispy Beef Stir Fry is a delicious way to use garlic scapes. I love to go to Farmer’s Markets to find raw garlic scapes in late spring and early summer when they are in season. They are perfect for a stir fry or a garlic scape pesto recipe. When cooked garlic scapes become tender and have a texture similar to green beans with a delicious garlicky flavor. This stir fry is amazing served over a bed of white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice and is a great addition to your quick and easy weeknight dinners. So, if you’re wondering what to do with those garlic tops, look no further, this will quickly become your favorite way to cook with garlic scapes.
Why You Are Going To Love This Garlic Scape Stir Fry
- Garlic Scapes are often reserved for pesto or pickles, but this is a fun way to use them and switch up your usual weeknight stir fry.
- The beef is so crispy and delicious that I have to use so much willpower to stop eating it all while the veggies cook.
- This stir fry is a simple recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make in one pan, so it’s perfect for weeknight dinner.
- It’s incredibly versatile, feel free to add in other vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, asparagus or zucchini.
- This beef and garlic scapes recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal and easily modifiable to be Keto and Whole30.
- Leftovers taste just as good the next day!
What Are Garlic Scapes
I was given a bag of garlic scapes from a friend who bought them at the local farmer’s market and immediately started researching what the heck they were. Garlic scapes are slender, twisting green stems that usually appear in late spring or early summer and are often harvested before the garlic bulbs are ready. It turns out that garlic is one of only a few plants that have two harvests: the garlic scapes that grow out of the bulb and are harvested in late spring and early summer, and the bulbs, which are harvested in early fall. When growing garlic, so much of the plant’s energy goes into producing the green scapes that they must be cut off before flowering so that the head of garlic can channel energy into bulb growth.
Do Garlic Scapes Have A Strong Garlic Taste
Garlic scapes have a unique flavor similar to a scallion/green onion top or chive and have a less garlicky flavor than a garlic clove. The flavor of garlic scapes becomes a lot more mild when cooked, and they become slightly sweet in flavor whereas raw scapes have a much stronger garlicky taste. Their texture closely resembles a cooked green bean or asparagus spear.
Where To Buy Garlic Scapes
During early summer, there is usually an abundance of fresh garlic scapes at local farmers’ markets. You can also grow your own garlic and harvest scapes. I would recommend washing them and then storing them in a freezer bag. You will not likely find these green stalks in American grocery stores, but an Asian market/Chinese grocery store will very likely have them.
Ingredients You Will Need For This Garlic Scape and Crispy Beef Stir Fry Recipe
- Garlic scapes: You will need approximately 12 garlic scapes. Garlic scapes are the curly green tops of garlic plants and have a sweet and mild garlic flavor. You can also use scallion or chives in their place.
- Steak: You can use sirloin, flank or skirt steak cut into very thin strips. If you aren’t a fan of beef, you could also use thinly sliced pork loin, pork chops, or chicken.
- Spices: Sea salt and Pepper are the perfect simple spice combination.
Arrowroot starch: You can use tapioca starch or cornstarch to coat your steak too. If you don’t have a gluten issue, you could also use flour. - Oil: Avocado oil or coconut oil are great options for sauteeing and have a high smoke point. I recommend using refined coconut oil as it is neutral in flavor. You could also use a little olive oil.
- Aromatics: Yellow onion fresh garlic, and fresh ginger make an amazing sweet and savory flavor combination.
- Vegetables: I like to use thinly sliced yellow or orange bell peppers and one bunch of scallions/green onions. You could also use red or green bell peppers if you prefer.
- Coconut aminos: I love coconut aminos for this recipe. It has a delicious sweet, umami flavor and is gluten-free. You could also use tamari or soy sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar gives a sweet, acidic flavor to the sauce. You could also use white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Honey: Honey gives the sauce a delicious sweetness and stickiness to the sauce. You could use zero sugar honey if you are eating Whole30 or Keto, or you could use maple syrup, if you prefer.
- Sesame seeds: White sesame seeds are a classic Asian garnish and give a delicious nutty, crunch to finish it off.
You can find the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients
How To Make This Garlic Scape and Crispy Beef Stir Fry Recipe
- Start by preparing the garlic scapes. Remove any of the tough ends and then cut them into 2-inch pieces.
- Season the beef with salt, pepper and arrowroot powder. Add the beef in a single layer to the pan on medium-high heat and cook for approximately 2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp and then set aside.
- Add the garlic scapes to the pan and cook until they are slightly charred. While the scapes are cooking, make the sauce.
- Add in the onion, bell pepper, ginger, and sauce, and cook until the veggies are tender. Add in the chopped scallions and beef and cook for another 2 minutes until the beef is warmed through.
How To Prepare Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are incredibly easy to prepare and can be cut into small pieces or any desired length. You won’t want to eat the whole scapes stem. The thicker ends of the garlic scapes that are lighter in color can often be stringy and harder to chew. I recommend cutting this portion off the top of the scape so you are just left with the tender stem. If you have a young scape it will likely be more tender so you can eat the whole garlic scape (minus the flowering tops).
If I Can’t Find Garlic Scapes What Can I Use?
Unfortunately, these curly scapes can only be found during garlic scape season during the summer months, so if you would like to make this recipe when they are out of season, try adding in 3 crushed raw garlic cloves when cooking the ginger and use 2 cups of green beans in place of the garlic scapes.
Modifications
- The beef can be substituted for thinly sliced pork (tenderloin or chops) or chicken.
- If you are vegetarian, swap the beef for thinly sliced portobello or shiitake mushrooms, which will add a nice “meatiness” to the dish.
- If you are not following a grain-free or paleo diet, feel free to substitute the arrowroot powder with corn starch or potato starch, which will both result in crispy beef.
- To make this stir fry Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal, omit the arrowroot powder and instead, liberally season the beef with salt and pepper before cooking it. The beef will still be crispy and delicious even if you skip the arrowroot.
Can I Make This In Advance
If preparing this stir fry in advance, I recommend cooking the beef and setting it aside, then cooking the vegetables a few hours in advance. Keep the vegetables (including the charred garlic scapes) and beef separate and only combine them together right before serving to help ensure that the meat stays crispy.
What About Leftovers
Leftover Garlic Scape Stir Fry will last for up to 4 days in the fridge for next time when stored in an airtight container and can be reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop until warmed through. Unfortunately, any leftover beef loses its crispiness but is still delicious, and the coating helps the sauce to stick to the beef on all sides.
Here are a few more beef recipes that you might enjoy:
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Garlic Scape & Crispy Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 3 cups garlic scapes (approx 12 garlic scapes)
- 1 pound sirloin, flank or skirt steak cut against the grain into very thin strips
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp arrowroot starch or corn starch
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 bunch scallions cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp chopped ginger
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey (or 1 medjool date for whole30)*
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start by preparing the garlic scapes. Remove any of the tough ends and then cut them into 2 inch pieces. I leave the buds on but you can remove them if you prefer not to eat them.
- In a bowl season the thinly sliced beef with salt and pepper and toss to ensure the pieces are well coated before adding in the arrow root powder and stirring to ensure they are coated.
- Add the oil to a wok or large skillet on high heat. Add in half of the beef and cook for approximately 2 minutes per side until golden brown in colour and crisp. Once the beef is cooked set it aside in a bowl and repeat with the second batch of beef.
- Once all of the beef is cooked and set aside, add the garlic scapes to the pan and cook for approximately 4 minutes until charred.
- While the veggies are cooking make the sauce. In a bowl stir together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, honey and black pepper.
- Add in the onion, bell pepper and ginger and along with the sauce and cook for 3 minutes until the veggies are tender. Add in the chopped scallions and beef and cook for another 2 minutes until the beef is warmed through.
- The stir fry can be served on it's own or with cauliflower rice. Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
- if you are doing a Whole30 and using medjool dates in place of honey, blend the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar and date in a blender until smooth before adding it to the veggies.
Nutrition
This recipe was published on August 11, 2o22 and updated with new copy on April 7, 2025.
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