Ramps are my love language, and I’m resolved to start every ramp-focused blog post with this ode to my love, like I did in my posts for Vegan Ramp Butter and Roasted Trout with Vegan Ramp Butter. When the calendar turns to April 1 each year, I find myself itching to know when they’ll show up at my local greenmarket. I know which farmers sell ramps, and as March turns to April, I start casually asking how the ramps are doing—while buying other provisions of theirs, of course.
That’s because there’s nothing like them. Spring garlic precedes ramps, and that’s a delicious varietal of garlic, for sure. But ramps, or wild leeks, have a taste and scent all their own. It’s not just oniony. It’s not just garlicky. It’s both.
There are myriad ways to prepare ramps, of course, like my Vegan Ramp Butter and Roasted Trout with Vegan Ramp Butter. But sometimes you just want a reliable sauce, and this is that. I leave the ramps raw, as opposed to blanching them, so as to preserve their flavor—and to have a fresh, raw sauce for Spring. This recipe makes 1/2 cup of sauce. I recognize that ramps are expensive, so I wanted to provide a serving size for roughly 1 bunch of ramps. But certainly double it if you want to make more!
The mustard lends the perfect creaminess, and some acidity. The bit of lemon adds some more acidity. I add only a touch of maple syrup for sweetness because too much sweetness would compete with that perfect oniony-garlicky flavor of the ramps. I also use just a little salt. I tested it with more salt, and it just didn’t work. Freshly-cracked black pepper works really well in this recipe, so you could add more to taste.
I enjoyed my sauce on super sweet cherry tomatoes, and it was super delicious. I even added some chopped ramp leaves on top after the photo. Delicious.
The necessary tool for this recipe is simply a food processor. And a spatula because you’re going to want to start stealing some tastes immediately! Enjoy, and leave a comment below if you try it! Or tag me on Instagram if you post it!
Creamy, garlicky, and a touch sweet, this sauce is the best way to enjoy those precious ramps. It’s a finger-licking kind of sauce!
5 minutes
5 minutes
Step 1
Wash the ramps, and cut and discard the small root at the base of the bulb. Chop the ramps roughly. Add ramps through pepper to a food processor. Process until the ramps are in small pieces, and the sauce begins to come together. Stream in the olive oil, and process until smooth.
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