Learn how to make this irresistible garlic scape focaccia bread for you and your loved ones. It is garlicky, fresh, and boasts that delicious Unami flavor!

Once a year we get to enjoy this garlic scape focaccia bread, and it is treasured in our household! Garlic scapes are a delicacy of Spring around here. Only those that frequent farmer’s markets or grow a garden know what to do with garlic scapes.

We watch for them in late spring and enjoy the tender flower stalks of garlic that we grow every year. Some of our other favorite ways to use garlic scapes are on pizza or in quiche. When we have the pizza oven going, I like to throw in a tray of this garlic scape focaccia bread while it is hot!

This garlic scape focaccia bread is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I also love to make a savory garlic scape flatbread.

What are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the long slender flower stems that grow from the top of hard neck garlic. Up until recently these stems where simply considered by-products of garlic farming.

Thankfully garlic scapes are now sold at farmer’s markets around the country, usually in late Spring. this is because farmers need to harvest the garlic scapes early, so that the plant can direct its energy towards growing the bulb.

If you see something that looks like a super-long curly green bean with a tapering tip, you’re probably looking at a garlic scape! Harvest them by snapping off the step and enjoy this once-a-year treat.

Tools You’ll Need to Make Garlic Scape Focaccia Bread

A Large Bowl
Wooden Spoon
Tea Towel
Baking sheet

ingredients to make focaccia bread sitting on counter

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Garlic Scape Focaccia Bread

2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp honey
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided plus more for hands
4 Tbsp butter, plus more for pan
Flaky sea salt
Dried Italian herbs (like basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram)
3-4 garlic scapes, thinly sliced

hand holding garlic scapes over tray of focaccia bread

How to Make Garlic Scape Focaccia Bread

In a large bowl mix active dry yeast, honey, and water together.
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it foams or has a creamy appearance. If it doesn’t, that means your yeast is not active and you should start again.
Add flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until shaggy dough forms and no dry steaks remain.
Pour olive oil to the perimeter of your dough ball lifting the edges so the olive oil goes underneath. Cover with a tea towel.
Let dough sit on your counter for 3-4 hours OR in your refrigerator for up to one day. Dough should double in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size generously, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter a baking sheet. Be sure to butter well so the focaccia doesn’t stick. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the pan.
Gently lift the dough out of the bowl by giving the dough a quarter turn until the dough is release from the bowl.
Place the dough in the center of a well-greased baking sheet. Gently smooth and stretch the dough with your fingers until the dough covers the entire baking sheet.
Make dimples in the dough by pressing the dough down with both hands, like you are playing piano!
Once the dough is all dimply, drizzle a bit of olive oil over the surface, sprinkle with salt, Italian herbs and thinly sliced garlic scapes.
Bake focaccia until it is puffed and golden brown all over, 20-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and slice into 12 generous squares.

Garlic Scape Focaccia Bread Tips

Garlic scape focaccia is best eaten the day it is made, but it will keep well in the freezer if you slice it and store it in a freezer safe container. Then, when you are ready to eat, reheat it on a baking sheet in a 300 degree oven.
Start with the best flour! We grind our own and for more delicate recipes buy an organic pastry flour in bulk.
Don’t skimp on the herbs, salt, and seasonings on top!

What goes well with Garlic Scape Focaccia?

This recipe is so versatile because it can be used as a dinner-side to an element on a charcuterie board. Here is some of the food that we like to pair this focaccia bread:

Hummus
Roasted Vegetables
Pasta dish
Use as a sandwich bread
Soup
Salad- Kale, Cranberry, Pecan, and Feta Salad is Delicious!
Serve as a snack with dried fruit and nuts
Serve at breakfast with eggs
You can easily turn this into croutons

Garlic Scape Focaccia Bread

Learn how to make this irresistible garlic scape focaccia bread for you and your loved ones. It is garlicky, fresh, and boasts that delicious Unami flavor!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp honey
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided plus more for hands
4 Tbsp butter, plus more for pan
Flaky sea salt
Dried Italian herbs (like basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram)
3-4 garlic scapes, thinly sliced

Instructions

In a large bowl mix active dry yeast, honey, and water together.
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it foams or has a creamy appearance. If it doesn't, that means your yeast is not active and you should start again.
Add flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until shaggy dough forms and no dry steaks remain.
Pour olive oil to the perimeter of your dough ball lifting the edges so the olive oil goes underneath. Cover with a tea towel.
Let dough sit on your counter for 3-4 hours OR in your refrigerator for up to one day. Dough should double in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously butter a baking sheet. Be sure to butter well so the focaccia doesn't stick. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the pan.
Gently lift the dough out of the bowl by giving the dough a quarter turn until the dough is release from the bowl.
Place the dough in the center of a well-greased baking sheet. Gently smooth and stretch the dough with your fingers until the dough covers the entire baking sheet.
Make dimples in the dough by pressing the dough down with both hands, like you are playing piano!
Once the dough is all dimply, drizzle a bit of olive oil over the surface, sprinkle with salt, Italian herbs and thinly sliced garlic scapes.
Bake focaccia until it is puffed and golden brown all over, 20-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and slice into 12 generous squares.