Springtime Ramp Pasta Recipe

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If you love ramps, you've got to try this tasty ramp pasta recipe! It's got just the right amount of garlicky-oniony flavor paired with mellow pasta and parmesan for a flavorful springtime dinner.

Ramps are only in season for a short period in spring, so get your hands on them while you can! Check out our full list of ramp recipes to see other ways of using them.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Storage
• Ramp FAQs
• What to Serve with Ramp Pasta
• More Great Ramp Recipes
• Ramp Pasta

This lovely ramson pasta is a real springtime treat! It's one of my favorite ways to enjoy ramps. You can even freeze the ramp sauce and save it for later if you'd like to enjoy ramps year round!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this simple pasta dish.

• Fresh Ramps -
• Chunky Pasta -
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil -
• Parmesan Cheese -
• Fresh Basil -
• Pine Nuts -
• Citrus -
• Salt -

See the recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions till al dente. Drain pasta, but reserve ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce.

While the pasta cooks, toast the pine nuts over low heat in a small frying pan until golden brown.

Slice the stems off the ramps. Finely chop the stems and add them to the frying pan to cook for 3 minutes.

Then add the ramp leaves and let them wilt for 30 seconds.

Add the pine nuts, cooked ramp greens and stems, basil, parmesan cheese, garlic, sea salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend for 30 seconds. Add the olive oil and continue to blend till smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender or food processor when necessary.

Combine the ramp sauce, reserved cooking water, and cooked pasta. Stir till combined and serve immediately.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tips - Reserve a little pasta cooking water to add to the ramp mixture and cooked pasta. This will help the sauce spread more evenly over the pasta and because the water is starchy, it will make the sauce stick to the pasta.

Recommended Tools - I highly recommend using a small food processor or small blender to make the ramp sauce. Using a large blender is more difficult and will require you to scrape down the sides more often.

Storage

Leftover pasta will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container.

You can make the ramp pasta sauce and freeze it in a freezer-safe bag or container, for up to 6 months, if you'd like to enjoy ramps out of season!

Ramp FAQs

What are ramps?

Ramps (Allium tricoccum), also called wild leeks and wild spring onion, are a type of pungent wild onion found in Europe and North America. They have bright green leaves, a reddish white stalk, and a white bulb base.

What do ramps taste like?

Ramps have an onion and garlic-like flavor. They fall somewhere between the allium flavor of spring onions and leeks.

How to find ramps?

Ramps start to show up in early spring in warmer areas of the Southeastern US. If you are in the Northeastern United States or Midwest, you'll likely see them in mid to late spring. You can forage for them in wooded areas or purchase them from specialty produce stores and farmer's markets.

Please note that foraging for ramps is now actually illegal in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Quebec, as they have been overharvested there.

Are ramps sustainable?

Ramp bulbs and the hairy root ends should be left in the ground, allowing the ramps to grow back. To harvest ramps sustainably, just cut the stems and green leaves.

If you're buying ramps at a farmers' market, find out if they're wild ramps or if they're from a farm that specifically grows them to sell them with the bulbs.

How long can you keep ramps in the refrigerator?

Ramps can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Any longer than that and I find they start to wilt.

To keep them fresh, I suggest wrapping them in a paper towel in an airtight container or plastic bag. Or you can store them like cut flowers in a glass of cold water.

Are ramps the same as leek?

No, while ramps are sometimes called wild leek, they are different than regular leeks. Regular leeks may have a similar flavor but they are much larger and tougher - requiring them to be sauteed or cooked before eating.

What to Serve with Ramp Pasta

You can serve this dish on its own or pair it with a side salad or another main course like chicken or fish! Here are some good options.

• Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe - the best way to make mahi mahi. The savory flavors will pair perfectly with this pasta recipe.
• Baked Lemon Salmon Recipe - a simple main course that is easy to make and tastes great paired with pasta.
• Citrus Berry Spinach Salad - this fresh, fruity salad is super easy to pull together and makes a great side salad for pasta.
• Blood Orange and Avocado Salad - this bright and creamy salad has a zesty flavor and pairs well with the oniony flavor of ramp pasta.

More Great Ramp Recipes

• Ramp Butter - a delightful compound butter with fresh ramps that can be used on toast, sandwiches, and burgers.
• Ramp Pesto - a bright green pesto that's bursting with flavor. Use it like you would regular basil pesto.
• Ramp Omelet - a fantastic breakfast or brunch with ramps and feta.

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