Foraging Wild Garlic & Pesto Making

A springtime forage for wild garlic, a family recipe, and a delicious sandwich

Pesto, a sauce born in Genoa in northern Italy, has long been made with crushed garlic, basil, and pine nuts, blended with olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano—sometimes with Fiore Sardo, a sheep’s milk cheese.

Pistou, its French cousin, is a simpler mix of basil, garlic, and olive oil. Unlike pesto, it contains no nuts. However, it does include Italian cheese. Pistou comes from Nice in Provence, where Mediterranean olive oil replaces butter, and, additionally, more herbs and vegetables are incorporated into traditional French cuisine.

Both names come from the Latin pestare, meaning “to pound.” Traditionally, both sauces were made using a mortar and pestle. That slow preparation still has its charm.

This weekend, we decided to enrol our granddaughters—Marley and Lola—in a little adventure: making wild garlic pesto from scratch.

There’s something beautifully simple about foraging. First, it clears your head, then it gets you into nature, and ultimately, it reminds you how generous the wild can be. Above all, there’s no greater pleasure than cooking with something you’ve found yourself.

Spring is the perfect time to hunt for wild garlic. The season starts in late winter and runs through to late spring. You’ll often smell its galicky scent before you see it.

Wild garlic loves damp, shady spots. You’ll find it near caves and riverbanks—places like White Fathers’ or Cradle Hole Caves, or the beautiful Cladagh Glen.

We headed for a dander at the foot of the Magho Cliffs, first wandering along the shore near the Magho jetty. All around us, the ground was carpeted in lush green — wild garlic leaves and delicate white flowers — both easy to spot and smell.

Once home, the mission continued—time to make our some pesto from our foraging of wild garlic!
We didn’t have pine nuts, so we improvised with walnuts (which added a lovely earthiness).

We blended everything together—tasting as we went to get the flavour just right.

A sandwich of dreams: seeded bread, wild garlic pesto, creamy goat cheese, and sweet cherry tomatoes. 🌿🍅

✅ Note: Both the leaves and flowers are edible!

This versatile plant deserves a spot in every spring kitchen.

The flavour is much milder than regular garlic, making it easy to pair with other ingredients

Wild garlic isn’t just tasty—it’s traditionally known for its health benefits too:

⚠️ Wild Garlic Foraging Warning:

Before flowering, wild garlic can be mistaken for Lily of the Valley, which is toxic.
Always check the smell—wild garlic has a strong, distinctive garlicky aroma.

Isabelle.