This wild garlic bread was one of the first ways I discovered to use wild garlic in the kitchen. It’s an easy, delicious way to showcase the bright, garlicky flavour of the leaves and flowers.
*post originally written in 2013, updated 2022
Living on the south coast of Cornwall has its benefits: while some regions were seeing snow, I was out gathering wild garlic in warm spring sunshine. The lane hedgerows were carpeted with it. I only found a few flowers in bloom, but there were plenty of flavorful leaves ready to harvest.
Wild Garlic Bread
All parts of wild garlic are edible, but please be mindful of local regulations: in the UK it’s illegal to dig up plant bulbs from hedges or public land. For this recipe I used only the leaves, saving the flowers for garnish. Later in the season I often include the flowers too; they are milder in flavour and give a subtler colour.
You can use ramsons (wild garlic) or three-cornered leek, or a mix of both, depending on what you find.
How to make wild garlic bread
This is an easy recipe that uses a convenient shortcut: part-baked baguettes from the store. You can, of course, use a freshly baked loaf—just reduce the baking time accordingly.
1/ Clean your wild garlic
Depending on where you picked it from, cleaning may be minimal. Mine came from a stream at the bottom of a private field, so there was no road pollution or pet mess. I simply removed stray grass blades and any damaged leaves. If you do need to wash the leaves, shake them well and dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel before making the butter to avoid watery butter.
2/ Chop the wild garlic
Use a sharp knife to finely chop the leaves. If you’re using a food processor you can skip the manual chopping. I reserved the small white flowers to scatter on top of the finished bread, then chopped the stalks along with the leaves.
3/ Make the wild garlic butter
Place the chopped wild garlic into a bowl with softened butter and a pinch of salt. Mash together with a fork until well combined. Room-temperature butter mixes easily and yields a vibrant green, aromatic garlic butter.
When fully mixed you’ll have a fragrant, herby butter perfect for spreading.
4/ Slice the part-baked baguettes
Arrange the baguettes on a lined baking sheet. Using a bread knife, slice about three-quarters of the way through the loaf at roughly one-inch intervals. Spread the garlic butter generously between each slice so every bite is rich with flavour.
5/ Bake the wild garlic bread
Preheat the oven according to the part-baked baguette packaging (or to 220°C / 420°F if using fresh bread). Bake until the tops are golden and the bread is heated through, about 8–10 minutes depending on your oven and the type of bread.
Once baked, tear open the loaf and enjoy the warm, buttery garlic aroma. It’s simple and so tasty.
The full recipe is below — if you try it, feel free to tag me on social media as @hedgecomber. Jane x
PS If you’re looking for more wild garlic inspiration, you might enjoy my other recipes like wild garlic dumplings, egg mayo, chicken Kiev or a fennel and wild garlic salad.
This wild garlic bread is an easy, tasty way to use foraged ramsons or three-cornered leek.
Side Dish
British
wild garlic bread, wild garlic bread recipe
-
80
g
butter
– softened -
6
tbsp
wild garlic
– chopped (about one small handful) -
1/2
tsp
salt -
2
small
baguette
– part-baked are ideal, but ready-to-eat baguettes also work
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Either pulse the butter, wild garlic and salt in a food processor until uniformly green, or mash together with a fork in a bowl until well combined.
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If you have extra wild garlic and used a processor, roll the excess butter in baking paper into a tight cylinder, label with date, and freeze for later use.
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Preheat the oven to 220°C (420°F), or follow the part-baked baguette package instructions.
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Slice the baguettes three-quarters of the way through at one-inch intervals.
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Spread the softened wild garlic butter generously between each slice.
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Place the filled loaf on a baking sheet (line with paper or foil for easier cleanup) and bake for about 8–10 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the bread is heated through.
Calories from Fat 72