A fantastic way to use ramps while they are in season is to make a ramp compound butter. It’s like garlic butter but even better! It’s a great way to preserve ramps (which are only in season for a short time) and can be used in endless ways. It’s super simple to make, all you need is a food processor.

Large circles of green and beige butter on a cutting board

🌟 Why You’ll Love This Butter

  • Preserve and enjoy your ramps for longer – Since ramps are in season for such a short while, usually from the beginning to the end of spring, you have to get creative to make the most of them. Turning ramps into butter is a great way to preserve them, as is pickling your ramps.
  • Savory butter, but better! – Compound butter is a regular butter that has been flavored with another ingredient. Compound butters are great because you can make them at home with few ingredients, yet they pack a huge amount of flavor.
  • Versatile uses – Savory ramp butter is great on bread, in sandwiches, on savory muffins, in scones… the only limit is your creativity!

🌱 Ramp Leaves vs Ramp Bulbs

Ramps are in season for a very short time, grow in small numbers, and are difficult to cultivate. If you forage ramps and pull out the entire plant with the bulbs and the root, it won’t be able to grow back, so you’re reducing the ramp population for next year.

The most sustainable way to forage ramps is to take only the leaves. My preference is to use just the ramp leaves because it is a more sustainable foraging practice. However, if you grow your own and want to use the bulbs, know that the green tops have a milder flavor than their white bulbs. This recipe is also delicious with 2 ramp bulbs added in.

I also love using the leaves in this ramp pesto.

🧾 Ingredients in This Recipe

A pile of ramp leaves next to two sticks of butter and a lemon.
  • Raw ramp leaves – We need 3-4 oz. ramp leaves for this recipe, not the stems or bulbs. You can forage ramps wild, or find them at farmers’ markets.
  • Salted butter – Use your favorite brand of salted butter. You can substitute with unsalted butter and add your own salt.
  • Lemon juice & zest – This adds a slight citrus and acidic flavor to the butter to balance the fat in the compound butter and the garlicky, onion flavor of the ramps.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Ramp Butter

Ramp leaves and a large silver sauce pan of water
  • Blanch the ramp leaves for 15 seconds in boiling water then immediately transfer them to an ice bath.
Hand holding a compacted ball of green ramps
  • Dry the ramp leaves fully using a kitchen towel. You don’t want watery butter!
Large chunks of yellow butter on top of greens in a food processor
  • Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor or blender and pulse until incorporated.
A mound of green and beige butter on top of parchment paper
  • Tip out the compound butter onto clean parchment paper.

🧄 Inject Even More Flavor 🧄

If you want to supercharge the garlic flavor in this compound butter, add a few cloves of roasted garlic to the butter while in the food processor.

A log of green and beige butter on top of parchment paper
  • Shape the butter into a long log shape.
A log of green and beige butter wrapped tightly in parchment paper
  • Wrap the butter tightly in the parchment paper.
A log of green and beige butter on top of parchment paper
  • You should chill the butter for at least 1 hour to firm up and let the flavors permeate the butter.
Eight compact circles of butter on a baking sheet
  • Once chilled, cut the ramp butter into slices (or pieces) to freeze in an airtight container.

🥗 Ways to Use Ramp Butter

I enjoyed my butter spread on bread and grilled for a delicious garlic bread alternative I like to serve with ramp pasta or a ramp pesto pasta. You could use it in the following ways, there’s no limit to what you can make!

  • As a sandwich spread
  • In sauces and marinades
  • To saute vegetables
  • Slathered on grilled meat
  • As a pasta sauce
  • To top corn on the cob
Small pieces of toast on a metal pan with melted butter on top

🍴More Ramp Recipes

We’re just ramp-ing up! Forgive the pun, I’m wildly excited about these awesome ramp recipes.

I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

Large circles of green and beige butter on a cutting board.

Ramp Butter

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A fantastic way to use ramps while they are in season is to make a ramp compound butter. It's like garlic butter but even better! It's a great way to preserve ramps (which are only in season for a short time) and can be used in endless ways. It's super simple to make, all you need is a food processor.
Author: Candice Walker
Print Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Calories: 106

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. ramp leaves raw, use as little as 3-oz., and not more than 4
  • 8 oz. salted butter room temperature, or use unsalted and salt to your preference
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Blanch* the leaves in for 15 seconds in boiling water then immediately transfer to an ice bath.
  2. Dry the leaves using a kitchen towel.
  3. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor or blender and pulse until incorporated.
  4. If making a butter log, simply wrap the finished butter in a tight, parchment paper or plastic wrap log.
    If making butter cubes, press the butter into a silicone ice cube tray.
    Either way, chill for at least 1 hour to firm up and let the flavors permeate the butter. Once chilled, cut it into slices (or pieces) to freeze in an airtight container.

Notes

* You can skip blanching the leaves, however, the butter will have a less vibrant green color.
Add a few cloves of roasted garlic to amp up the garlic flavor.
My preference is to use just the leaves because it is a more sustainable foraging practice. However, if you grow your own and use the bulbs, ramps’ green tops have a milder flavor than their white bulbs and this recipe is delicious with 2 bulbs added in.

Nutrition

Calories106kcalCarbohydrates1gProtein0.2gFat11gSaturated Fat7gPolyunsaturated Fat0.4gMonounsaturated Fat3gTrans Fat0.5gCholesterol30mgSodium91mgPotassium5mgFiber0.2gSugar0.3gVitamin A475IUVitamin C1mgCalcium8mgIron0.1mg

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