Compound Ramp Butter Recipe

This ramp compound butter is so simple and so flavorful. It's a great way to not let your ramps go to waste and be able to enjoy them for weeks instead of days!

What are ramps?

First things first, what on earth are ramps? Allium Tricoccum is the scientific name for this unique plant. If you're here you might already know, but for those who don't - don't worry! I had no idea what they were either until a few months ago when my husband told me. Think of them like wild leeks or wild onions. They're not really either, but they're in the allium family and have kind of a pungent garlic and onion flavor. 

They get such a big hype for a few reasons: 

1. They have a very short growing season - just a few short weeks. They come up after the snow melts and the soil temperature warms up, usually early spring: late March and early April. Ramp season only lasts a month or two!

2. They're typically foraged, not farmed. They grow wild, don't do well being raised in garden beds, and they have a history of being over-harvested. You'll mostly find them at the local farmer's market or specialty grocery stores.

3. They only grow at certain altitudes - namely between 3500 and 5000 feet, in the eastern United States. So, the best place to find these is in the mountains of the east coast. 

You can harvest the leaves without taking the ramp bulbs, which is one way to allow them more time to spread and grow. If you do end up buying ones with the bulbs attached like we did, that's ok! Here's how to store them and how to make a delicious compound ramp butter with them. (And a bonus suggestion on what to do with the white bulbs!)

How to store ramps

If you've got fresh ramps and you're not quite ready to use them, that's ok! Take some paper towels and soak them with cold water. Squeeze them out, then lay the towel out flat. Place the fresh ramps on the towel (don't wash them first!) and roll them in the towel. Place the package in a freezer bag, gallon storage bag, plastic wrap, or other airtight container, and store in the fridge for a few days until later use. 

This will keep them from wilting and buy you a bit of time before you have to use them. 

How to make ramp butter

A compound butter is really just butter combined with other ingredients to give it a different flavor. So ramp compound butter is - you guessed it, ramps and butter! I added some lemon juice, lemon zest, and a little salt to punch up the flavor. If you're using unsalted butter, you might need to add more salt. 

I used my food processor, but you could also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment if you don't have a food processor. Combine the butter and the (hopefully) bright green ramps into the bowl.

Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pulse until everything is well combined and the ramps have been fully incorporated into the butter. The finished product will look something like this: 

From there, you want to try and roll it into a log shape. If it's too soft, scrape it out of the bowl onto a piece of wax paper or a sheet of parchment paper, then stick it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. It should firm up enough to allow you to roll it. Use the wax paper to help you roll it into a log. Pack the ends square, then give both ends of the paper a twist. Trim them if you need to. 

How to use ramp butter

This easy compound butter will have a pungent, garlicky flavor. There are many delicious ways to use this ramp butter. I prefer to let this butter mixture really shine on it's own. To really be able to taste the ramp flavor, I've found that one of the best ways to enjoy it is just on a piece of toast or bread. 

You can also use it on steamed or roasted vegetables. I recommend something like broccoli or green beans. You can steam or roast, then once it is finished cooking you can toss with a bit of the ramp butter. It will melt and coat the veg, which will take on a 

What to do with the rest of your ramps

We already talked about how these wild edibles are hard to find and can be over harvested. So if you purchased not just ramp greens but also the white parts and roots, try to find a way to use up those roots as well!

My favorite way is to pickle them, which allows you to keep them in the fridge for future use. I loosely followed this recipe for pickled ramp bulbs, combining the liquid over high heat. Once the hot water mixture was boiling, I poured the boiling water and vinegar into the jar of trimmed stems. Allow it to cool a little bit, then cover and stick in the fridge.

Between the vinegar and the fridge they will last a few months!