Pickled Ramps (Wild Leeks)

By
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith is a food writer and certified botanist who has written five books on foraging and preserving food.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/5/22
Tested by Mary Jo Romano
Pickled Ramps (Wild Leeks)

The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Canning Time: 10 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 1 pint
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
43 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 43
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 634mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 64mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are early springtime wild onions that are only in season for a few weeks. Foraged by native tribes in North America for centuries, ramps are a tasty mashup between onions and garlic. Although they're sought-after by foodies, most people don't consume them or even know they exist, as it's close to impossible to find ramps in supermarkets. They grow slowly, are scarce, and are in demand during the few weeks in which, if you're lucky, you can buy them.

Grown in eastern Canada and the United States, ramps are most likely found at farmers markets when in season. So if you have the chance to buy a handful of ramps, do not hesitate, as they might just become your new favorite allium. If you are lucky enough to buy a lot of ramps, use our recipe to enjoy them year-round, pickled in a vinegary and aromatic brine. You'd have to wait a week to sample the pickled ramps, but because this preparation allows you to have ramps when they're not in season, the wait is totally worth it.

Serve these ramps with pâté or soppressata as part of a charcuterie spread and cheese platter.

“I added some scallions and shallots for added flavor and beauty. I chose habanero pepper for the color and heat level I craved. I experimented and processed one in a water bath and the other in the refrigerator using the quick refrigerator variation. Both tasted fresh and fabulous” —Mary Jo Romano

Pickled Ramps (Wild Leeks)/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ramps

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 1/4 cups white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or other non-iodized salts

  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or dried hot chile pepper, more to taste

  • 2 to 4 whole allspice berries

  • 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds

  • 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

  • 1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

  • 6 to 8 whole black peppercorns, more to taste

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Ramps

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pickled ramps (wild leeks) gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  2. Cut away the stringy roots at the bottom of the ramps and then a little bit above the point where the white part ends and the green leaves separate out. Wash the ramps well. You're only going to pickle those white parts with a bit of the green attached, but don't throw out the leaves; save them for another recipe.

    Clean and trim the ramps

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  3. Place 2 clean 1/2-pint canning jars on their sides (it's not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe). Lay the ramps in with the white part toward the bottom of the jar. Laying them in with the jar on its side makes it easier to keep the ramps straight so that they will all line up vertically when you set the jar upright.

    Ramps in glass jar

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  4. Pack the ramps in so tightly that you cannot squeeze in a single ramp more. This will ensure that the ramps stay immersed in the brine rather than floating up out of it. Be sure to leave 1/2-inch headspace between the top of the ramps and the rim of the jar. Trim the ramps if they are too tall.

    Ramps in jars

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Make the Brine

  1. Prepare the brine by putting the water, vinegar, honey, and salt in a small saucepan. Stir to combine.

    Water, vinegar, honey, and salt in a small saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  2. Add the chile, allspice berries, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and peppercorns to the liquid mixture.

    Add the chile pepper, allspice, mustard, coriander, cumin, and black peppercorns to the mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  3. Bring the brine to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Brine in a saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Pickle and Process the Ramps

  1. Pour the hot brine over the ramps, covering them completely but still leaving 1/4- to 1/2-inch headspace. Screw on canning lids.

    Ramps and brine in jars

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  2. Process the pickled ramps in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Wait at least a week for the flavors to develop before sampling. They will be even better after a month.

    Pickled ramps (wild leeks) in a jar, in a boiling water bath

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Quick Refrigerator Variation

Skip the boiling water bath and store the jars in the refrigerator. The ramps will keep in the refrigerator for up to three months. If you have any leftover brine, use it for future batches of pickles.

How to Store Pickled Ramps

Pickled ramps will keep, unopened, at room temperature for at least one year. After that time, they are still safe to eat, but the quality will decline. Once opened, store in the refrigerator.