carrot top pesto

Carrot Top Pesto is easy to make and super delicious. It's the best way to use all the pretty spring carrots with the greens on top!

Carrot Top Pesto with Oven Roasted Carrots

carrots (1 1/4 lbs.)

olive oil

each: sea salt and pepper

carrot top leaves (you can use some parsley

cashews

lemon juice

garlic

Chop the carrots into 2-inch lengths, put them on a baking sheet, and toss them with the oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the carrots for 20 minutes.

Place the carrot top pesto ingredients in your food processor or small blender and blend until mostly smooth.

When the carrots are done cooking, toss them in 1/2 cup of the pesto and serve.

This is brilliant! I’ve always thrown away the tops but am trying to reduce my food waste. I wish I had known about making pesto with them years ago. It was amazing!

This pesto is SO GOOD! Honestly one of the best pesto I’ve ever made. I’m only going to buy carrots with tops from now on!

This is special. Absolutely loved it. Used rainbow carrots, but I think that slender fresh carrots would be equally delicious. 

With fresh and bright flavors, this carrot top pesto makes use of the oft-scorned greens from your carrot bunch, complementing them with fresh lemon, garlic, and herbs. Ready in just a few minutes and perfect on pasta, sandwiches, crackers and more.

Carrot Top Pesto

garlic (chopped)

tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

lemon

carrot

mint leaves

green onions (fresh green parts only)

raw walnuts ((optional))

salt and pepper (to taste)

To blanch the carrot tops: remove thick stem pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water in it. Once boiling, add the carrot tops to the pot. Stir occasionally, cooking for about 3 minutes or until bright green and tender. Immediately remove from the pot, drain the hot water, and add the carrot tops to the ice cube bowl to stop the cooking process.

Drain the carrot tops, wring out excess liquid, and spread them on a plate to dry while you do the remaining recipe prep.

Add all of the ingredients from garlic through walnuts (if using) to the food processor. Blend until a chunky paste forms with small bits of carrot tops. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to stop frequently to scrape down the sides. Add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time until combined.&nbsp;Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.

To use as a pasta sauce, cook your pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot. Add the reserved cooking water and carrot top pesto, stir to combine, and cook over low heat until warmed. Serve right away.

Otherwise, once cooled to room temperature, store the pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for several days. The bright green color may fade to a slightly darker green, and this is totally normal.

Carrot Top Pesto, a simple pesto recipe made from fresh carrot greens, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, and oil. A unique food waste recovery recipe!

carrot tops and stems, chopped (from about 8 medium carrots)

pine nuts

parmesan cheese

sea salt

black pepper

Add carrot tops, pine nuts, and garlic cloves...

Add carrot tops, pine nuts, and garlic cloves to food processor and pulse until chopped. Slowly add in oil and continue pulsing until well combined, but not smooth.

Add parmesan, salt, and pepper and pulse a...

Add parmesan, salt, and pepper and pulse a few more times until combined.

Use as a sauce with your favorite pasta,...

Use as a sauce with your favorite pasta, vegetables, meat, seafood, or dip.

You can make pesto out of virtually any leafy green. Here's how to make pesto with carrot tops, watercress, and spinach!

Dairy-Free Pesto (3 Ways)

carrot top leaves

pinenuts

watercress

walnuts

spinach

almonds

vegan parmesan

salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Blitz

Choose which type of pesto you'd like to make. Add all the ingredients listed under it to a food processor, along with parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until leaves are broken down.

Scrape down the sides of the food processor and put the lid back on. With the food processor running, slowly pour in olive oil until full incorporated.

Vibrant, herby carrot top pesto with fresh basil and hidden carrot tops! Delicious with grains, roasted vegetables, chicken, and more. Ready in just 5 minutes!

The BEST Carrot Top Pesto

basil

pine nuts ((or sub walnuts, pistachios, or cashews))

garlic, peeled

tsp sea salt

Tbsp extra virgin olive oil ((plus more as needed))

water ((plus more as needed))

carrots

potatoes

Pasta

Remove the carrot greens from a bunch of carrots, rinse them, and choose the freshest looking greens. Discard the rest (or save for bunnies — they love them!).

Add all your pesto ingredients except the water to a food processor (or small blender) and process until it&#39;s broken down into a chunky mixture. Add water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time until creamy and dippable, keeping in mind water will dilute the flavor, so avoid adding too much (we used 2 tablespoons total).

Taste and adjust as needed, adding more olive oil for richness, lemon juice for brightness, basil if too thin, or water to reach desired consistency.

Enjoy with roasted carrots, potatoes, pasta, and more! Leftover pesto will keep stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, but will lose some of its bright green color.

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Carrot Top Pesto with Oven Roasted ...

Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot Top Pesto

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The BEST Carrot Top Pesto

Top 5 carrot top pesto recipes from across the web

The most viewed carrot top pesto recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Carrot Top Pesto with Oven Roasted ...

Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot Top Pesto

Dairy-Free Pesto (3 Ways)

The BEST Carrot Top Pesto

The most viewed carrot top pesto recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine