Carrot Top Pesto
This carrot top pesto recipe makes perfect use of leftover carrot tops and leaves you with a fresh, savory, and garlic pesto sauce that's great in sandwiches, with pasta, or atop pizza.
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
- Measuring cups
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Strainer
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 cups Carrot tops chopped, blanched & drained (yields about 1 cup after blanching)
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated can be swapped with nutritional yeast for vegan option
- 1/4 cup Pine nuts can substitute with walnuts
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To blanch the carrot tops
- Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover 2 inches above the bottom of the pan. While this is boiling, remove and discard the bottom 4-5 inches of carrot top stems.
- Once the water is boiling, add your carrot tops and cover with the lid. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the greens are vibrant in color.
- Strain the carrot tops and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
For the pesto
- In your food processor, combine all of your ingredients and pulse until combined. The pesto should be fully blended but still chunky.
- Taste, adjust seasonings if necssary, then serve as desired.