Carrot Top Pesto
If you know me, you know I love any and all tricks to reduce food waste. This Carrot Top Pesto recipe is a perfect example. It uses the greens from carrots, which are usually discarded, to create the base for the dreamiest pesto sauce or spread. If you’re skeptical about the idea of putting carrot tops in your pesto—I get it, I was skeptical too—but it turned out so wonderfully I just couldn’t resist sharing it with you all.
Table of Contents
- Carrot Top Pesto Ingredients
- Ingredient Substitutions
- Equipment
- What are some other tricks to reduce food waste?
- Step 1—Blanch the Carrot Tops and Basil
- Step 2—Blend the the Pesto
- Step 3—Store and Enjoy!
- More Sauces, Dips, and Spreads
Carrot Top Pesto Ingredients
To make Carrot Top Pesto, you will need the following ingredients:
- 60 grams fresh basil leaves
- 50 grams carrot greens
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 55 grams (1/2 cup) finely grated parmesan cheese
- 3 garlic cloves
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh black pepper, to taste
Ingredient Substitutions
- Walnuts: Substitute one-for-one with raw pine nuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Carrot Tops: Although they are the focus of this recipe, you can substitute more fresh basil for the carrot tops to achieve a more traditional pesto.
Equipment
To make carrot top pesto, you will need the following equipment:
- A cheese grater
- A high-speed blender or food processor
What are some other tricks to reduce food waste?
I’m so glad you asked! 😉 I wrote a guest article for Food Bloggers of Canada a couple of years ago outlining all my favourite tips for storing your food to reduce waste. If you’re on a food waste reduction journey or are just interested in the topic, I’d recommend giving it a read. You can find the full article here.
Step 1—Blanch the Carrot Tops and Basil
Blanching the carrot greens and basil helps them keep their vibrant green colour post-blending. This step is optional, but I recommend it if you don’t want your pesto to oxidize and turn brown after blending.
To blanch the greens, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Thoroughly rinse and clean the greens, removing any dirt, debris, or dead leaves. The carrot greens will need a bit more time than the basil, so we will blanch those first. Roughly chop the carrot greens, then add them to the boiling water. Blanch for one and a half minutes, adding the basil leaves in for the last 30 seconds. The carrot tops and basil will turn a beautiful vibrant green colour.
Drain the blanched greens, run them under cold water, then transfer them to a bowl. Cover with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Putting the blanched greens in an ice bath stops the cooking process from continuing as the greens cool.
Step 2—Blend the Pesto
Add the walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and fresh black pepper to a food processor or high-speed blender. Strain the carrot greens and basil from the ice bath, then give the greens a good squeeze to remove excess water. Add these to the food processor as well.
Pulse the ingredients a few times, scraping down the sides as necessary. Pour in the olive oil and continue to pulse until you have achieved a smooth consistency. The pesto will not be completely smooth in texture; you just want to make sure there are no large chunks.
Step 3—Store and Enjoy!
The pesto will keep in the fridge for up to a week stored in an airtight container or jar. For a longer shelf life, the pesto can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
My favourite ways to use Carrot Top Pesto are as a sauce for pasta, spread on toast with a feta egg on top, and as a dip for vegetables.
More Sauces, Dips, and Spreads
If you loved this Carrot Top Pesto recipe, be sure to try these other sauces, dips, and spreads:
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I love to see what you all are making.
Feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews below. I love to hear from you!
Carrot Top Pesto
Equipment
- Cheese grater
- High speed blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 60 grams fresh basil leaves
- 50 grams carrot greens
- 55 grams grated parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Thoroughly rinse and clean the carrot greens, removing any dirt, debris, or discoloured leaves. Roughly chop the greens, then transfer them into the pot of boiling water. Blanch the carrot greens for one and a half minutes. In the last 30 seconds, add the basil leaves to the water.
- Strain the blanched greens, and run them under cold water. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. This step will stop the cooking process.
- Add the walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and fresh black pepper to a food processor or high-speed blender. Strain the carrot greens and basil from the ice bath, then give the greens a good squeeze to remove excess water. Add these to the food processor as well.
- Pulse the ingredients a few times, scraping down the sides as necessary. Pour in the olive oil and continue to pulse until you have achieved a smooth consistency. The pesto will not be completely smooth in texture; you just want to make sure there are no large chunks.
