I love pesto and include it in a lot of my recipes so experimenting with new varieties is always fun. Homemade pesto is not only super delicious but I like being 100% in control of how much oil, cheese, etc. goes into the recipe. And to top all of that, by using the carrot leaves, I am reducing food waste too. So this carrot top pesto recipe is a winner. If you wonder what carrot greens taste like – they are similar to parsley as they are in the same plant family. They have a slightly bitter but carroty flavor and you can easily add them to other dishes, not just to this pesto. Did you know that I used this recipe on my episode of Crazy Delicious on Netflix? All the judges loved it!
Watch how to make it
How to make carrot top pesto
Prep the ingredients: To make the carrot greens pesto, first remove the tops from the carrots. Rinse them thoroughly to get rid of any dirt and then separate the feathery leaves from the stalks, as the stalks are bitter. If needed, grate the parmesan and juice the lemon. Blend the pesto: First, in a food processor/blender, pulse the nuts to a crumbly consistency. Then, add the parmesan, garlic clove, olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper and quickly blitz again. Finally, add in the carrot tops and blend until you obtain the consistency you like. The general rule is that the longer you blend, the smoother the pesto. If you are finding it a bit too thick for your liking, feel free to add an extra slug of oil. Taste test the carrot leaf pesto and adjust any of the seasonings to your liking. Then serve and enjoy! You can use it in various recipes including with homemade pappardelle pasta and grains, in salads, to top your roasted vegetables, and to spread on a sandwich. You can also serve it as a dip alongside crackers, vegetable crudités, and more. If you try this carrot leaves recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
