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    Home » Recipes » Weeknight Dinner » Carrot Top Pesto

    Carrot Top Pesto

    Published: Aug 26, 2019 Modified: Oct 10, 2021 by GG

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    A twist on a traditional pesto recipe, Carrot Top Pesto is an easy recipe that takes homemade pesto to an all new level of flavor!  Fresh carrot top greens and toasted pistachios are a delightful flavor combination in this homemade pesto recipe.

    Carrot Top Pesto and carrots

    Carrot Top Pesto Recipe

    When those beautiful carrots with green tops are plentiful, it's time to make Carrot Top Pesto!

    Farmers markets are overflowing with summer produce and that makes me so happy. Carrots with their greens still attached are readily available at farmers markets and lately I have been seeing them in the produce sections of all of the grocery stores near me too.

    And if you’re lucky enough to have your own vegetable garden, you can harvest them in your own backyard!

    A twist on a traditional pesto recipe, carrot greens pesto takes homemade pesto to an all new level of deliciousness and is an easy recipe too!

    Our pesto recipe without pine nuts is bursting with the flavors of fresh carrots greens, the goodness of extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese for texture and saltiness, lemon juice for a bright note and the unexpected flavor of toasted pistachios!

    Another carrot greens recipe you are sure to love is our roasted carrots with tops. Be sure to check it out, you'll be happy you did!

    Learn all about pesto, what does pesto taste like, how to make it, store it and even freeze it, along with lots more pesto recipes!

    What do I put pesto on?

    I love that pesto is so versatile. Did you know that it can be used in so many ways? Check out these serving suggestions for pesto:

    • Toss with hot pasta
    • Toss with vegetables
    • Toss in a pasta salad
    • Toss in a potato salad
    • Add to salad dressing
    • Add to dips
    • Use as a dipping sauce
    • Spread on a sandwich or toast
    • Dollop on baked potatoes
    • Stir into soup
    • Use as a pizza sauce
    • Top cooked chicken, beef, pork or seafood
    • Stir into scrambled eggs
    • Stir into mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt

    I make commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

    Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips

    • An immersion blender also works well when blending the ingredients together

    Substitutions

    • Substitute your favorite nut for the pistachios
    • Substitute fresh parsley for some of the carrot greens
    • Substitute fresh basil for some of the carrot greens

    What to serve with pesto

    • Toss pesto with hot pasta
    • Serve over cooked chicken, fish or beef
    • Drizzle pesto over hot cooked vegetables
    • Toss in a pasta salad or potato salad 
    • Serve as a dipping sauce

    bunches of carrots at the farmers market

    Carrot Top FAQ’s

    Are the tops of carrots edible?

    The leafy green tops of carrots are edible. These green tops can be eaten raw in salads and pesto and are also delicious when sautéed in olive oil and garlic and added to soups..

    How do you store carrot greens?

    When you have carrots with their green tops attached it is best to remove the tops and store them separate from the vegetable.

    The tops are delicate and don’t last as long as the vegetable part of the carrot.

    Wrap carrot greens in a damp paper towel and you can store them in a plastic food storage bag in the refrigerator for about a day.

    Are carrot tops healthy?

    The leafy greens of a carrot are not only edible but are also very nutritious.

    Carrot greens are:

    • Rich in protein
    • Rich in minerals
    • A good source of potassium
    • A good source of calcium

    Carrot tops also contain:

    • Vitamin C
    • Fiber
    • Chlorophyll

    Pesto FAQ’s

    How do you store pesto?

    You can store pesto in the refrigerator. To store homemade pesto in the refrigerator:

    • Place pesto in a jar or airtight container
    • Cover the top of the pesto with oil, preferably olive oil
    • Seal jar or container with a cover.
    • Refrigerate for up to one week

    You can store homemade pesto in the freezer. To store homemade pesto in the freezer:

    • Spoon pesto into an ice cube tray
    • Freeze until solid, about 3-4 hours
    • Pop pesto cubes out of ice cube tray
    • Store in a freezer storage bag
    • Pesto cubes can be frozen for up to 6 months

    How long does homemade pesto last?

    Homemade pesto will last about one week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.

    ingredients to make Carrot Top Pesto

    Ingredients for carrots tops pesto recipe

    • extra virgin olive oil
    • carrot top greens
    • Parmesan cheese
    • pistachios
    • garlic
    • lemon juice
    • kosher salt

    Easy Pesto Recipes

    Spring Mint Pea Pesto and Kale Pesto

    Spring Mint Pea Pesto and Kale Pesto

    I love making pestos with different, and sometimes unexpected, greens. Be sure to give these homemade pestos a try!

    Fresh Mint Spring Pea Pesto is bursting with springtime flavors. Fresh peas and mint put a new spin on the traditional pesto!

    Basil Pesto and Pesto Florentine

    Basil Pesto and Pesto Florentine

    Kale, the trendy super food, combined with toasted almonds, the healthy nut, make for a fabulously delicious and amazingly healthy Kale Pesto! Toss it with your favorite pasta for Meatless Monday, top chicken or fish, serve with vegetables……the possibilities are endless!

    And don't forget the traditional pesto made with fresh basil leaves! Basil Pesto is that go-to fresh pesto recipe you can always fall back on when you want a tried and true pesto flavor. I did change this up a bit and added toasted almonds as the nut and it makes a fabulously delicious Basil Pesto!

    If you love pesto as much as I do then you have to try Pesto Florentine made with tender baby spinach leaves, almonds, garlic and a hint of fresh lemon.





    Carrot Top Pessto
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    Carrot Top Pesto

    CaA twist on a traditional pesto recipe, Carrot Top Pesto takes homemade pesto to an all new level of flavor and is an easy recipe too! Carrot Top Pesto is bursting with the flavors of extra virgin olive oil, carrots greens, Parmesan cheese for texture and saltiness, lemon juice for a bright note and the unexpected nuttiness of toasted pistachios.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Keyword carrot greens recipe, carrot top pesto, pesto
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Servings 16
    Calories 84kcal
    Author Gwynn Galvin

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 cups chopped carrot top greens
    • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • ¼ cup toasted chopped pistachios
    • 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
    • 1 Tbs. lemon juice
    • ¼ tsp. kosher salt

    Instructions

    • Combine olive oil, carrot top greens, Parmesan, pistachios, garlic, lemon juice and kosher in a food processor or heavy duty blender. If using a blender, be sure to put the olive oil and lemon juice in first for easy blending. Puree or process until blended.

    Notes

    Makes 1 cup/1 Tablespoon per serving
    Serving Suggestions
    • Toss pesto with hot pasta
    • Serve over cooked chicken, fish or beef
    • Drizzle pesto over hot cooked vegetables
    • Toss in a pasta salad or potato salad 
    • Serve as a dipping sauce
    Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
    • An immersion blender also works well when blending the ingredients together
    Substitutions
    • Substitute your favorite nut for the pistachios
    • Substitute fresh parsley for some of the carrot greens
    • Substitute fresh basil for some of the carrot greens

    Nutrition

    Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
    First Published: August 26, 2019... Last Updated: October 10, 2021 for better readability and user experience

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    About GG

    Gwynn Galvin, known to many as GG, is the creative and talented chef and nutritionist behind Swirls of Flavor. Gwynn is an award-winning culinary professional with over twenty five years of recipe development, food styling, test kitchen management and culinary innovation experience. Gwynn's passion is gathering people around the table with her simple real food recipes to savor the moments together.

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    GG, owner and creator of Swirls of flavor website

    Hi there, I'm Gwynn, the creator of Swirls of Flavor. Welcome to my kitchen where delicious memories are made. My passion is bringing people together through food. I create easy, family friendly recipes made with fresh, simple ingredients. So come on in and gather round the table. Let's Cook, Share and Savor the Moments together.

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