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–+ servings
carrot top pesto sauce.

Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot top pesto is a great way to use up the big, leafy greens that come with carrots every summer, but it can also be done with any leafy greens you have around! This ratio makes the perfect pesto, and it's a great way to inject vegetables into one of my favorite Italian condiments. This recipe makes about 1 cup of pesto, which is perfect for batching and using for the rest of the week in your pastas, toasts, and sandwiches.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 16

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (2 1/2 oz) carrot tops
  • 2 tablespoons (20g) toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz) cubed parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup (120g) high quality extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt , plus more to taste

Instructions 

  1. While the ingredients are minimal, it’s the technique that makes this pesto exceptional. First, roughly chop 2 cups of carrot tops to ensure they don’t get stuck in the food processor.
  2. Add the chopped carrot tops and 2 tablespoons of pine nuts to a food processor. Pulse until they are an even crumbly texture.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of cubed parmesan and run the food processor until the mixture is looking slightly pasty and light green.
  4. While running the food processor, stream in 1/2 cup of olive oil in two rounds, season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Serving: 1 tablespoonCalories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 9g