Description
A simple recipe for making flavorful pesto using carrot tops to reduce food waste.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups packed fresh carrot tops, washed well
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the washed carrot tops, nuts, garlic, Parmesan (if using), lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse several times until the ingredients are coarsely chopped.
- With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste the pesto and adjust salt or lemon juice if necessary.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
- If you prefer a nut-free version, substitute the nuts with 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- For a vegan pesto, omit the Parmesan cheese or substitute it with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
- Carrot tops can sometimes be slightly bitter; blanching them for 30 seconds in boiling water and then shocking them in ice water before processing can mellow the flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Food Processing
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 5