Carrot Top Pesto Recipe

This carrot top pesto recipe is a sustainable and flavorful twist on a classic favorite.

Fresh leafy carrot tops, herbacious basil, and creamy cashews blend together to make a tasty sauce that is delicious on everything from pizza to salad to pasta!

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Easy Carrot Top Pesto

I have been loving gardening and one of our favorite crops is carrots. They are the most beautiful crop with their long beautiful stems. But it always hurts me to throw away all those beautiful carrot tops.. Well no more! Use those carrot tops in this pesto recipe to make the most of your carrot tops!

• Making pesto with carrot tops is a great way to utilize an ingredient that would otherwise go to waste, promoting sustainability and reducing food waste.
• A naturally vegan and gluten-free sauce and dip!
• A versatile sauce that adds fresh flavor to any dish.
• Easy to customize to your liking! Like it extra garlicky? Add another clove of garlic! Substitute the carrot tops with any greens you may have on hand.

Ingredients

• carrot tops: this recipe was derived with the desire to use some of those beautiful carrot tops. Remove the tough stems and use just the leafy greens. Substitute for kale, spinach, or parsley if you are out of carrot tops.
• basil: lots of the flavor comes from the fresh basil!
• cashews: I tend to have cashews on hand which is why I like to make pesto with cashews (and way less expensive than pine nuts!). For a more traditional pesto texture, use pine nuts. You can also try substituting for any other nut like pistachios or make it with walnuts. No need to roast the nuts.
• olive oil
• lemon juice: helps break through the richness of the nuts.
• garlic: adds flavor. I use fresh garlic, but garlic powder could be used in a pinch.
• salt: makes the flavors shine.

You will also need a small food processor for this recipe.

How to Make Pesto

It’s so easy!

1. Add all ingredients to a small food processor.
2. Blend until smooth.

The small food processor will seem very full at first, but will reduce down greatly once blended.

Ways to Use Pesto

The uses for pesto are endless. It adds so much flavor to any dish!

• Tossed with pasta. Save a little of the pasta water to thin as needed.
• In a grilled cheese.
• On pizza – excellent on my arugula pizza!
• Spread on a sandwich. It’s my favorite on a Caprese sandwich.
• Dip your veggies in it.
• Mix with some more olive oil and use as salad dressing (it’s my favorite on Caprese salad with burrata, yum!).
• Add a dollop on top of soup.

Can you freeze carrot top pesto? Absolutely! Pesto freezes really well. Freeze in an ice cube and pop out and store in a freezer bag for easy portions.

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