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Home » Recipes » Condiments

Carrot Top Pesto (Without Spinach)

Published: Mar 6, 2023 · Updated: Jul 22, 2024 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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5 from 1 vote

Don't throw away edible carrot greens when you can turn them into delicious carrot top pesto! Drizzle it on pasta, pizza and eggs. Or use it as a dip with chips or vegetables. It's easy to make and reduces food waste!

Carrot Top Pesto in a glass jar with a metal spoon sticking out.

Carrot greens are completely edible and taste similar to parsley. They have a bright and herby flavor. The larger, darker greens may taste more bitter than the young, smaller greens. And when carrot leaves are mixed with olive oil, pine nuts and spices, it makes a delicious carrot top pesto in just 10 minutes!

Since 2020, I've been in my kitchen testing and developing fool-proof recipes for the beginner home cook. This easy pesto sauce requires just 10 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients. It livens up any savory dish with minimal effort!

In this Post

  • All About Carrot Greens
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Carrot Top Pesto
  • Recipe Tips and Variations
  • Storing Carrot Green Pesto
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • More Carrot Recipes
a glass jar of carrot green pesto on a dark wood cutting board.

All About Carrot Greens

How to Store Carrots and Carrot Tops

When you bring home carrots from the store or farmers market, cut the greens off. Store the greens stem-down in a glass of water in the fridge, just like a bouquet of flowers. This will keep them fresh longer.

Plus the greens draw moisture from the carrot roots, so separating them will prevent your carrots from drying out.

How to Use Carrot Tops

You can also use carrot leaves just like parsley - sprinkle them on quiche, pasta, ravioli, and soups like butternut squash carrot soup.

a metal spoon holding a large dollop of green pesto.

Ingredients

  • Carrot top greens - discard the fibrous stems, since those are more bitter and tough that the carrot top leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil - makes the pesto sauce super creamy
  • Lemon juice - adds a bright, citrus flavor
  • Pine nuts - you can also use cashews or walnuts if you can't find pine nuts
  • Salt and ground black pepper - seasons the pesto
  • Garlic powder - adds a pungent yet mildly sweet garlic flavor
raw carrots and pine nuts laid out on a dark wood surface.

How to Make this Recipe

  1. Rinse all the carrot top greens in running water. Remove the leaves from the tough stems and discard the stems.
  2. In a food processor or blender, add all the pesto ingredients and blend until it's smooth (about 5 minutes).
  3. Scrape down the sides periodically, to make sure all the ingredients get blended.
a food processor with olive oil, carrot leaves and pine nuts.
a food processor full of Carrot Top Pesto.

Recipe Tips and Variations

  • If you don't have food processor, you can use a blender. Just scrape the sides more often and blend for a few extra minutes to get a smooth consistency.
  • Wash the carrot greens thoroughly in running water to remove any dirt.
  • Separate the leaves from the stems, and discard the thick, woody stems, since those can be tough and bitter.
  • Instead of pine nuts, you can use unsalted cashews or walnuts. Sometimes pine nuts can be expensive at the grocery store.
  • If you don't have carrot greens, use other greens you have on hand including basil, spinach or parsley.

Storing

Fridge: Store in an airtight container like a glass jar for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Pro Tip: Divide your carrot green pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then you can pop out a small amount when you want to add it to other recipes!

a metal spoon with a large dollop of Carrot Top Pesto.

FAQ's

What do carrot tops taste like?

Carrot tops taste similar to parsley. The leaves have a bright, herby flavor but the tough stems can taste bitter.

Are carrot top greens good for you?

Carrot top greens are very healthy, containing six times more vitamin C than the root!

Can I freeze carrot tops?

If you aren't ready to use your carrot tops right away, wash and dry them completely. Then store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 6 months in the freezer.

a glass jar filled with bright green homemade pesto.

More Delicious Carrot Recipes

  • Butternut Squash, Carrot and Red Lentil Soup
  • Carrot Cake with Buttercream Frosting
  • Sheet Pan Roasted Root Vegetables
  • Spicy Almond Butter Noodles with Shredded Carrots
  • Easy Vegan Chickpea Soup
  • One Pan Roasted Salmon and Vegetables
  • Shrimp and Zucchini Curry with Carrots
  • Galette with Roasted Carrots
a small glass jar of green sauce next to pine nuts.

Carrot Top Pesto (Without Spinach)

Carissa Erzen
Don't throw away edible carrot greens when you can turn them into a delicious carrot top pesto in 10 minutes! Drizzle on pasta, pizza & eggs!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 16 servings
Calories 95 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cup carrot top greens (from about 1 pound of large carrots)
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup pine nuts (or unsalted cashews or walnuts)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Rinse all the carrot top greens in running water. Remove the leaves from the tough stems and discard the stems.
  • In a food processor or blender, add all the pesto ingredients and blend until it's smooth (about 5 minutes).
    Scrape down the sides periodically, to make sure all the ingredients get blended.
  • Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Enjoy!!

Notes

  • If you you're using a blender instead of a food processor, scrape the sides more often and blend for a few extra minutes to get a smooth consistency.
  • Wash the carrot greens thoroughly to remove any dirt and separate the leaves from the stems. The stems are tough and more bitter than the carrot leaves.
  • Instead of pine nuts, you can use unsalted cashews or walnuts. 
  • If you don't have carrot greens, use other greens you have on hand including basil, spinach or parsley.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 37mgPotassium: 29mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
Keyword carrot green pesto, carrot top pesto
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @humbly-homemade on social!

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About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Azilde

    March 06, 2023 at 6:10 pm

    What a great recipe to try! Who would have thought to use carrot tops! Looks delicious ?

    Reply
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

I'm eggcited to hear from you :) Cancel reply

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