Are carrot tops safe to eat?

Yes. There is an old myth floating around that carrot greens are toxic, and it is not true. Carrots are in the same plant family as parsley, dill, and cilantro, and the tops are eaten in plenty of kitchens around the world. Wash them well like you would any other green.

Do carrot tops taste bitter?

They can have a slight bitter edge, but it is mild, and the parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and salt balance it out. Sticking to the leaves and leaving out the woody stems makes the biggest difference.

Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?

You can, but you will need to stop and scrape the sides more often, and you may need a little extra olive oil to get things moving. A food processor handles the low volume of greens better.

What can I use instead of pine nuts?

Walnuts, almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds all work. Toast whatever you use. Sunflower seeds are the budget pick and they are great here.

How do I make this dairy-free?

Swap the Parmesan for about ¼ cup of nutritional yeast . Start there, taste, and add more if you want it cheesier.

Can I make it without basil?

Yes, just use 2½ cups of carrot tops total. The basil rounds out the flavor, but the pesto works without it.

Easy Carrot Top Pesto Recipe

Description

Fresh, herby pesto made from the carrot greens you were about to throw away. Carrot tops and basil together give you all the flavor of classic pesto without it being overpowering, and it comes together in about fifteen minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups carrot tops, packed, leaves only, stems removed (about one large bunch, or 5 to 7 medium carrots)
½ cup fresh basil leaves, packed, stems removed
⅓ cup pine nuts
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

Toast ⅓ cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium low heat, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and light golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.
Pull the leaves off the carrot top stems, discarding the stems. Wash 2 cups of leaves well and dry them completely with a salad spinner or kitchen towels.
Add the carrot tops, ½ cup basil, cooled pine nuts, ½ cup parmesan, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to a food processor. Blend until finely chopped, scraping down the sides once or twice.
With the processor running, slowly stream in ½ cup olive oil until the pesto comes together and looks glossy. Add a splash more oil or water to thin if needed. Taste and adjust salt.

Notes

For dairy free, substitute ¼ cup nutritional yeast for the parmesan.
Any toasted nut or seed works in place of pine nuts.
Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days with a thin layer of olive oil on top, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months.