Carrot Top Pesto

If you are growing carrots in your garden, chances are you have composted piles of the leafy greens that sprout on top of those tasty root veggies. In the past I have cut those greens and put them in the compost bin (which is still a great thing versus going to a landfill) but had not paused to think, are these beautiful greens edible??

And they most certainly are! Whether you desire to chop them into a salad, steam them, saute them or blend them into a sauce, they are versatile and considered a market vegetable in Europe! I’ve also seen carrots with their tops still intact at my local year-round farmers market, and those carrots are hands down the freshest and most delicious carrots I’ve had outside of ones fresh from my own garden.

Since I am a sucker for a good sauce, I decided to give carrot top pesto a go – and I’m glad I did! This is a fairly large recipe, as it used the greens from the 7 or so carrots I harvested today. Feel free to cut this recipe in half if you don’t have that many greens, or sub in some spinach or kale for the carrot tops you’re missing.

In my dips and sauces class I talk a lot about how much I love making whole food dips/sauces. It’s not only delicious, but loading up your dips and sauces with whole food ingredients means they pack a HUGE nutritional punch! It may be difficult to chew through a a bowl of carrot tops and parsley, but blend it up into a sauce and it’s a quick way to get the nutrients in a much easier to eat version. Plus these yummy sauces pair well with steamed veggies and up-level your basic veggie/buddha bowl or salad. Win win!

If you have carrot greens available, give this recipe a try!