Carrot Top Pesto
Bought a bunch of carrots and don't know what to do with the tops? Make carrot top pesto! It's the perfect zesty, zero-waste condiment.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Course condiments, Side Dish
- 1/3 Cup Raw Walnuts
- 2 Large Cloves Garlic roughly chopped
- 1 Bunch Carrot Tops from about 5-7 carrots
- 10 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1/4 Cup Chives roughly chopped
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes to taste, optional
- Juice from 1/2 Lemon it must be fresh!
- 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
First, add your roughly chopped garlic and raw walnuts to the food processor. Process or pulse for a few seconds, until finely chopped but still chunky. You do NOT want to make a paste. Scrape down the sides of the food processor, so that the walnuts and garlic aren't stuck to the sides.
Keeping the walnuts and garlic in the food processor, add in the carrot tops, basil leaves, chives, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Process for about 15 seconds or more, depending on your food processor, until the leaves are finely chopped into small pieces.
Then, add in the olive oil and lemon juice and process everything again until you've reached your desired consistency. Scrape down the sides of the food processor if needed. Personally, I like my pesto chunky, but continue processing for a smoother texture if desired.
Store the pesto in a jar or airtight container in the fridge until using.
Enjoy!
- The pesto will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. Feel free to freeze it for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container.
- If you don't have carrot tops, sub about 2 cups of fresh parsley in this recipe.
- I highly highly encourage the use of fresh herbs here, but if you don't have fresh basil, sub in 1 tsp dried basil or more to taste.
- If you don't have chives, sub in the green parts of 2 scallions, roughly chopped.
Keyword black pepper, carrot tops, garlic, olive oil, pesto, walnuts