Name: Carrot Top Pesto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 0.333 cup walnut pieces; 4 cups carrot tops; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 0.25 tsp salt; 6 tablespoons olive oil

From the Cook

1/5

Carrot Top Pesto

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Carrot Top Pesto

⅓ cup walnut pieces sub with almonds, sunflower seeds or pepitas

4 cups carrot topswashed well and blotted dry

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp saltplus more to taste

6 tablespoons olive oiladd 1-2 tablespoons more as desired

Instructions

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Instructions

Place the walnuts in a large skillet and toast over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant, tossing them every few minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn quickly.

Place the carrot tops, lemon juice, walnuts and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the processor running, add the oil through the feed tube, scraping the sides of the bowl again as necessary, until the sauce has reached the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Enjoy!

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Blanch and Dry Your Carrot Tops 🥕
Briefly blanch carrot tops for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water and pat completely dry to remove bitterness and excess moisture, resulting in a brighter, fresher pesto.
Toast Walnuts for Depth 🌰
Lightly toast walnut pieces in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before adding to the pesto to amplify their nutty flavor and add complexity to the sauce.
Pulse, Don't Puree ⚡
Use a food processor with short pulses rather than continuous blending to maintain a desirable chunky texture and prevent overworking the oils, which can make the pesto bitter.
Emulsify with Technique 🫒
Add olive oil slowly while pulsing, drizzling it in gradually like making mayonnaise to create a creamy, well-emulsified pesto that won't separate.
Save Lemon Zest for Brightness 🍋
Reserve and fold in fresh lemon zest at the very end instead of just juice to add vibrant citrus notes without excess acidity that could darken the pesto.