Carrot Top Pesto Recipe

close up of a small mason jar with the finished carrot top pesto inside. Pine nuts, carrot greens, and carrots surround the jar

This easy carrot top pesto recipe is a vibrant, no-waste dish that turns often-overlooked carrot greens into something amazing! Packed with spinach, pine nuts, and garlic, this pesto is full of flavor! Use your favorite pasta shape and enjoy this as a wonderful make-ahead option for picnics, potlucks, or light lunches.

Course lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Carrot Greens Pesto, Carrot Top Pesto, Carrot Top Pesto Pasta, Carrot Top Pesto Recipe, Pesto Pasta Salad, Pesto Recipe with Carrot Tops

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings (with pasta)

Calories 461kcal

Equipment

1 Food Processor

Ingredients

12 oz dried pasta
1 cup packed carrot top greens tough stems removed
1 cup packed baby spinach
1 large garlic bulb roughly chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

Boil – Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Boil for 6-10 minutes, or until the pasta is to your desired level of doneness.
Prep – Meanwhile, wash the carrot greens thoroughly, making sure to remove any dirt. Dry them with a towel and then remove the green leaves from the stems. Discard any yellow or dry, brittle parts.
Blend – Place the carrot top greens, baby spinach, chopped garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times, scraping the sides down with a wooden spoon before moving on. Try not to overblend—the mix should not be smooth yet.
Add – With the food processor running, slowly add in the olive oil and continue blending until it reaches your preferred level of smoothness. I still like some larger pieces of nuts in mine, but customize the texture to your desires.
Serve – Drain the pasta and toss with the finished pesto. Serve warm, or chill for at least one hour in the fridge and enjoy it cold.

Notes

This recipe makes 6 servings if being served as the main course. The servings increase to 12-15 if being served as a side dish!

Ingredients & Substitutions

No basil is required for this carrot top pesto recipe! Instead, this recipe uses baby spinach to complement the carrot greens and pine nuts.

Pasta – Use any sort of pasta you prefer. Smaller pasta allows for a better pesto-to-pasta ratio, but use what you enjoy best.
Carrot Tops – Fresh carrot greens work best, dried or frozen do not yield the same taste or texture.
Baby Spinach – This helps fill out the bulk of the pesto body, and balances out the flavor of the carrot greens. You can use basil instead, if you have it on hand.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is a must here! Powdered or pre-minced garlic will not result in the same finished flavor or texture.
Pine Nuts – Cashews can be used instead, but pine nuts are a classic pesto ingredient.
Salt and Pepper – Adjust to your tastes.
Olive Oil – a high-quality olive oil makes all the difference! A low-quality, or old, olive oil will result in a more bitter finished flavor.

Nutrition