Don't throw out your carrot tops! Turn those greens into delicious pesto with this easy recipe. (gluten-free)

overhead view of a white bowl of carrot top pesto with a black spoon beside it on a white and grey napkin.

If you've been a Lively Table reader for a while, you know I like to avoid food waste as much as possible. One thing I love utilizing in the kitchen is greens! Using the greens of vegetables like carrots and beets is a great way to cut down on food waste and to introduce variety into your daily meals.

overhead view of ingredients needed for carrot top pesto on a white marble background.

Are Carrot Greens Edible?

Yes! Don't throw those carrot greens out. Carrot tops are perfectly edible, and actually delicious! They've got a taste similar to parsley with a hint of carrot sweetness. Carrot greens are easy to make into something amazing, like this carrot top pesto!

Why You'll Love This Carrot Top Pesto

You probably already know that pesto is delicious. This version uses mild, herby carrot greens, as well as the traditional suspects like basil, garlic and olive oil to create a tasty pesto that can be used in all kinds of dishes. It's easy to make and so versatile!

How To Make Carrot Top Pesto

three image collage showing steps for making carrot top pesto in a food processor.

Wash and dry your carrot greens well to remove any dirt that may still be hanging out in them. If the stems are tender, you can throw them in, but remove any tough or woody stems.
Place carrot greens, basil, garlic, walnuts, and parmesan in the food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped.
Add the salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until you have a thick-ish paste but not a completely blended mixture. Add additional olive oil if needed.
Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it!

Ingredient Substitutions

For a dairy-free version, omit the parmesan.
For a more traditional pesto, you can use pine nuts in place of the walnuts. I always have walnuts on hand so that's what I use. You can also omit them if you're allergic to nuts.

white bowl of carrot top pesto with a black spoon in it.

What To Use Carrot Top Pesto For

Stir into pasta for a flavorful sauce, such as my Pesto Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli, or my Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad.
Use as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.
Layer in my savory Chickpea and Pesto Yogurt Parfait.
Use as a sauce for a pizza or flatbread, like my Spring Snap Pea Asparagus Pizza.

Easy Carrot Top Pesto

overhead view of a white bowl of carrot top pesto with a black spoon in it on a white and grey napkin.

Don't throw out your carrot tops! Turn those greens into delicious pesto with this easy recipe. (gluten-free)

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: about 1 cup 1x
Category: sauce
Method: no cook
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale

1 small bunch carrot greens (about 1 cup)
½ cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp walnuts
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
⅓ - ½ cup olive oil
juice from 1 lemon

Instructions

Wash and dry your carrot greens well to remove any dirt that may still be hanging out in them. If the stems are tender, you can throw them in, but remove any tough or woody stems.
Place carrot greens, basil, garlic, walnuts, and parmesan in the food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped.
Add the salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until you have a thick-ish paste but not a completely blended mixture. Add additional olive oil if needed.
Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it!

Notes

For a dairy-free version, omit the parmesan.
For a more traditional pesto, you can use pine nuts in place of the walnuts. I always have walnuts on hand so that's what I use. You can also omit them if you're allergic to nuts.
If you don't have a food processor you can finely chop everything by hand or use a mortar and pestle to grind all of the dry ingredients.

Keywords: carrot top pesto, carrot green pesto