5-Ingredient Carrot Top Pesto | Quick & Easy (+Video)

Try this easy carrot top pesto the next time you get a bunch of carrots with leafy greens. Mix nuts, garlic, herbs, and olive oil with the greens for a fast, delicious spread perfect for bread or pasta!

I love having a subscription to a CSA (community supported agriculture) box because it forces us to try new things and new recipes.

For instance, whole roasted carrots.

I washed the whole carrots – tops and all – and placed them on a seasoned cookie sheet. I liberally drizzled them with extra virgin olive oil, generously sprinkled them with salt and black pepper, and roasted them in the oven at 400F for about 30 minutes.

Let me tell you…the carrots came out awesome! They were super sweet, tender and juicy.

The carrot tops? Well, not so much.

The high temperature caused them to be brittle and burned. They flaked off the stems, fell off forks, and made a huge mess on the table. What little pieces of carrot greens that made it into our mouths just tasted bad.

The next time we got whole carrots in the CSA box, I skipped the oven and tried another recipe that I’ve been wanting to try: carrot top pesto.

Folks, we have a winner! This stuff is SO good and SO easy to make, I should have started making this eons ago!

WHY MAKE CARROT TOP PESTO

If you’ve got a big bunch of carrots with greens, you’ll want to try this carrot top pesto recipe too! It’s:

• A great way to avoid food waste! Use the whole carrot without throwing anything away.
• Versatile. This recipe is very forgiving when it comes to substitutions, so you can use what you have in your kitchen.
• Naturally vegan. Just 5 simple real food ingredients here for a vegan pesto.
• Budget friendly. Traditional pesto contains some expensive ingredients, but not carrot top pesto!
• Yummy! This easy spread turns out so smooth and delicious!

CARROT TOP PESTO RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You only need 5 simple ingredients to make carrot pesto.

• Nuts. I used pecans, but almonds, cashews, pistachios, or walnuts would also work. Traditional pesto uses pine nuts which taste great, but tend to be pricy.
• Garlic. A traditional ingredient for pesto. Start with 1 clove of garlic and add more if you want more garlicky flavor.
• Carrot Tops. You can’t have carrot top pesto without carrot tops! I used every bit of green part from the top of the carrots (leaves and stems), but if you’re concerned about bitterness, skip the stems and just use the leafy parts.
• Fresh Herbs. I used fresh basil leaves, but Italian parsley, oregano, or even a bit of cilantro will work – they’ll each add a different flavor to the pesto. (Don’t forget to freeze any extra herbs you have).
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You’ll blend this in at the end to make the pesto smooth and creamy.

If you don’t have enough carrot tops to equal the 2 cups in the recipe, try adding some spinach or kale.

Many pesto recipes also include lemon juice or Parmesan cheese, but they’re not necessary for this yummy carrot greens pesto recipe. If you have extra, feel free to add it in!

Psst! Want to kick this carrot top pesto up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)

HOW TO MAKE CARROT GREENS PESTO

Step 1. Measure nuts and garlic into a blender or food processor. Pulse until a rough paste forms. How much of a paste you form will depend on the type of nut you use. (The natural oils from the nut will be released to form the paste).

Step 2. Add carrot tops and basil, and pulse until everything is in teeny tiny pieces and creates an even thicker, rougher paste.

Note: If your food processor is small (like mine), you might have to stop and move some of the herbs around a bit to get them to chop. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect though. You’ll be blending/processing again soon.

Step 3. Add ½ cup olive oil and pulse/blend until the mixture is mostly smooth. If the pesto is too thick, add additional olive oil if desired, 1 Tablespoon at a time.

Note: I like my carrot greens pesto to be spreadable, so I ended up adding another ¼ cup of olive oil for ¾ cup total.

Step 4. Season with salt and pepper and you’re done!

This carrot pesto recipe makes about 1 cup. Store the carrot pesto in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw before using). I like to freeze portions of pesto in an ice cube tray for quick use later.

CARROT PESTO RECIPE TIPS

If you’re using quality olive oil, the pesto will likely solidify in the fridge. Bring the carrot green pesto to room temperature for 10 minutes before using.

Besides using food that you would ordinarily throw away, the best part of this recipe is that it’s SO versatile. You can use any type of nuts and any type of herbs you want or happen to have at the time.

If you’re going to make substitutions, keep these three things in mind:

• Use less of items that have strong flavors, like peanuts or cilantro.
• Use more of items that have subtle flavors, like macadamia nuts or parsley.
• Taste as you go and adjust. Always!

TO SERVE CARROT TOP PESTO

This carrot greens pesto packs a HUGE flavor punch.

CARROT GREEN PESTO FAQS

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WATCH HOW TO MAKE CARROT TOP PESTO