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Fresh Carrot Top Pesto

Fresh Carrot Top Pesto

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I am so excited about this carrot top pesto!  Not only is it delicious, it’s also something I’ve wanted to try for years.

Ever since I started growing my own carrots about ten years ago, I’ve been on the hunt for ways to put those leafy green tops to use.

Fresh Carrot Top Pesto | Roots & Boots
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So far, I’ve saved carrot tops in the freezer to add to homemade bone broth, and I’ve dried carrot tops for adding to broth and for making tea.  We also feed carrot tops to my oldest son’s rabbits and of course the pigs, chickens, and the compost pile are always ready to recycle extra greens into pork, eggs, and rich garden soil.

But until now, I haven’t landed on a great way to eat the actual carrot tops.  Which is why I’m so excited about this carrot top pesto!

Fresh Carrot Top Pesto | Roots & Boots
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Ingredients for carrot top pesto

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a pesto made from carrot tops instead of basil, but the taste is bright and fresh and I can’t wait for you to try it.

All you need for making carrot top pesto are seven simple ingredients, three of which are salt, pepper, and olive oil.

The best time of year to make carrot top pesto is in the spring or fall, when both carrot tops and fresh spinach leaves are available in season.  Carrots grow all summer long, but spinach prefers the cool weather of spring and fall.

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Olive oil and nuts

As for the olive oil, please be sure to choose a trusted brand that contains pure olive oil, instead of fake, adulterated oil.  Better yet, if you have the opportunity to buy fresh olive oil from a local olive farm, that really is the best way to get your hands on real olive oil!

When it comes to nuts, I recommend learning how to soak and dry your own.  I know this process can seem intimidating at first, but I guarantee it will become like second nature once you get in the habit of doing it regularly.

If your kids are old enough, you can even assign this task to one of them.  That’s what I do!  It’s super simple and you can find the full instructions here for the soaking and dehydrating process.

Unrefined sea salt

Lastly, I always recommend using unrefined sea salt instead of regular table salt.  Did you know that our bodies need and crave the nourishing minerals found in unrefined sea salt?

Regular table salt has given all salts a bad reputation, but unrefined sea salt is a necessary and even healing component of a truly healthy diet.  Use code KEEPITREAL to get 15% off my favorite brand of unrefined sea salt.

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Carrot Top Pesto

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  • Author: Yankee Homestead
  • Yield: 1 cup 1x

Description

Got fresh carrots? Put those leafy greens to delicious use in this fresh carrot top pesto. Then spread it on and stir it into everything you can think of!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup carrot top greens, packed, with stems removed
  • 1 cup spinach leaves, packed
  • 1 large garlic clove, quartered
  • 1/2 cup crispy cashews
  • 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Rinse carrot tops and remove tough stems as well as dry or yellowed leaves.
  2. Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and pulse several times, scraping down the sides as needed.
  3. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. Scrape sides as needed and pulse until smooth. Feel free to add a bit more olive oil to reach your desired consistency.

 

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Kathleen | Roots & Boots

Let's get real! I’m Kathleen Henderson, your Natural Living Mentor. I’m on a mission to help families see the joy in real food, while finding natural remedies and creating a nontoxic home. Learn more about my story >>

2 Comments

  1. Valerie on 07/30/2020 at 9:39 pm

    I read that 1 cup of the tops have about 110% of our daily Vit A requirements! I use carrot tops in tabouli (not sure if I spelled it right). I do: 1 bunch Italian parsley, 1 bunch of curly and almost an equal portion of carrot tops then the tomato, cucumber, green onion, bulgar, lemon, olive oil … and I cut snap peas in short pieces and add also, adds great flavor, and great in soups too but ya .. I will keep this recipe, need more ways to use them for sure, right? thanks much for the good recipes

    • Kathleen on 08/02/2020 at 2:09 am

      Yes, they’re so nutritious!

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