Carrot top? Yes you heard it right! If you haven’t tried it before you are going to have to trust me on this one. If you have you already know just how tasty Carrot Top Pesto can be.
Carrot Top Pesto
Pesto is something you will nearly always find in my fridge. I use it very often. I add it to pasta for the quickest of easy meals. William, my youngest, is a student and virtually lives off pesto pasta. I add it to rice served cold as a simple, but delicious, salad side dish. I stir it into cooked vegetables to make them more interesting and that is to name just a few. In the summer I make my own Home-made Pesto as it is so easy and has such a lovely fresh flavour, especially if the basil has been growing outside for a few weeks first. So, when I first came across Carrot Top Pesto I was intrigued, if not slightly apprehensive to try it. Could you really make pesto from something that is usually just thrown away? The answers is a most definitely yes.
I first tasted carrot top pesto at a Guild of Food Writers event. We were fortunate enough to have been invited to visit Aspalls – of Aspalls cyder and vinegar fame. After a tour of the factory we were treated to a rather spectacular lunch featuring lots of fresh local Suffolk produce. The lunch was prepared by Peter Harrison who runs a supper club. I now so want to go to, His food is amazing and, lucky me, it’s near my holiday cottage. But I digress. To start we had some oils and vinegars (naturally, we were at Aspalls after all) for dipping and some carrot top pesto served with local breads. Fast forward to last Monday when my regular Riverford organic box arrived with not only bunched carrots but a recipe for carrot top pesto so I just had to make it.
Cold pressed rapeseed oil
Of course I had to tweak the recipe a bit, and my most most significant change was to make mine with cold pressed rapeseed oil rather than olive oil. You might have noticed I use it quite a bit. Unlike some others that usually sold as vegetable oil, cold pressed rapeseed oil is not heavily refined. It is high in good oils, has a great flavour and, being produced in this country, unlike olive oil does not have huge food miles. My favourite is HillFarm Oil but that’s mainly because it is produced locally to me in Suffolk and I like to support local producers. There are other good ones available, like olive oil, the taste varies from producer to producer so choose one you like.
Did my carrot top pesto taste as good as I remember the one Peter made had been? I think so, and therefore I had to share the recipe with you. Do let me know what you think.
Don't waste the feather green tops from bunched carrots. It takes just minutes to make a delicious carrot top pesto instead. Serve in place of basil pesto
- 100 g carrot tops
- small handful parsley leaves
- 50 g walnuts
- 25 g parmesan cheese or vegetarian alternative
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 100 ml cold pressed rapeseed oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wash the carrot tops and shake dry. Remove the feathery leaves from the stems and discard the stems
Place the carrot top and parsley in a food processor and blitz briefly to chop.
Add the walnuts, cheese and garlic, and blitz again.
With the machine running add most of the oil. Season to taste, then add the remaining oil if required to loosen the pesto.
Transfer to a serving dish or jar and chill until required.
The pesto will keep for several days, covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use as required.
Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only. (It does not include seasoning with salt and pepper.)
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Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Wow Jacqueline, i love the sound of this! I’m definitely gnot going to be throwing away carrot tops now – it’s the perfect way of using everything up.
Angela x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks angela. It certainly save s on food waste 🙂
jenny walters says
I absolutely love the sound of this.How clever!I am definitely going to try this.Love the fact that you’ve put it back with the carrots.I went to Riverford Farm a couple of years ago for lunch and the food blew me away.One of the best meals I have ever had.I bought the book at the time!Fab!xx
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks Jenny I hope you like it. Im still very happy with my vegire box have been getting it a while and I tend to waste less it think is good value. Sometimes the recipe cards ideas that come with it are really good too.
Choclette says
I had the recipe for carrot top pesto in my Riverford box too, but like you, was too apprehensive to try it. Now you tell us how good it is, I shall give it a go next time I get carrot tops in my box. My wild garlic pesto has finally run out, so I need to make a new batch of something. I too use it for all sorts of things, including sandwiches.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
yes do give it ago. I haven’t made wild garlic pesto before but next season will definitely be giving it a go. j x
Cliona Keane says
I’ve never thought to do this with carrot top! Lovely idea and it looks like it tastes sensational!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It tastes great x
Monika Dabrowski says
Why do all the fabulous leaves of so many vegetables (beetroot for example) always (almost always) get chopped off and you end up thinking only the roots are worth eating? I actually didn’t really know carrot leaves were edible! Thank you for making me aware they are! Such a fabulous recipe idea and nothing gets wasted. And I would definitely use rapeseed oil too, it’s so delicious and I always use it in my pesto sauces too. All thumbs up for this recipe:) #CookBlogShare
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It really easy very satisfying when you use up every last bit of an ingredient. I hate food waste but sadly have to confess I can be guilty of it sometimes.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Sounds wonderful and what a great use of something that might otherwise get thrown away. I love pesto in all it’s guises, but my children really hate it (I have the only kids who hate pesto, it would seem), so we hardly ever have it, such a shame 🙁 Eb x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ah kids they can be really annoying sometimes. Will moves back from uni soon so family meals will be back to accommodating everyones likes and dislikes again and it can be quite restrictive and mine are not as bad as many these days
mandy says
I love this recipe Jacqueline especially how it uses up a part of the vegetable that is usually thrown away. I am going to have to try this!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks mandy no waste is always a great feeling.