Name: Carrot Top Pesto
Prep time: 20 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1 boot ofcarrots with tops (You'll only need the tops; save the carrots for other dishes.); 50 oz ofpine nuts (or blanched almonds); 50 oz ofParmesan; 1/2 lemon (for the juice and zest); 1 pod ofgarlic; 10 fl oz ofolive oil; pepper; quelques leaves ofbasil (optional)

amuse-bouche finger food prepared in advance toast and spreads using up leftovers

Updated on 02 December 2025 by

matt

9 reviews 4.91 : Very good

Diet

Vegetarian

Level

Elementary

Preparation

20 minutes

Wait

1 day

Pesto is traditionally associated with summer because it’s made with basil. Here’s a pesto recipe you can easily make all year round, since we’ll be using carrot tops instead of basil.

If you’ve never tried it before, you’ll be surprised, because this pesto tastes just as good as the original—and once you’ve tasted it, you’ll want more right away! You can then use this pesto as a sauce (or “dip” for the trendy crowd) at a cocktail party, with raw vegetables, for example.

It also makes an excellent condiment to accompany soups, pasta, or steamed meats and vegetables. In the notes at the bottom of this recipe, you’ll find tips on how to store this carrot top pesto.

My recommendation is to prepare it the day before and let it rest. That way, it really develops all its flavors and loses the slight bitterness that can be present at first.

For

people

Add to shopping list

1 boot of carrots with tops You'll only need the tops; save the carrots for other dishes.
1.8 oz of pine nuts or blanched almonds
1.8 oz of Parmesan
1/2 lemon for the juice and zest
1 pod of garlic
3.4 fl oz of olive oil
pepper
quelques leaves of basil optional

1
Rinse the greens
2
Remove the stems and roughly chop the greens. Place them in the bowl of a food processor along with the basil leaves.
3
Squeeze the lemon, grate the zest, coarsely grate the Parmesan, and place everything in the blender. Add the pine nuts and season with pepper.
4
Peel and remove the germ from the garlic clove. Chop it coarsely. Add it to the blender bowl.
5
Start blending, gradually adding the olive oil, until the pesto reaches the desired consistency. If necessary, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the mixture is smooth and well combined.
6
Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape it clean with a spatula so you don't waste any of this precious mixture. Here I used a wooden spatula, but it’s much less practical!
The Chef's Tip
My advice is not to eat it right away, but to wait until the next day so that it really releases all its flavors and loses that slight bitterness it has at first. Cover the pesto with a thin layer of oil and store it in an airtight container.

Notes

This carrot top pesto will keep in the fridge for one to two weeks, especially if you make sure to keep a thin layer of oil on top.

If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze it by packing it into the compartments of an ice cube tray. This way, you’ll end up with little cubes of pesto, and you’ll only use what you need! It’s a very handy technique that I also use for my leftover crème fraîche!

Comments

Jac20230
July 5, 2023

Thanks, Cookette, for the recipe using carrot tops. As it happens, I pulled about ten young carrots out of the ground last night (and they’re more than organic!) and I’d hate to throw those lovely tops into the compost—they’re not wilted at all, quite the opposite.
Best regards, Jac
Cecile
April 17, 2023

Delicious! I've made this several times with great success, both as a dip for vegetables with drinks and as a pasta sauce! Here’s a tip: I added the grated zest of half a lemon, used just one clove of garlic, and a mix of almonds and hazelnuts—it was even better! And let it sit for a day or two; it will develop its full flavor and lose that slight bitterness it has at first.
- Cookette
  April 17, 2023
  I'll give this version a try—thanks, Cécile!