Carrot greens and sunflower seeds are a new take on a versatile pesto spread that pairs well with hearty crackers.
By Katherine Sacks
I’ve mentioned before that you can make pesto out of just about anything, but I’m always surprised when friends are stunned by different variations on the herb spread. My favorite is with beet greens, spicy radish greens, and most recently, this carrot greens pesto.
We’ve received lovely carrots from the CSA this year, and I usually keep the greens in the freezer, along with my other trim, to use to make vegetable stock. When this batch arrived I was in the mood for pesto, and it was as easy as that. We had a big jar of sunflower seeds so I subbed those for the nuts, plus the regular olive oil, lemon juice, cheese, and garlic mix. A quick buzz in the food processor and we had a nice pesto to snack on. It was lovely with the radishes, which also came from the farm, on top of wheat crackers.
PrintCarrot Green and Sunflower Seed Pesto
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Carrot greens and sunflower seeds are a new take on a versatile pesto spread that pairs well with hearty crackers.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch carrot greens and stems, washed and dried
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the carrot greens, stems, garlic clove, sunflower seeds, and cheese in a food processor.
- Buzz until a chunky texture begins to form, then add in the olive oil and lemon juice and process until the mixture is thoroughly combined and desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Category: Appetizer
