Carrot Top Pesto

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

Carrots in the summer are so beautiful. Every farmer’s market stand has them on display with their frilly, green tops still attached. They’re just too pretty to get rid of! Carrot tops have a light carrot-y flavor, but are a little pepper-y like arugula. The green tops are perfect blended into a sauce like a carrot top pesto. Carrot top pesto is great for some hot, long noodles or mixed into a smaller pasta for a pasta salad.

I used mine with some capellini pasta. The pesto was thinned out with some pasta water and some frozen peas were added! You can also just make a Basil Pesto if you aren’t feeling too adventurous to try carrot tops. 🙂

Ingredients:

Carrot tops: I think the carrot tops here can really be substituted with a multitude of herbs to make a beautiful sauce. Sub with basil for a more traditional pesto or go wild with parsley and cilantro.

Pine nuts and walnuts: I like the combination and flavor of both! If you could only pick one, I would not skip the pine nuts.

Pecorino romano: my favored salty hard cheese!

Lemon juice: You can substitute this with any acid! I used a Meyer lemon vinegar too and it was lovely.

Olive oil: I got a coupon to try this new one, Colive, that is very tasty but also has a beautiful mission.

so beautiful!
toasted nuts
blitzed
add greens
olive oil
pesto!

Carrot Top Pesto

Print Recipe
Minimal waste pesto using green carrot tops for a carrot-y, pepper-y sauce.
Course Main Course
Keyword carrot, pasta, pesto

Equipment

  • 1 blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 2 cups packed carrot tops
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Toasted your pine nuts and walnuts in the oven until golden brown and fragrant. They can be toasted in a pan or in the oven at 350F for 3-5 minutes.
  • While toasting, wash your carrot tops and trim off any leafy bits that are wilted or dry. Cut into smaller chunks to more easily fit into a food processor or blender.
  • After nuts have toasted, add nuts, garlic, and cheese to blend first until into a smaller grit.
  • Add carrot tops and pulse until mostly blended.
  • Continue blending and drizzle in olive oil. Reduce or add additional as necessary until achieved desired consistency.
  • Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
  • Mix into some pasta or serve alongside some bread or crackers!

Try this pesto with Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

Anything mini is automatically delicious and not to mention, cute! Fingerling potatoes are perfect for roasting and are so low maintenance. They really do well with simple seasoning and can be left in the oven to crisp up. I like using non-stick baking sheets for these potatoes to ensure I can eat all the crispy bits and that none will be left on the pan. I had plenty of leftover Basil Pesto from last week, so I wanted to incorporate it into another dish. Simple roasted potatoes are jazzed up with some pesto and are a perfect summer side to a salad and a grilled protein. You could even add extra pesto and chill the potatoes for a pesto potato salad.

Ingredients

Pesto – You can use any store bought pesto or make mine! Find the recipe here: Basil Pesto.

Potatoes – I like using fingerling/baby potatoes since they just require a quick scrub, no chopping required. If you want to use a bigger potato, I’d recommend using a Yukon gold or other creamy potato.

squishing
all squished
add pesto

Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Print Recipe
Served warm or cold as a salad, these pesto potatoes are a perfect summer side.
Course Side Dish
Keyword pesto, potatoes, roasted potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb potatoes
  • 1/2 cup pesto
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Thoroughly clean and dry your potatoes. If using larger potatoes, cut into fourths.
  • Coat potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Add in a single layer to a sheet tray and bake at 350F for 40 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and squish to flatten. The new crevices that have appeared will create more texture as the potatoes continue to cook.
  • Drizzle more olive oil onto the potatoes and bake at 375F for another 15 minutes.
  • Remove potatoes, and top with about 1/2 tsp of pesto per fingerling potato. Spread the pesto on the surface of the potato.
  • Return to the oven for another ~3 minutes on broil for the pesto to toast.
  • Serve immediately or chill with extra pesto mixed in for a pesto potato salad.

Need more sides? Have some Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Serve these at your BBQ with some Black Bean Burgers.

Basil Pesto

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

Summer’s just getting hotter in the PNW and the herbs are not happy. I’m hearing and seeing herb gardens wilting in the heat! Pick those herbs before they dry up into nothing. If I’m not using my basil to top my pho or throwing it into a noodle or rice stir-fry, I’ll use it to make a pesto. I’ve tried a few grocery store pesto jars, but I’ll always go for my homemade version if I can (I know I’m a snob). I find that pesto from the grocery store can often be overly salty, not basil-y fragrant enough, or oddly sweet. The pesto from the grocery store typically isn’t a very vibrant green either, so you know its not the most fresh.

If you make a large quantity of pesto, it can be frozen for later. I’d recommended freezing in ice cube trays so you can portion out how much you might need at one time. When you need to use it, melt with some leftover pasta water if making pasta or leave in the refrigerator if using as a dip on the side. If storing in the refrigerator, cover the top with a layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation.

Ingredients

Basil – Pesto is generally made with basil, but the basil can be swapped for variety of other herbs. I’ve made pesto before with carrot tops, spinach, or cilantro.

Pine nuts – Basil pesto traditionally uses pine nuts, but this can be substituted for other nuts (not legumes) that you have on hand. I’d recommend using walnuts or cashews. Pine nuts do really give the pesto a richer flavor, so try to stick with that!

Cheeses – I like pecorino romano more than I like parmesano reggiano, so I usually always have that on hand. I use all pecorino romano, but you can use one, the other, or a combination of both!

Olive oil – Umm non-negotiable.

blend it all together
pesto!

Basil Pesto

Print Recipe
I promise, better than the grocery store.
Keyword basil, pesto

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil packed tight
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup cheese parmesan/pecorino
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients into your blender or mortar and pestle.
  • Mix/blend until completely combined. Adjust for salt.

Make some Fresh Egg Pasta to go with it or serve it on the side of My Favorite Focaccia.