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    Home » Food

    Carrot Top Pesto Recipe + 15 Ways to Use Pesto!

    June 30, 2014 by Chrissy Carroll 47 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Lately, I’ve been really interested (both for our budget and out of creative curiosity) in figuring out ways to maximize the use of all our produce items. For example, when I buy beets, in addition to using the beetroot, I’ll also sauté up the greens. The other day I got some carrots in my CSA box, and it made me wonder – is there anything you can do with those carrot tops?  Of course, carrot top pesto was one of the first things that came to mind.

    Carrot top pesto is an easy recipe that tastes delicious. Use it over grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, drizzled over avocado toast, or any way you see fit!

    Carrot Top Pesto Recipe

    Turns out, there is a lot of debate in the online world about whether carrot tops are poisonous or not.  Before I get into my opinions, let’s just be clear that this post does not constitute medical advice. If you are nervous about eating carrot tops, ask your doctor!

    So here’s the deal.  A 2009 New York Times article prompted some of this online debate about toxicity, stating:

    “A carrot top, apparently, is not a laughing matter. They contain alkaloids, Ms. Sumner explained, a group of organic compounds that includes caffeine, cocaine, and strychnine. These are substances that even culinary thrill-seekers might not want in their salad. “Effects range from slightly elevated blood pressure, and slightly elevated alertness and heartbeat, all the way to death,” Ms. Sumner said.”

    But a separate NY Times blog featuring food science writer Harold McGee states that he’s found “no evidence that carrot tops are unsafe to eat.”

    Here’s my take on it:

    • Yes, carrot tops contain alkaloids and nitrates, but so do a host of other vegetables we eat, like spinach or cilantro
    • Bitter does not necessarily mean toxic; and some of us have genetic traits that cause us to perceive a higher level of bitterness than others.
    • You’d have to eat (or juice) a large amount of most greens to experience side effects

    While there are other plants out there that resemble carrot tops which are toxic (like poison hemlock) – I can’t find any scientific evidence that carrot tops are toxic when eaten in a normal amount. In fact, the only scientific article I found in pubmed that specifically looked at carrot tops (along with radish tops) found that men fed 75 grams per day for a month had no adverse effects.

    In other words, as long as you aren’t eating them by the bushel – or you aren’t personally sensitive to the greens (and sensitives can happen with any food, of course) – then you should be able to eat them. I’d recommend organic carrot greens when possible, though, since they may be high in pesticide residues.

    And I’m still kickin’ after whipping up this carrot top pesto recipe, so I’m going to take that as a good sign.  I plan to experiment with them soon in some other recipes too, like these Roasted Carrot & Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro & Carrot Green Chimichurri.  

    But this pesto was delicious and definitely a recipe I’ll make again soon.  The taste is kind of a mixture of fresh, earthy parsley flavor, peppery arugula flavor, and some subtle carrot notes.

    [Tweet “Use up every part of those carrots by making this tasty carrot top pesto!”]

    Carrot top pesto is an easy recipe that tastes delicious. Use it over grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, drizzled over avocado toast, or any way you see fit!

    There are tons of ways you can use this carrot top pesto, just like you’d use other forms of pesto.  Here are just a few ideas to get you thinking about how to use pesto:

    1. Mix with pasta and veggies for a nice spring and summertime dish
    2. Use as a spread on a sandwich instead of mayo
    3. Make into pesto pizza (think topping naan with pesto, grilled chicken, tomatoes, and mozz, or topping your favorite pizza crust with portabello mushrooms, red peppers, and pesto)
    4. Toss with roasted or grilled veggies
    5. Drizzle over avocado toast
    6. Mixe with roasted potatoes (my favorite – just look at those potatoes below!)
    7. Top baked or grilled chicken
    8. Spread on bruschetta
    9. Add to your favorite grilled cheese
    10. Toss with spaghetti squash and grilled shrimp
    11. Make a pesto mac & cheese
    12. Mix into chicken salad sandwiches
    13. Top a turkey burger with pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella 
    14. Use as a dip for baked french fries
    15. Make cheesy pesto pull-apart bread for a party 

    Carrot top pesto is an easy recipe that tastes delicious. Use it over grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, drizzled over avocado toast, or any way you see fit!

    Carrot top pesto is an easy recipe that tastes delicious. Use it over grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, drizzled over avocado toast, or any way you see fit!

    Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

     

    Carrot Top Pesto Recipe

    Carrot Top Pesto

    Snacking in Sneakers
    A simple, six ingredient pesto recipe made using carrot tops!  A great way to incorporate a new type of green, as well as reduce food waste using all parts of the carrot.
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins

    Ingredients
      

    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch carrot tops
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 lemon, zest and juice (zest first - it's easier than trying to zest after squeezing it!)
    • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
    • 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
    • (optional) salt to taste

    Instructions
     

    Directions:

    • Add all ingredients to a food processor, starting with the lesser amount of olive oil.  Pulse a few times until well combined.  Add additional olive oil as needed to reach desired pesto texture.  
    • Taste pesto - if desired, add salt.  I usually season the foods I'm adding it to first (like baked chicken or potatoes) but feel free to add a little salt to the pesto if needed.
    • Serve pesto over pasta, baked chicken, potatoes, or whatever your heart desires!
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

     

    Share with me:  Have you ever made carrot top pesto, or cooked with carrot tops in another way?  What are your favorite things to make with them?  What’s one of your favorite ways to use pesto?

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Chrissy Carroll
    Chrissy Carroll
    Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.
    Chrissy Carroll
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    Comments

    1. Gustavo Monsante

      April 1, 2018 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh, the recipe was delish! Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        April 2, 2018 at 9:24 am

        Yay, so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to share that you liked it.

        Reply
        • Natalie

          May 5, 2020 at 9:28 pm

          5 stars
          I was looking for a way to use my carrot tops I just bought and was so disappointed when most of the pesto recipes required nuts/another trip back to the store for me. I loved that this recipe used things I already had on hand and I was honestly shocked at how good it still tastes!

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            May 6, 2020 at 2:17 pm

            Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it Natalie. 🙂

            Reply
    2. Linda Lopez

      June 26, 2018 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      I knew there must be something better to do with carrot tops than relegate them to the compost bin. So glad I found this recipe! The pesto I made last night may be the best I’ve ever tasted. I spread it over the carrots it came with, which I had oven roasted to sweet perfection. I’ve bookmarked this page so I can come back and try some of the other recipes. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        June 30, 2018 at 8:57 pm

        Aw, this comment makes me so happy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pesto. 🙂

        Reply
        • Carol

          August 25, 2018 at 5:56 am

          Hi! Just found this nugget. Got a beautiful bunch of organic purple carrots today and they have such lovely fronds. I had to find a way to use them. This looks like a great application. I hope to be able to store in a good sealing jar with a layer of olive oil on top so I can make it last a while. What do you think?

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            August 26, 2018 at 2:51 pm

            Hi there – so glad you were able to find this recipe! In full honesty, food storage is not my forte – but I’d worry a little bit about greens/lemon juice/Parmesan being in the fridge for more than a week (without some kind of high heat canning processing) from a food safety perspective. If it were me, I’d try to use it up within a week 🙂

            Reply
          • Megan

            March 2, 2019 at 5:48 pm

            We freeze it in ice cube trays.

            Reply
            • Chrissy Carroll

              March 4, 2019 at 5:03 pm

              So smart! I need to do that 🙂

    3. Leah

      October 7, 2018 at 3:45 pm

      I’ve made this three times now and I love it!! I’ve been making a bigger batch and freezing it in smaller amounts to use as needed.

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        October 29, 2018 at 7:58 am

        That makes me so happy – I’m glad to hear you enjoy it! It’s definitely a favorite around our house too 🙂

        Reply
    4. Leah

      October 7, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      Also want to add it was nice to find a carrot top pesto recipe that didn’t incorporate basil or other herb. If I wanted to make basil pesto I would have!

      Reply
    5. Jennifer

      April 17, 2019 at 2:55 pm

      Do you use the entire carrot top or just the leaves?

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        April 26, 2019 at 8:08 am

        I’m so sorry for missing this comment earlier Jennifer! I just toss the entire upper portion of the carrot tops in there rather than picking off the leaves. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    6. Dana Wilson

      July 29, 2020 at 9:44 pm

      5 stars
      I was pleasantly surprised by how good this pesto turned out! I made slight adjustments to the ingredients according to my taste, and it was amazingly tasty. The lemon adds just the right amount of tang!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        August 2, 2020 at 4:28 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it Dana! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to try it and leave a comment.

        Reply
    7. Yelana

      August 2, 2020 at 3:07 pm

      Really excited to try this, but what does 1 bunch of carrot tops equate to? A cup/ 2 cups? Thanks

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        August 5, 2020 at 9:32 am

        That is a great question! I usually use the amount that comes with a one-pound bunch of carrots, which is about 1 1/2 cups. That said, this recipe if flexible, and you can adjust it to your desired taste or based on what you have on hand. 🙂

        Reply
        • Yelana

          August 5, 2020 at 3:20 pm

          Thanks Chrissy

          I have a garden so this gives me a guideline. I’m eager to try it and share it.

          Yelana

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            August 7, 2020 at 12:02 pm

            Awesome! Let me know if you enjoyed it 🙂

            Reply
    8. GREGG C

      January 9, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      Recently got some beautiful organic carrots with lovely greens and seemed like such a waste to just toss them… this recipe is a winner! looking forward to using the pesto this week…I think on seabass or halibut fillets in the oven. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        January 12, 2021 at 8:30 am

        Oooh, I love the idea of using it over some seabass or halibut – that sounds delicious!

        Reply
    9. GREGG C.

      January 11, 2021 at 10:12 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! made the pesto this weekend and tonight tossed it with some rigatoni, then topped with mozzarella, feta and parm and baked at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        January 12, 2021 at 8:32 am

        Yum! That sounds amazing. So glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    10. Katie

      April 17, 2021 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! Thank you for the yummy recipe and ideas of ways to use it. I took idea #7 and decided to try it on a chicken sandwich with tomato and fresh mozzarella. Everybody loved it! It didn’t all get used up so I’m looking forward to trying some of the other ideas.

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        April 22, 2021 at 7:51 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it! That chicken sandwich sounds delicious 🙂

        Reply
    11. Roberta Young

      October 28, 2021 at 6:34 pm

      5 stars
      OHHHHHH SOOOOOO GOOD! I always used the carrot top greens to make vegetable stock stock but this recipe for pesto is delicious! I can’t wait to make it again
      Thank you so much

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        November 2, 2021 at 11:17 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s a favorite of mine (especially over some roasted potatoes).

        Reply
    12. Linda Garvin

      March 1, 2022 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this delicious pesto. Wow it’s the nicest pesto I’ve tried & uses those amazing carrot tops – so much flavour! Can’t wait to put it onto lamb chops for dinner tonight!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        March 9, 2022 at 1:43 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely a favorite around our house when we’ve got extra carrot tops on hand.

        Reply
        • Trina

          June 29, 2022 at 4:03 pm

          5 stars
          Delicious! It is my first year gardening carrots and I was so excited to find this pesto recipe. I used 1/4 cup olive oil and also threw in a couple of leftover basil leaves I had. Very tasty on sourdough bread with some sliced cucumber. Thank you! 🙂

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            July 1, 2022 at 9:15 am

            Oooh I love the idea of it spread on sourdough with sliced cucumbers – thank you for sharing that! 🙂

            Reply
    13. Naomi

      June 15, 2022 at 11:38 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious. I wasn’t expecting to like this pesto this much. I’m surprised that something that tastes this good and makes use of something that normally goes to waste is not more widely known. Great job!!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        July 1, 2022 at 9:15 am

        Thanks for the comment Naomi – glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
      • Gretel

        August 26, 2023 at 10:28 am

        This recipe is delicious! My husband doesn’t like nuts, so it’s a great nut-free pesto, too. I grow basil, so I often double the recipe and use half carrot tops and half basil.

        Reply
        • Chrissy Carroll

          August 30, 2023 at 12:34 pm

          Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!

          Reply
    14. Shelly

      July 7, 2022 at 9:29 pm

      5 stars
      I used your recipe and did also add 1/3 cup of walnuts, we all loved it! Thank you for the ideas to use my CSA carrot tops!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        July 11, 2022 at 11:49 am

        Glad you enjoyed it Shelly! Thanks for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    15. Allison K

      September 9, 2022 at 9:59 am

      Has anyone tried canning this recipe or just freeze the excess?

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        September 19, 2022 at 12:46 pm

        There are certain protocols for canning as far as pH – I am not an expert in this, but I believe pesto would not have enough acidity to safely can in a water bath at home. (But it freezes wonderfully).

        Reply
    16. David K

      April 22, 2023 at 9:04 pm

      Made today, picked carrots at sunrise, made pesto at 6:30 AM, served pesto at 5 PM on tortellini Added some pine nuts and double garlic. Using juice from one lemon was a wee bit tart, but very tasty otherwise. Looking forward to making again!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        April 26, 2023 at 8:56 am

        Awesome! Sounds like you made some great changes to fit your preferences, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    17. Carol M

      May 13, 2023 at 5:55 pm

      5 stars
      Garlic scapes are in season right now. I used those instead of garlic cloves. YUMM to the UMMMMMM!!! Great recipe friend. Thank you…

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        May 23, 2023 at 9:26 am

        Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed it with the garlic scapes!

        Reply
    18. Sue Leidy

      November 20, 2023 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Amazingly delicious ~ I’ve shared samples, and the recipe, to the delight of my friends. Such a fresh taste!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        November 27, 2023 at 1:13 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply

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