Beet Tops Pesto
Looking for an easy beet greens recipe? This pesto is the thing to make! So, instead of tossing those beet greens learn how a few simple ingredients turn them into a delicious beet tops pesto that’s perfect with pasta.
Every time I buy beets, I am amazed by how many greens are attached to them as I stuff them in my crisper drawer. Sadly, before this week, I always tossed the beet greens away, never once thinking that maybe those greens could be used for something. That all ends here.
After my spinach and parsley pesto experiment, I’ve been turning random green stuff into pesto, and this beet tops pesto is my new fave. Some beet greens, some nuts, some cheese, some garlic, some olive oil, and poof! you got yourself a tasty sauce for some pasta.
Ingredients
- Beet top greens – remove the stems and just use the greens.
- Walnuts – or you can use other nuts like almonds or pine nuts.
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Olive oil
- Salt
How to Make It
Toss the greens, walnuts, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, and lemon juice and zest in a food processor. Pulse them until everything is chopped up.
With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt.
It will keep in the fridge for a few days in an airtight container or you can freeze it. Store it in small containers with a layer of olive oil on top, cover, and freeze them for a couple of months.
Different Ways to Use Beet Tops Pesto
- Toss it with pasta for pasta salads, side dishes, or main courses.
- Spread it on sandwiches.
- Mix it with cream cheese and enjoy it with your morning bagel.
- Spread it on toast along with avocado and tomato slices.
- Stir it into store-bought tomato sauce for an extra nutrition boost.
- Spread it on pizza dough and top it with your favorite toppings for pizza night.
Happy pesto-making!
More Pesto Recipes
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe, along with your recipe star rating.
PrintBeet Tops Pesto
Don’t toss those beet greens! Use them to make a flavorful pesto that’s perfect with pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5–6 cups beet top greens (just the green leaves from approximately 2 bunches of beets)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Toss the greens, walnuts, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, and lemon juice and zest in a blender or food processor. Blend them all together until everything is chopped up.
- With the blender or food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt (start with a couple pinches).
Notes
Toss the pesto with pasta, slather some on sandwiches, top some toast with it, or stir it into store-bought tomato sauce for a nutrition kick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 257
- Sugar: 0.7g
- Sodium: 617.1g
- Fat: 26.2g
- Saturated Fat: 4.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3.9g
- Fiber: 1.9g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 4.8mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
I made the recipe exactly as you did but added some garlic scapes from my garden. It is delicious !!
Sounds delicious!
How long will this keep in the fridge? Can I freeze it for later?
It will keep in the fridge for up to a week and I think it will freeze well, too. Just keep it in a freezer-safe container – it will probably keep for a couple of months.
Recipe worked out well. Glad I made it.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This looks so good! What a great way to use the whole plant!
What an unusual way to get your greens! Tastes different and amazing! A nice change from the usual pestos. I slightly blanched the green tops before blending everything (a habit from making basil pesto, I guess).