Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto
Servings: 4 servings
Sick of the same old thing as a side dish? This carrot top pesto recipe gives a dish that needed push. Dairy-free, Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, Whole30, & gluten-free. AIP-modification too.
Ingredients
For the Carrots
- 2 bunches Carrots (approx 8)
- 2 tbs Lard (melted*)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste (omit for AIP)
For the Pesto
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/4 cup Pine Nuts (omit for AIP - it's really ok without these)
- 1 bunch Leafy Carrot Tops (washed)
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- Pepper to taste (omit for AIP)
- zest of 1 Lemon
- juice of 1/2 Lemon (approx 1 tbs)
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
Instructions
For the Carrots
- Preheat the oven to 375 F
- Chop the leafy tops off of the carrots (reserving them) and then wash and peel the carrots.
- Place the carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle the melted lard over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 35 minutes or until tender.
For the Pesto
- In a food processor, mince the garlic clove.
- Add the pine nuts and process until finely chopped up.
- Add the leafy carrot tops, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice and process until it is a paste.
- With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add more olive oil if you prefer a runnier pesto.
- Serve over the roasted carrots.
Notes
*I like to use Fatworks lard but if you don't have any on hand then coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil or tallow would work just as well.
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