3-Ingredient Roasted Carrots with Pistachio Pesto
From the kitchen of CarlyCaramelized young carrots meet vibrant pistachio pesto made from carrot tops and basil. The nuts add crucial crunch and earthiness, while the greens transform scraps into something essential. Simple, stunning, and totally vegetable-forward.
- Prep
- n/a
- Cook
- n/a
- Total
- n/a
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
4 servings
- 12 pounds young carrots, trimmed, peeled, plus 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot tops
- 11/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 11 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 11 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 11/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted, salted pistachios, divided
- 12 cups (loosely packed) basil leaves
- 1plus more for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss carrots with 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until carrots are golden brown and tender, 25–35 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, pulse 1/4 cup pistachios in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Add carrot tops and 2 cups basil. Pulse until a coarse purée forms. Add remaining 1/2 cup oil and pulse until combined; season with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
Transfer carrots to a platter. Drizzle with pesto, then top with basil leaves and remaining 1/4 cup pistachios.