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Beet greens pesto in a bowl with silver serving spoon.
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5 from 1 vote

Beet Greens Pesto

The dark color and herby flavor of this Beet Greens Pesto is a delicious condiment or marinade with a salty and rich finish from the parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Use it to coat your noodles or spread it over a steak, but definitely use it as a way to consume some healthy leafy greens.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 186kcal
Author: Aimee Mars

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Beet Greens chopped from 1 bunch of beets
  • 1/3 cup Pine Nuts
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Instructions

  • Cut the beet greens from the stem of the beets and soak them in a bowl of water. Then lay them out flat on paper towels to dry and place them in a salad spinner.
  • Place the beet greens, pine nuts, and garlic cloves into a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Pour the olive oil into the food processor and continue to pulse until it becomes a thick paste-like consistency.
  • Add the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to the mixture and pulse until just mixed in.

Notes

  • This unique recipe makes a beautiful pesto, which will have some flecks of dark pink from the beets.
  • You can swap the pine nuts for walnuts, almonds, cashews, or even pecans.
  • Wondering what to make with Pesto? Use it as a spread, condiment, or even a marinade. Some of the best options are pasta, meat, and fish, but pesto is also delicious on sandwiches and spread over eggs.

Storage Info

  • Freezing Info: The best way to make this beet greens pesto last is to freeze it. I prefer to pour any leftovers in a silicone ice cube tray and freeze it. Then it can be placed into a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container for later use.
  • Refrigerator Info: I love to store the pesto I plan on using immediately in a Ball jelly jar in the fridge. It will last 8 to 10 days. I do not recommend canning pesto because of the parmesan cheese and pine nuts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 652IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg