We’re kicking off spring time with another favorite pesto and this Italian Style Pesto recipe featuring the Dandelion Greens from last week’s CSA box is our current go-to. If you’ve followed along long enough you’ll see that I’ve just about got at least one pesto recipe for every season.
This is an easy recipe for the bitter greens without the bitter taste. Whether you find these seasonal greens at the farmers markets or receive them in an upcoming CSA box, this is a delicious seasonal pesto for this time of year. Scroll down to see how we make this and get a few ideas for what to do with this pesto once made.
What You’ll Love About This Seasonal Pesto
I know you will love the versatility of this pesto. Instead of using fresh basil leaves we’re opting for dandelion leaves. While dandelion greens have a bitter flavor, these are some of my favorite bitter greens to use in this sauce. With a few cloves garlic and a touch of lemon zest, we’re able to tame this bright and peppery flavor crafting a seasonal sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes.
It’s freezer friendly too. Freeze pesto cubes in a silicone ice cube tray to save for future dinners. If freezing pesto, I personally like to leave out the cheese so as not to change the texture of the sauce.
Ingredients for Making This Homemade Dandelion Pesto
We need just a handful of ingredients to make our pesto sauce with these fresh greens. Here’s what we’ll need to make it:
- 3 cups roughly chopped dandelion greens packed. This was the yield from the bunch of the leafy greens from our Riverdog CSA. To keep with the ratio I use for a seasonal pesto, I then opted to add parsley.
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves packed. To help in rounding out the greens for the ratio in this pesto, we’ll add in the lemony flavor of parsley.
- Toasted pine nuts. Play with nut substitutions here if you don’t have pine nuts. Toasted walnuts is another great alternative to the pine nuts.
- Grated parmesan cheese. We’ll need about a half cup here.
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil. If you’ve read other pesto recipes here on the blog, you’ll know that I often recommend using the best quality olive oil you can source. I’ve leaned into using more local olive oil here in Napa Valley and Hudson and the Olive Press are two of my favorites right now.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest from one lemon. I love the use of either lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice in recipes where ingredients are bold, spicy, or peppery. The lemon zest here takes the bitter edge off, I think, and makes for a bright green pesto that is packed with flavor.
How to Make This Homemade Seasonal Pesto with Wild Dandelion Greens
This Dandelion Pesto with Toasted Pine Nuts is ready in about 15 minutes. Here’s how we make it:
- Rinse dandelion greens and parsley leaves thoroughly under cold water. Allow greens to drain excess water in a colander placed in the kitchen sink or fitted within a large mixing bowl to catch any excess liquid.
- In a small skillet, add pine nuts and toast over medium heat until slightly golden and their nutty aroma is released. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade, add the greens along with the peeled garlic cloves, kosher salt, ground black pepper, toasted pine nuts, and lemon zest. Pulse until well combined.
- With the food processor running, pour in the half cup of olive oil in using a steady stream to help the pesto emulsify together. Stop the food processor to scrape the sides down as needed to ensure pesto is well blended.
- Once blended, pour out pesto into a small storage container. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Store pesto in the fridge for up to 5 days. Pesto can also be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months (refrain from mixing in cheese prior to freezing to preserve texture).
Storing and Using This Italian Style Dandelion Pesto Recipe
Store your prepared Dandelion Pesto in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To prevent the oxidation that can turn the top layer of your pesto a darker green, layer a small piece of plastic wrap on top of the pesto before placing the lid to store. Otherwise, give it a simple stir and the bright green color will return once more.
Pesto is such a versatile sauce! Given the robust nature and flavor of this wild greens pesto, here are a few ideas for meals to serve it with for your farm to dinner table:
- In a large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add ground beef or ground pork to brown. Season the meat with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and some dried thyme and basil. Next, add in some chopped broccoli rabe to saute alongside the ground meat before adding in your favorite dried pasta and enough water to cover the pasta. Bring to a boil then simmer until the pasta is cooked just al dente. Stir in a few tablespoons of the pesto to craft a sauce for this one pot wonder.
- Grill rib eye steaks and add a dollop of the dandelion pesto on top. The pepper and bright flavor of this pesto cuts through the richness of the meat. Serve with roast or mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies for a deliciously elegant dinner.
- I also love it on pizza dough, thinned with pasta water before tossing with our favorite pasta topped with red pepper flakes, or topped on roast turkey or fish. You can’t go wrong!
More Seasonal Pestos to Try
Here at Cooking with Our CSA, we’ve got a pesto for every season! It’s such a great way to use up seasonal greens. Here are a few of my favorites to try:
Dandelion Greens Pesto
Equipment
- One 8 to 10 cup food processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups roughly chopped dandelion greens packed
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves packed
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest from one lemon
Instructions
- Rinse dandelion greens and parsley leaves thoroughly under cool water. Allow greens to drain excess water in a colander placed in the kitchen sink or fitted within a large mixing bowl to catch any excess liquid.
- In a small skillet, add pine nuts and toast over medium heat until slightly golden and their nutty aroma is released. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade, add the greens along with the peeled garlic cloves, kosher salt, ground black pepper, toasted pine nuts, and lemon zest. Pulse until well combined.
- With the food processor running, pour olive oil in using a steady stream to help the pesto emulsify together. Stop the food processor to scrape the sides down as needed to ensure pesto is well blended.
- Once blended, pour out pesto into a small storage container. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Store pesto in the fridge for up to 5 days. Pesto can also be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months (refrain from mixing in cheese prior to freezing to preserve texture).
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