Dandelion Greens Pesto
A seasonal pesto for those late winter or early spring greens. It's peppery and bright--perfect for roast meats, a zesty pasta, or spread on your favorite pizza crust.
Equipment
- One 8 to 10 cup food processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups roughly chopped dandelion greens packed
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves packed
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ 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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