Description
Dandelion pesto brings wild Italian countryside flavors into simple home cooking. Garden-fresh greens blend with sharp pecorino and pine nuts, creating an unexpected culinary treasure you’ll crave on crusty bread or pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup olive oil (plus more as needed)
- ½ cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for vegan)
- 2 cups dandelion greens (lightly packed, washed and dried)
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep Greens: Thoroughly wash dandelion greens and pat dry, removing any tough stems or discolored leaves to ensure a smooth, vibrant pesto base.
- Blend Components: Load food processor with dandelion greens, nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and lemon juice, creating a robust flavor foundation by pulsing ingredients until coarsely chopped.
- Emulsify Texture: Activate processor and gradually stream olive oil into the mixture, transforming the blend into a silky, spreadable consistency while allowing natural oils to integrate seamlessly.
- Refine Flavor: Taste the pesto, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance the wild, slightly bitter notes of the dandelion greens, balancing the richness of cheese and nuts.
- Preserve and Store: Transfer pesto to a sterilized airtight container, sealing carefully to maintain freshness. Refrigerate for optimal flavor retention up to one week, or freeze in portioned batches for extended preservation, ensuring a versatile condiment ready for culinary adventures.
Notes
- Pick young, tender dandelion greens before flowering for less bitterness, avoiding areas treated with pesticides or near road pollution.
- Add a pinch of honey or swap some dandelion greens with milder herbs like basil to soften the intense flavor and create a smoother pesto.
- Adjust olive oil quantity gradually to achieve perfect spreadable consistency – start with less and add slowly while processing to prevent over-liquefying.
- Use clean, dry containers when freezing pesto, leaving small headspace and covering surface with thin olive oil layer to prevent oxidation and maintain vibrant green color.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg