Dandelion Pesto!

SherryA

Thanks to my wonderful local Natural Grocer, who sells organic dandelion leaves, I was able to make dandelion pesto today. Oh my goodness, it's so good. Tastes like spring!

There are a thousand ways to make pesto, but this batch has lemon juice & zest, garlic, walnuts, dandelion leaves and olive oil. I'll freeze some for later but will be eating a lot in the next few days! My liver is happy. My tummy is happy. 😊

Linda Bittle

I've had really good stinging nettle pesto, too!

gennywu

Wow. That sounds delicious and healthy. Would you share the recipes?

Torey

This is a nice recipe that you can easily substitute whatever greens you have on hand.

Wild Pesto Recipe

·        2 cloves garlic or wild onions

·        3/4 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)

·        2 cups wild greens

·        1 cup basil leaves

·        1/2 cup olive oil

·        1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pulse your garlic fine in a food processor.

Add nuts and blend till they're finely chopped.

Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

When desired consistency is reached, stir in a pinch of salt.

Wild greens:

Chickweed

Dandelion

Lamb’s Quarters (Pigweed)

Mustard

      Peppergrass

Stinging Nettle

silvertipgrizz

@torey Thankyou. I love the many options in your recipe. I'm going to buy some of baker creek seeds 'dandelions' pink, white, they are really pretty too. Maybe I"ll make your recipe and scatter some of the beautiful pink petals atop as eye candy lol. Can't wait to grow them and try the recipe.

SherryA

The recipe I used came from the book Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Foret. But it happens that the exact same recipe is available online at https://learningherbs.com/remedies-recipes/dandelion-pesto/!

I used walnuts instead of pine nuts and I left out the Parmesan cheese because I didn't have any. 😊 It was still wonderful! I'm trying not to eat it all up in one day.

SherryA

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/851586#Comment_851586

I love nettle pesto!

Merin Porter

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/851601#Comment_851601

Okay, I'm going to have to try this in a few months when all the dandelions start growing in my yard again!

herbantherapy

@torey great! Thanks for the inspiration!

@Silver im buying pink dandelion this year too!

Torey

@silvertipgrizz First I have heard about pink dandelions so I went to Baker Creek to have a look. Wow! So pretty. That would look good as a decorative element on top of the pesto.

silvertipgrizz

@torey

Me too so I did the same thing...I went, I saw, I was captured lol....Can't wait to grow them and use them.