Not sure what to do with carrot tops? I have a few tips for how to prepare them along with a list of 12 recipe featuring carrot tops! 

Photograph of carrot tops, cilantro, garlic, cheese, spices, pepitas and a lime prepped and arranged on a baking sheetHow to wash carrot tops: 

It’s essential to thoroughly wash carrot tops as they can have quite a bit of sand and dirt in their leaves. 

First trim the stems and leaves from the carrots, leaving about 2-inches of stem intact. Then wash the carrot greens like you would wash salad greens by rinsing and spinning them dry in a salad spinner (this salad spinner is my all-time fav).

How to store carrot tops:

The best way to store carrot tops (after washing and thoroughly drying) is to wrap them loosely in a damp paper towel and place them in a resealable zipper-lock bag. I’ve been loving my reusable zipper-lock bags, not only are they high-quality, but they’re 100% nontoxic and are a great way to cut back on plastic waste in the kitchen. 

Photograph of whole carrots with greens arranged on a marble tableWhat do carrot tops taste like?

Carrot tops (aka carrot greens) have an earthy “root vegetable” flavor, similar to beet greens or Swiss chard. Their flavor is somewhat of a hybrid between parsley and carrots—they are delicious! 

What to do with carrot tops?

I like to treat carrot greens both as an herb and as a salad green in my cooking. Before cooking with them, run your hand down the stem and release the leaves and small tender stems, discard the tough stems. 

Here are a few ideas of how to use carrot tops in your cooking, then check out the carrot top recipes below!

Photograph of carrot cocktails with carrot tops as garnish set on a white wood table.

Carrot Top Recipes

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About The Author

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

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Comments

  1. Nice ideas!

    I recently experimented and came up with a sauce that I mix with carrot greens. Amazingly, my husband liked it. I probably should I have just looked up some of these mature recipes first though. Will definitely try the burgers at some point (I think I saw them linked in another list somewhere as well).