Carrot Top Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Discover our easy carrot top chimichurri sauce recipe and reduce food waste by using every part of the carrot. This delicious and versatile no-greens-waste condiment made in Argentinean Style is perfect for elevating your meals with its zesty and fresh flavors. Learn how to make this unique spin on the classic Argentinian sauce with our easy-to-follow guide!

Carrot greens are an often overlooked part of the carrot plant that is delicious and highly nutritious. As May unfolds and brings fresh seasonal carrots with beautiful greens, instead of discarding them as waste, they can be used in a variety of culinary applications.

We have come to love eating carrot greens because of their unique flavor profile that adds depth and complexity to our dishes.

They are also a great source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, potassium, and iron.

By incorporating carrot greens into our meals, we are not only benefiting from their nutritional value but also reducing waste, reusing your meal's leftovers, which is an important aspect of sustainable living.

This simple yet effective step towards reducing food waste can significantly promote a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Whether you use it as a marinade for grilled goods or as a topping for roasted veggies, this chimichurri recipe inspired by the traditional Argentinean Chimichurri recipe and our carrot tops pesto is sure to impress your taste buds. With just a spoonful of this zesty sauce, you can elevate the taste of hundreds of meals, making it a valuable weapon in your kitchen arsenal.

Jump to:

• 💚 Why you will love it
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💡 Expert tip
• 📖 Variations
• 🥢 How to serve 
• ❓ FAQ
• 🥡 Storage
• 🥕 What to do with carrot tops (15 ideas!)
• 🇦🇷 More Argentinean-inspired recipes
• 🎥 Video
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

This carrot-top chimichurri recipe is made with just a few delicious ingredients.

• Carrot tops are the main ingredient in this recipe as they bring a unique flavor and texture to the sauce, which complements the vegan meat substitute or vegetables it is served with.
• Fresh parsley is added to balance the bitterness of the carrot greens and enhance the overall flavor of the sauce.
• Dried oregano provides a savory and slightly earthy flavor that adds depth to the sauce.
• Red wine vinegar is used to add acidity to the sauce and brighten up the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Fresh garlic is added for a pungent and sharp taste that complements the other flavors in the sauce.
• Red pepper flakes are added to the recipe to provide a spicy kick that balances the sweetness of the carrot tops and adds depth to the overall flavor.
• Extra virgin olive oil is used as the base of the sauce to give it a smooth and creamy texture while also adding a fruity and nutty flavor.
• Salt and pepper are added to season the sauce and bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

• Oregano - use fresh oregano instead and chop it with the rest of the herbs.
• Red wine vinegar - you can use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice instead.
• Red pepper flakes - use Italian pepperoncino, "aji dulce," or crushed red pepper.

🍽 Equipment

You don't need other than a medium bowl, a chopping board, a knife, and a mason jar to reserve leftover sauce.

You can use a food processor to skip all that chopping!

🔪 Instructions

Thoroughly wash the carrot greens and parsley and pass them through a salad spinner to remove the excess water.

Hint: you can chop all the fresh herbs, garlic, and even seasonings in a food processor, but don't add the oil. Fold it manually to keep the light consistency; otherwise, it will look like a paste.

Hint: instead of using a bowl, you can simply add all the chimichurri ingredients into a mason jar and shake well.

📖 Variations

Parsley - you can replace it with the same amount of extra carrot greens, making it more similar to the traditional chimichurri we have in Argentina.

Fresh cilantro can also serve as a substitute, although the flavor will be less similar to your regular chimichurri. Check out our cilantro chimichurri sauce recipe, a great recipe to pair Mexican and South American dishes like our vegan arepas.

🥢 How to serve 

Serve this chimichurri recipe with your grilled goods, roasted vegetables, and grilled veggies like green onions, carrots, potatoes, roasted fennel, onions, peppers, roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus, grilled cauliflowers steaks, baked sweet potatoes, and more.

This sauce is also great to top a black lentil bowl, elevating it to a new level.

A great food pairing suggestion is to serve Argentinean empanadas with chimichurri sauce. The herbaceous and fresh taste of the sauce nicely complements the spicy and savory flavors of the empanadas while also adding a tangy and acidic note to balance out the richness of the filling.

Try chimichurri on vegan chickpea burgers, to top yellow lentil wraps, or homemade Rosemary focaccia, vegan bread buns, or rustic Italian artisan bread.

Curious? Try out our Argentine spinach empanadas or maybe the lentil empanadas or mushrooms empanadas. You can even make the vegan empanada dough from scratch in minutes.

We also like dipping our mediterranean tofu nuggets, seitan steaks, crispy tofu cubes in this chimichurri sauce for a tasty appetizer on friends' nights!

Also, top your plain grilled tofu with a dollop of this fantastic sauce and take it to the next level.

Carrot tops chimichurri is a flavorful addition to green salads, providing a fresh and herbaceous taste that pairs well with a variety of salad greens, like vegan kale salad. The tangy and acidic notes of the sauce's flavorful ingredients also make it a great light and refreshing dressing option while adding nutritional value to your salad.

❓ FAQ

🥡 Storage

Leftover chimichurri can be stored in a BPA-free airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to one week; remember that olive oil should cover the surface.

It is essential to ensure the container is tightly sealed to prevent air from getting in and causing the sauce to spoil.

To extend the shelf life of chimichurri, you can freeze chimichurri for up to 3 months. When ready to use, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and give it a stir before serving.

🥕 What to do with carrot tops (15 ideas!)

1. Pesto: Blend them with garlic, nuts, olive oil, and nutritional yeast to make a unique vegan pesto sauce.
2. Chimichurri: Incorporate carrot greens into a traditional chimichurri recipe for a fresh, zesty sauce like this one.
3. Stir-fry: Sauté with other vegetables and protein in a flavorful stir-fry dish.
4. Smoothies: Add them to your smoothie for a nutritious, green boost.
5. Soup garnish: Chop and sprinkle them on top of soups for added flavor and color.
6. Vegetable broth: Use them as a key ingredient in homemade vegetable broth or stock.
7. Salads: Toss with mixed greens and your choice of dressing for a unique salad.
8. Vegan frittatas and scrambles: Add chopped carrot tops to vegan scrambled tofu or frittatas for extra flavor and nutrients.
9. Carrot top tabbouleh: Replace the parsley of traditional tabbouleh with carrot tops in a traditional tabbouleh recipe for a different take on this Middle Eastern dish.
10. Stuffing: Combine chopped tops with other herbs and ingredients to create a flavorful filling for portobello mushrooms or acorn squash.
11. Tea infusion: Steep carrot tops in hot water for a mild, herbal tea.
12. Pickling: Create a pickling brine and use it to pickle carrot tops for a unique, tangy treat.
13. Juicing: Include them when juicing other fruits and vegetables for a nutrient-packed drink, adding a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals.
14. Growing Carrots: cultivate a healthy crop of carrots easily!
15. Make a different gremolata: Finely chop carrot tops and mix with minced garlic, lemon zest, and a touch of olive oil to create a flavorful gremolata that can be garnished or sauced for grilled vegetables.

🇦🇷 More Argentinean-inspired recipes

In addition to the empanada recipes above, you can try our pickled eggplants, the savory carrot tart, or the eggplant pie, which actually goes really well with chimichurri.

⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

🎥 Video

📋 Recipe