Description
Homemade dandelion pesto brings wild, nutritious greens from garden to plate. Nutty, earthy flavors blend seamlessly with parmesan, garlic, and olive oil for a unique culinary experience you can savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (473 ml) dandelion greens, lightly packed, washed and dried
- ½ cup (60 g) nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts)
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for vegan)
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Thoroughly cleanse dandelion greens under cold water, eliminating debris, then delicately dry with paper towels.
- Ingredient Preparation: Coarsely chop garlic and roughly break nuts to unleash their robust, aromatic essence.
- Blending Process: Combine dandelion greens, garlic, nuts, and Parmesan cheese in the food processor, introducing fresh lemon juice to prevent oxidation and enhance brightness.
- Emulsification: Pulse ingredients in rapid, short bursts to create a rustic texture, then stream olive oil steadily while processing to develop a silky, unified sauce.
- Flavor Refinement: Pause processing to scrape container sides, ensuring comprehensive ingredient integration, and season with salt and black pepper to harmonize taste profiles.
- Storage: Transfer pesto to a pristine, sterilized glass container with a secure lid, allowing refrigeration for up to one week or freezing for extended preservation, maintaining optimal quality and flavor.
Notes
- Select Fresh Dandelion Greens: Choose young, tender leaves before flowering for milder, less bitter taste and optimal texture.
- Control Texture Carefully: Pulse ingredients in short bursts to prevent over-processing, maintaining a rustic, slightly chunky consistency.
- Balance Bitter Flavors: Add extra Parmesan or a pinch of honey to neutralize the natural bitterness of dandelion greens.
- Prevent Oxidation Quickly: Add lemon juice immediately after chopping greens and process rapidly to maintain vibrant green color and prevent browning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 38 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg