Radish Greens Pesto packs a peppery, nutritional punch! Be sure to save those radish tops to make this delicious pesto that’s perfect with pasta, chicken, fish, and potatoes!
If you grew up the way I did, you just didn’t waste food. A culinary trend that’s super hot right now when it comes to vegetables is to use as much of the plant as possible. This trend makes total sense. Gardening is also hard work so you don’t want your hard work ending up in the compost bin.
We eagerly anticipate the first radish from our garden each spring. In fact, there could be more photos of first spring radishes on my husband’s Facebook page than photos of our grandkids!
I had heard about making pesto with radish greens and at first, I wasn’t too hip about the idea. After making and trying it, I’m in pesto love and plan to freeze a batch each year just as we do basil pesto.
Can you eat radish greens?
Radish greens are completely edible. Because of their coarse texture, they tend to not work well in salads unless they’re young and very small. This Radish Greens Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing makes full use of those young and tender radish greens!
They can be cooked like any other green, but there too, you’ll want to use young and tender leaves. The texture of the leaves is why they’re perfect as a pesto. After they’ve been processed into pesto, you won’t notice the rough texture at all.
Here’s another reason to save those radish greens. According to Livestrong.com, radish greens are a nutritional powerhouse, ranking right up there with broccoli and kale in terms of antioxidants. They’re also high in vitamin C and calcium. Wow!
How to make Radish Greens Pesto:
- First, clean them well. Radish greens can be muddy. To thoroughly wash them, fill a sink with cool water.
- Place the greens in the sink and gently move them around. Doing so helps the dirt detach.
- Remove the leaves then drain and rinse the sink.
- Fill the sink again and repeat the process. I do this several times until I’m confident no dirt remains.
- Radish greens wilt quickly when separated from the root, so placing them in cool water like this also helps to perk them up. When you’re confident they’re nice and clean, spin dry in a salad spinner. After that, pack the leaves into a food processor and you’re ready to roll!
- This pesto has many of the same ingredients as a traditional basil pesto: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil and nuts.
- Because of their pungent, peppery flavor, I suggest using mild, sweet nuts such as almonds, macadamia or pistachios. If you are allergic to nuts, use sunflower seeds instead.
- A little bit of lemon juice in the pesto really punches up the flavor. If you plan to freeze the pesto, leave out the cheese and garlic and add them when you’re ready to serve the pesto.
Radish Greens Pesto is great with almost anything! Serve with fish, chicken, pasta, potatoes and any other way you would serve traditional pesto. Enjoy!
Recipes that use Radish Greens Pesto or where you can use it:
- Naan Potato Pizza with Radish Top Pesto and Smoked Mozzarella
- Green Minestrone with Radish Greens Pesto
- Oven Fries with Spicy Pesto Aioli
- Lasagna with Pesto, Green Beans and Potatoes
Radish Greens Pesto
Ingredients
- 4 cups (packed) radish tops - (4 good handfuls) washed and dried
- 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- ½ large lemon - (approximately 2 tablespoons) juiced
- ½ cup sliced or slivered almonds - or coarsely chopped macadamia nuts or pistachios
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil - plus more as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Combine first 6 ingredients in a food processor or blender. (If you can't get all the greens into your processor, work in batches.)
- Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add additional olive oil to achieve a thick sauce consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Rebecca says
I got some radishes with gorgeous tops from the grocery store today, and I didn’t want to waste them! Looked online to see if they were edible, found this recipe and decided to go for it… Except I can’t eat dairy! Subbed a spoonful of miso paste for the Parmesan, and it was amazing! Thank you for the idea of radish pesto!
Swin says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It was very easy and delicious! I used almonds which added some surprising sweetness. It needed a little more lemon juice for my taste but that’s what’s so good about this recipe. You can really tweek it for extra heat, add a little basil or whatever you like! Great in or on eggs! Thank you Carol!!
PATRICIA says
I, as others, was searching to see if radish greens were edible. I found this recipe, just made it and we both love it!
Tina says
Hi
My doctor told me that my body is making extra calcium.
What leafy greens can I eat? Thanks
Carol says
Hi, Tina, Thanks so much for your question. I’m not a dietician or nutritionist. Your best bet is to consult with someone with a degree in that area. Thanks again.
Melanie says
This is delicious! I got a bunch of radishes at the farmers’ market and felt so bad wasting the greens so this recipe was perfect. It’s a little sharper than basil pesto but in a good way. Thanks for the recipe!!
Carol says
Hi, Melanie, Love that! Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed. Thanks again!
Cheryl Ryan says
Use a little agave, or honey to cut a bit of the sharpness.
Hoku says
Thanks for this recipe. I found some beautiful tiiiny radishes with huge tops and couldn’t bear to throw them away. I tried this pesto and wow. It is bitter/spicy! It’s got quite the kick. I added fresh basil to try to sweeten it up and now it’s a little more tame. If you like radishes, this recipe is fun 🙂
Richard says
I grew some radishes on an allotment I took over late in the season, nice white radishes and loads of greens. Made this pesto using walnuts and those radish tops, it is great tasting and vivid to look at. Takes barely 30 minutes. Thanks.
bina says
so nice to find recipes that go the distance! We also added a bit of Tahini, powdered garlic, and a mix of nuts and seeds – really yummy, thanks so much, this is going on pasta and pizza!
Robertjm says
Someone gave me a whole bunch of Daikon Radishes, with the greens intact. I usually toss them in the green-waste. But, they were picked that day so decided to look for something to do with them. That’s how I stumbled upon this recipe.
I made a 1/2 batch because I’d never eaten them before. Also, used a Meyer Lemon, and traditional Pine Nuts. (Wish the original recipe said why the did not use Pine Nuts).
All, in all. I’m happy and have two more meals worth of pesto. will make this again.
Robyn Stewart says
Searched… Can you eat radish tops and found all these yummy looking recipes! Looking forward to trying them all out. Many thanks!
Carol says
Hi, Robyn, Thanks so very much and hope you enjoy! Yes, radish tops can be used in numerous ways but I really think you’ll love this pesto. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Sandra Hartman says
Wow! I just made my first radish top pesto and it was divine. My teenage boys said it was the best they’ve had! I also used it on my toasted tomato sandwich and it was pure perfection.
This recipe is a keeper!
Jennie says
I’m totally addicted to pesto made with previously-wasted green tops. I’ve been making it with celery tops but tonight I tried the radish leaves, fresh from my garden. I followed the recipe and it was nice but quite bitter. I don’t really mind but my friends might so I added some tahini, a little honey and extra lemon, one by one, continually tasting. The end result was amazing! Thank you for your recipe, though I’m sorry I had to tweak it a bit! 🤭
Carol says
Hi, Jennie, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed! No problem with the tweaking–everyone has different tastes and it may have just been your radish tops; some can be quite potent. Thanks again!
Kristine says
Hi! Great recipe! If subbing out for sunflower seeds, I only have dry roasted and salted in my pantry. Should that be ok?
Carol says
Hi, Kristine, Thanks so much for your question! I think either would be fine. If using the salted, just be sure to not add any more salt or be careful adding more. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Zoe says
Love this zero waste recipe! Just made it and it’s the best pesto I’ve ever tasted!!!
Carol says
Hi, Zoe, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed! Zero-waste cooking is something I really strive for. Thanks again!
Ros Coleman says
Just back from the allotment with a bunch of radishes, wondering whether the leaves may be edible, then found this recipe. It’s amazing. And so nice to be eating rather than composting them. Hungry too so mercifully quick to make. Delicious! Will become an allotment day staple. Thank you for posting.
Carol says
Hi, Ros, Thanks so very much! Glad you enjoyed! Although composting is good, eating them is better! Thanks again!
Teresa marie says
Thanks for the recipe! I added 50% basil leaves and used hazelnuts and walnuts and it was fabulous!
Carol says
Hi, Teresa Marie, Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed! Love the idea of doing it with basil and you can definitely use almost any nut. Thanks again!
Lauren🐝 says
Hello! My daughter told me not to toss the radish tops in the compost so I looked here and tried this recipe. Very nice. I used toasted walnuts. The whole mixture tasted a little too sharp so I added a few spoons of buttermilk powder. Sorry for all the greens I have composted over the years. My tops were prickly but it came out OK after processing. 😋
Carol says
Hi, Lauren, Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed! Love your tip about adding a little buttermilk powder to reduce some of the sharpness. I like the “zing,” but some people may not. Thanks again!