Easy Beet Green Pesto Recipe with Pistachios

Name: Easy Beet Green Pesto Recipe with Pistachios
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 beets with stems and greens attached; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; ½ teaspoon of sea salt; ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper; 2 cups of beet greens; ½ cup of olive oil; 2 large garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar; ½ cup of shelled pistachios; Sea salt to taste

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Discover how to create a unique and flavorful dish in just 30 minutes! Our roasted beets with beet greens pesto recipe offers a brilliant way to use the entire beet, transforming often-discarded greens into a nutty, garlicky pesto. This vegan beet recipe is quick to assemble, with the pesto blending while the beets roast, delivering a vibrant and delicious vegan side dish or appetizer right out of the oven.

Why You'll Love This "No-Waste" Recipe

Zero-Waste: This is the best part! You use the entire vegetable, turning the beet greens you might normally discard into a delicious, nutty pesto.
Vegan & Dairy-Free: This pesto gets its rich, creamy texture from pistachios and olive oil, making it a perfect 100% vegan and dairy-free recipe.
Incredibly Versatile: The pesto is amazing with the roasted beets, but it's also fantastic on pasta, sandwiches, or as a dip!

Here is What You Will Need:

For the Roasted Beets:

4 beets with stems and greens attached
2 tablespoons of olive oil
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

For the Beet Green Pesto:

2 cups of beet greens
½ cup of olive oil
2 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
½ cup of shelled pistachios
Sea salt to taste

How to Make Roasted Beets

To make the roasted beets, first cut off the stems of the beets. Do not throw them away or put them in the compost just yet. Now, getting back to the beets, cut off any remaining beet stem parts and then peel the beets. Your standard apple peeler will do the trick. This may get messy so you may want to use kitchen gloves. Slice the beets about ¼ inch thick. Place the sliced beets on a lined baking sheet and coat with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Then, bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until you can push a fork into them easily.

Crafting Your Nutty & Garlicky Beet Pesto

Traditional Genovese pesto is basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil. Pesto ingredients are omitted or substituted to make other types of pesto. My Walnut parsley pesto recipe or my Basil pistachio pesto are examples of this. This vegan pesto recipe can be whipped up pretty quickly. All the ingredients go into a food processor at once! Place the beet greens, olive oil, vinegar (red wine or apple cider both work fine), garlic, and pistachios into the food processor and blend until smooth. This beet greens pesto finishes up this vegetarian dish with a nutty, garlicky blend.

To serve the roasted beets and beet greens pesto, place two tablespoons of pesto on a plate and arrange the roasted beets around the pesto.

FAQ's

Do I need special equipment to make the beet greens pesto?

Yes, you will need either a food processor or a blender to achieve a smooth consistency for the beet greens pesto.

Is this pesto recipe suitable for a vegan diet?

Yes, absolutely! This is a vegan pesto recipe, made without traditional ingredients like Parmesan cheese, making it a great plant-based option.

Can I use this beet greens pesto with other dishes?

Yes! This versatile pesto can be used not only with roasted beets but also as a sauce for pasta, a spread for sandwiches, or a dressing for other vegetable dishes.

What kind of vinegar should I use in the beet greens pesto?

The recipe calls for vinegar, and while specific types are not mentioned in the narrative, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar would be good choices to add a bright, tangy flavor to the pesto.