Easy & Earthy Dandelion Pesto
If you’ve ever walked past a patch of your backyard dandelions and thought, “hmm, could I actually eat those?” ~ the answer is a big, leafy YES. I discovered this pesto this spring when these wild foraged dandelion greens are everywhere, they make a peppery pesto. It’s a great way to use something wild and nourishing, and it’s surprisingly simple to put together. This pesto is made with with some olive oil, garlic, and nuts and I do add some fresh basil or spinach for mildness.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups dandelion greens (roughly chopped, tough stems removed)
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic (depending on how bold you’re feeling)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted walnuts (or almonds, or sunflower seeds — use what you’ve got!)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup olive oil
- A good squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)
- Salt, to taste
Optional:
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- A spoonful of miso paste
- 1 densely packed cup of washed fresh basil or spinach
Directions:
- Prep the greens: Rinse your dandelion leaves well and pat them dry — they can be a bit gritty if fresh from the yard or market. Chop roughly.
- Blend it up: In a food processor or blender, toss in the greens, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and lemon juice. Pulse a few times to break everything down.
- Add oil slowly: With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until everything blends into a creamy (but still a bit textured) paste. You can add more oil if you like it looser.
- Season to taste: Add salt, maybe more lemon, and anything else you love — like that pinch of chili flakes or a bit of miso.
- Done! Scoop it into a jar or tupperware and store in the fridge. It keeps for over a week, and freezes well too.
Ideas for using it:
- Toss with pasta or gnocchi
- Spread on toast or sandwiches
- Swirl into a soup
- Dollop onto eggs or roasted veggies
Notes:
Dandelion greens can be bold, but they mellow beautifully with the cheese, nuts, and lemon. If it’s your first time trying them, I found it better to mix in a handful of fresh basil or spinach to balance the flavor. Cheers to you and your backyard foraging! Here’s to dandelions, once a foe, now a beloved friend!