What to do with carrot tops + 12 Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you do with the tops of carrots? ›

Carrot tops are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. Use them as you would parsley, or in place of parsley in recipes. Strip the leaves from the tough stems, add them to stock or soup, put them in salads, or make chimichurri.

As soon as you get a bunch of carrots with bright green tops, clip off the greens. Wrap them up and store them in the crisper drawer in your fridge until you're ready to use them, or freeze them to make vegetable stock. Wash and dry them well. It's no secret that carrots grow in dirt, so wash the leaves well!

A: Yes, you are correct that you can cut off the top of the carrot and regrow the leaves only. Once the taproot (carrot) is removed it cannot grow another. When cut from the top, the growing point for the taproot is removed, however the growing tip for new leaves is not removed.

And the carrot tops (AKA greens, AKA leaves) have a similar nutritional profile to carrots; they are rich in vitamin A, C, K, and potassium. Don't toss those greens. Reduce food waste by using the whole carrots and their leafy tops. Carrot tops can be used in soups, salads, and pesto, and you can also saute them.

Just cut the tops off before storing them, as the tops pull moisture from the vegetable root while in your crisper.

You can store carrot tops in the fridge for up to around 5 days if you wash and dry them well before storing them in an air-tight container. Be sure to use them before they start turning brown.

Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of carrots deteriorates. Make sure you blanch the veg to preserve these elements. Always use carrots that are at the peak of their freshness.

Transfer to resealable plastic freezer bags.

Tip: If you can't fit a baking sheet in your freezer, place the carrots directly in resealable plastic freezer bags and lay the bags flat in the freezer until fully frozen. Avoid overpacking the bags and try to keep the carrots in a single layer.

Carrots that have spoiled or gone bad will usually have an odor, a slimy texture, or dark discoloration. They may also be wilted or soft. If you see mold growing on carrots, throw them out. The white blush that forms on carrots signals that your carrots are drying out.

In fact, every part of this vegetable, from the carrot itself to the leafy green tops, is safe for dogs to eat. They're a good, natural treat, and most dogs seem to like the flavor, too. That's why carrots are such an appealing alternative if you want to mix up your daily dog treat routine.

What can I do with too much carrots? ›

Prepare for garden magic! Over the next few days, you'll notice the carrot tops will start to sprout new leaves from the center. Change the water in the bowl every two to three days.

Consuming carrot leaves in the form of a paste or juice is extremely beneficial in staying active and free from diseases. Furthermore, because they contain a high amount of dietary fibre, they help to keep our metabolism and digestive system in good shape.

(In fact, the perkiness and freshness of the greens are a good indication of how fresh the carrots themselves are.) But that's not the only reason to buy intact, green-topped carrots. The greens themselves are pleasantly bitter and tart—flavors that can perfectly balance out carrots' earthy sweetness in a dish.

Yes, you can 100% eat carrot tops (carrot greens), they are not poisonous. They do contain trace amounts of alkaloids, just like most green veg, but the alkaloids in these tops are not harmful to us mere humans, the alkaloids help the plants protect themselves against pathogens.