Menu Close

Turnip Greens Pesto Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe Print

This turnip greens pesto recipe is garlicky and spicy, easy to make, and is a great no-cook pasta sauce for summer nights. A turnip greens recipe that is tasty and simple! 

If you are wondering what to do with the tops of the turnips that you got from a veggie or local CSA box then look no further!

spicy turnip green pesto recipes with turnips keto vegan recipes healthy plant based gluten free dairy free pesto with turnips ways to eat turnip greens
Pesto is a perfect turnip greens recipe to make with the tops of your turnip roots.   We grew a huge crop of turnips in one of our garden beds this year, and got amazing fresh leafy greens from them as well. 
 
The raw garlic in the pesto compliments the slightly spicy turnip greens, and combines to make a fantastic, simple, and quick summer sauce.  No cooking required and ready in 5 minutes. Its great over pasta, as a dip, or drizzled over pizza for that extra kick.

This Turnip Green Pesto Is:

  • Packed with flavor!
  • Bright
  • Bold
  • Slightly spicy
  • Fresh
  • Flavorful
turnip green pesto recipe vegan turnips recipes ways to eat turnips what to you make with turnips recipes vegetarian healthy turnip top recipes pesto sauce with turnips

Make Pesto with Turnip Greens

 
Pesto is one of those staple sauces that we enjoy all year round!  In the summer our garden yields tons of turnip greens to use in pesto, but you can use any green you have on hand.  I like spinach, kale, beet greens, etc. 
 
We love pesto stirred into pasta.  I also love to add a heaping scoop of pesto into my Pesto Risotto or use it as a main ingredient in my Soup Au Pistou!  Of all the fresh greens we’ve made in pesto, I gotta say that mustard greens rank at the top.

Whats In This Turnip Green Pesto?

See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

  • Fresh Turnip Greens: when our turnips are ready to harvest, I save the tops, wash the greens, and love cooking with them. This no waste recipe is a great way to eat turnip greens!
  • Basil: Traditional in Italian pesto, the fresh basil adds a kick and complexity that pairs really well with the mustard greens.
  • Garlic
  • Parmesan Cheese – you can use a regular, vegetarian, or plant-based version depending on your dietary needs.
  • Walnuts: because YUM in this pesto.
  • Olive Oil: I like to use this delicious olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry.
  • Salt & Pepper
fresh garden turnips recipes from the garden how do you eat turnips what to do with turnip tops recipes with turnip greens vegan keto turnip green recipes

A No-Cook Turnip Tops Recipe That’s Perfect for Summer

This no-cook turnip green pesto is a quick and simple recipe.  I love a good no-cook recipe for those days when I’m not feeling like standing around the stove, or for summer nights when it’s too hot to cook.

I have a whole collection of recipes that require zero cooking at all, check them out here!  This turnip pesto comes together in about 10 minutes, and doesn’t require the stove or microwave to make. Just some fresh greens, a few pantry staple ingredients and you have a healthy meal ready in no time.  And very little to clean up afterwards… an added bonus!

pesto with turnip greens recipes ways to eat turnips tops recipes can you eat turnip greens are turnips healthy plant based recipes

How Do I Make This Pesto with Turnip Greens?

  1. In a food processor add the turnip greens, basil, garlic, almonds, and salt.
  2. Pulse a few times, then turn the food processor on low and steam in the olive oil.  Stop, and check the consistency, adding more olive oil if needed.
  3. Toss with fresh pasta, use pesto as a sauce on homemade pizza, or enjoy pesto as a dip for vegetables or bread
keto vegan sauces recipes with turnip leaves pesto dairy free turnip green recipes healthy plant based greens recipes from turnips

Can I Eat Turnip Greens?

Absolutely! While there are tons of ways to cook turnip greens, this pesto has been our favorite method by far!  This greens recipe really compliments the fresh, bold, spicy flavor of the leaves. For a little extra spice, a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes would be an ideal addition to this sauce.
 
To make this turnip pesto you can use either the blender or the food processor.  I used the food processor, but either appliance will give you an awesome texture and flavor.  Use less olive oil for a chunkier sauce, and more for a thinner sauce.
 

Dietary Modifications

So, this pesto is vegetarian if you use a vegetarian parmesan cheese that does not contain rennet!  Traditionally pesto recipes use cheese, which you can to leave out of this for a dairy free & vegan version. 

But if you aren’t vegan or dairy-free then I would recommended adding a big scoop of freshly grated parmesan in the sauce or to top your pasta before serving.

A Few Ways to Enjoy Pesto

OK, so you made the pesto… now what to do with it?
  • Toss with cooked pasta for a delicious dinner
  • Add to Garlic Lovers Garlic Bread
  • Use pesto as a pizza sauce, or top your pizza with a drizzle
  • Mix a scoop into risotto for a delicious pesto risotto
  • Make pesto soup, which combines fresh vegetables, beans, noodles, and pesto in the broth
turnip pesto vegan gluten free dairy free turnips recipes healthy garden recipes for turnips tops harvest recipes healthy turnip sauces

Get the Same Ingredients I Use For My Turnip Greens Pesto Recipe!

If you loved this recipe, please feel free to share on Facebook or with your family & friends. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok too – I’d love to connect with you there.

And let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my monthly newsletter to get free recipe inspiration. 

turnip green pesto recipe vegan turnips recipes ways to eat turnips what to you make with turnips recipes vegetarian healthy turnip top recipes pesto sauce with turnips

Turnip Greens Pesto

Kelly Jensen
This turnip green pesto is garlicky and spicy, simple to make, and is a great no cook pasta sauce for summer nights. Great way to use turnip tops from your garden.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Blend Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dinner, Sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 351 kcal

Equipment

  • Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups turnip greens washed and loosely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated or shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil plus more if needed

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor add the turnip greens, basil, garlic, walnuts, parmesan cheese, and salt.  Pulse a few times, then turn the food processor on low and steam in the olive oil.  Stop, and check the consistency, adding more olive oil if needed.
  • Toss with fresh pasta, use pesto as a sauce on homemade pizza, or enjoy pesto as a dip for vegetables or bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 3gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gSodium: 304mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3506IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

This is one no waste turnip recipes you’ll love!

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate programs, at no additional cost to you. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

Sharing is caring!

Posted in American, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Italian, Meal Prep, No Cook Recipes, Sauces, Summer Recipes, The Herbeevore Recipes

4 Comments

  1. Pingback:71 Festive Christmas Appetizers | IdeasToKnow

  2. Pingback:25 Delicious Turnip Recipes - Good Recipe Ideas

    • The Herbeevore

      5 stars
      Hello Heidi – I think you’re right… my recipe plug-in automatically assigns nutrition information, and I just edited it so the count should be correct now! Again, it does depend on the exact ingredients you use, but it should be roughly 350 calories for 1/4 of the recipe. Thanks for letting me know!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.