This Fennel Frond Pesto is a great way to use up the feathery tops of your fennel bulb. This no-waste vegan pesto uses fennel fronds and stems to create a delicious, unique pesto with a mild flavor that is perfect on pasta, vegetables, or your favorite protein.
Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Sauces
Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword no waste, pesto, quick, vegan
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 1½ cups pesto
Author Rachel Conners
Equipment
Food Processor
Ingredients
1cupshelled pistachiosroasted & salted
2small cloves garlic
1 to 2lemonsjuiced, plus the zest
2tablespoonsnutritional yeastor parmesan if not vegan
1teaspoonsaltor to taste
4cupsfennel frondsthe feathery green part of the fennel, thinner stems are fine to include
⅓cupolive oil
Instructions
Combine the pistachios, garlic, lemon juice & zest, nutritional yeast, and salt in your food processor or blender. Pulse to break up the pistachios and garlic.
1 cup shelled pistachios, 2 small cloves garlic, 1 to 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon salt
Add in the fennel fronds and blend/pulse as you drizzle in the oil. Add oil until you get to your desired pesto consistency, scraping down the sides as necessary to get all the pesto blended up.
4 cups fennel fronds, ⅓ cup olive oil
Taste and adjust the salt and lemon as needed. Use immediately, or transfer to a jar and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to a year.