Did you know you can eat the tops of carrots? Most people throw them out, but I recently learned you can stir-fry them for a simple side dish. This recipe only takes 10 minutes and uses basic pantry ingredients like garlic and salt.
Can't get enough of carrots? Try my Carrots and Cabbage Stir-fry next!
๐ฅ About This Recipe
Personally, I would never have thought to eat the tops of carrots. But, recently, a friend introduced them to me, and if I can reduce my food waste, then it's always a plus.
Carrot leaves have a mildly sweet and earthy flavor that tastes like a cross between carrots and parsley. That is why you will often see them in chimichurri recipes (which are made with parsley if you didn't know). They're also delicious in stir-fries.
My only problem with carrot greens is that they shrink quite a bit when cooked, so one bunch does not leave you with much food (about 1 cup). I've written the recipe for one bunch, but it will be better if you double or triple the recipe.
๐ง Ingredients
I have kept the seasonings very minimal to allow the flavors of the carrot leaves to come through. If you want a more Asian flavor, you can use soy sauce instead of salt.
- Carrot leaves/greens/tops: Make sure to wash the leaves thoroughly as they accumulate a lot of dirt since they grow in the ground.
- Garlic: Freshly minced for the best flavor.
- Sugar: Just a touch of sugar helps bring out the carrot top's natural sweetness.
- Salt and black pepper: Sorry, I forgot to include black pepper in the picture. You just need a pinch.
- Toasted sesame oil: Make sure you use toasted sesame oil and not regular sesame oil, as the latter does not have much flavor.
- Cooking oil
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: If you haven't already done so, separate the leaves from the carrots. Wash the carrot leaves under cold water. Cut off and discard the stems, then chop the leaves into 1 ยฝ-inch long pieces.
STEP 2: Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds until they smell delicious.
STEP 3: Add the carrot greens to the wok and increase the heat to high. Add sugar, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir and mix thoroughly.
STEP 4: Cover the wok with a lid and let it cook for about 45 seconds to a minute. Uncover, stir the greens, then transfer to a plate and serve immediately!
๐ Recipe
Easy Carrot Greens Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 bunch carrot leaves
- ยผ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- โ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the carrot leaves under cold water. Cut off and discard the stems, then chop the leaves into 1 ยฝ-inch long pieces.
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds until they smell delicious.
- Add the carrot greens to the wok and increase the heat to high. Add sugar, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir and mix thoroughly.
- Cover the wok with a lid and let it cook for about 45 seconds to a minute. Uncover, stir the greens, then transfer to a plate and serve immediately!
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