Carrot is a versatile vegetable that is part of various delicious recipes. It is grown mostly for the bright orange taproot that grows underneath it. However, many people wonder what to do with their tops. Do you eat them or throw them away?
What if we told you that you can regrow them and also eat them? You heard it right. Drying carrot tops and giving them enough moisture will make them regrow. You can dry them in the air by hanging them upside down in a well-ventilated area. You can also dehydrate them in an oven or dehydrator at 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep reading to learn more about it.
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Can You Eat Carrot Greens?
Carrot greens are edible. In fact, they are highly nutritious, being rich in minerals like calcium and potassium, vitamins, and proteins. Carrot tops have six times more vitamin C than in their root.
Incorporating carrot greens into your meals not only makes them more nutritious but also enhances their flavor. They have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor. The taste is similar to that of carrots.
The great thing about carrot tops is that they taste good, both cooked and raw. If you find them bitter, blanching them first will help. Squeezing some lemon juice on them enhances the flavor.
How to Air Dry Carrot Tops?
Air-drying carrot tops is an easy way to dry the greens. Just gather a bunch together and hang them upside down in a room with proper ventilation. When they are dry, remove the dried leaves from the stems. Then, store the leaves in an airtight container.
How to Dry Carrot Tos?
Like air drying, dehydrating carrot tops is also simple. All you need are dehydrator trays. Here are the steps to follow.
- Remove the tops of the carrots. You can take them out from stems. Wash them thoroughly.
- Transfer the greens into dehydrator trays.
- Dry at 95F or 35C for about four to eight hours.
- At the end of this time, the tops should crumble easily. It means that they are fully dried.
- Store them in an airtight jar for future use.
How to Dry Carrot Greens to Regrow Them?
Carrot tops can be regrown through drying. Here’s how to grow new greens.
- Take away an inch from the top of your carrots. There should be about an inch of the stem left.
- On a plate, place some damp paper towels.
- Put the carrot tops on them. Move them to a sunny spot.
- Regrowing carrot greens takes a few days. You must check them every day to ensure that the tops are getting some amount of moisture. Otherwise, they will dry out and die.
- After a few days, you will notice small white roots growing from the tops.
- When the length of the roots increases, put them into a planter with soil.
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How to Dry Carrot Greens by Freezing?
Yes, freezing is another way to dry carrot tops. It also keeps the tops fresh as they dry. Here’s how to dry carrot tops by freezing them.
- Separate the greens from the carrots.
- Wash them thoroughly.
- Dry carrot tops using paper towels.
- Chop up the leaves.
- Now, transfer them onto a baking sheet in one layer. Put them into the freezer.
- When the leaves are frozen, store them in an airtight bag in the freezer.
- Alternatively, you can add chopped carrot tops to an ice cube tray.
- Drizzle the greens with olive oil. Optionally, you can also use plain water.
- When the cubes are frozen, store them in an airtight freezer bag.
What Can You Do With the Tops of Carrots?
Dried and undried carrot tops can be added to soups, smoothies, and green powder. You can even use them in place of herbs like dried parsley. Here are some things to try out.
1. Carrot Greens Smoothie
You can make a delicious green smoothie with carrots and their dried greens. Here’s what you need.
- ¾ cup of spinach
- One carrot and its dried greens
- A cup of water
- Half a cup of frozen pineapple
- Half a cup of frozen mango
- Half banana
After assembling the ingredients, follow the instructions below.
- In a blender, combine spinach, carrot, and the dried carrot top until smooth. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, grate the carrots first or steam them before blending.
- Add frozen pineapple, mango, and banana. Blend again.
2. Vegan Carrot Top Soup
Carrot tops can also be added to a warming soup recipe. They enhance the texture and the nutrition profile of the soup. Gather the following ingredients for this recipe.
- 450 grams of raw carrots with their tops.
- A large, peeled, yellow onion.
- A medium Fresno pepper
- 7 garlic cloves
- Three tablespoons of olive oil for the soup and a teaspoon of it for the carrot tops.
- Half a tablespoon of sage, thyme, and rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- Salt
- 2 cups of unflavoured plant-based milk
- A teaspoon of white wine vinegar
Now, follow these instructions to make the soup.
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Remove the tops of the carrots. Peel the carrots and chop them into one-inch pieces.
- Peel onion and chop it into quarters.
- Cut the Fresno pepper and deseed it. Peel garlic cloves.
- Add onion, garlic, carrots, and pepper to a bowl. Cover with three tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the herbs along with salt and red pepper flakes. Mix everything using your hands. The vegetables should be coated with the mixture.
- Transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet, spreading them evenly. Roast at 400F for 30 minutes. The carrots should turn tender, and the onions slightly charred.
- Remove the carrot tops from the stems. Chop them up and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar.
- Spread the greens evenly onto a baking sheet.
- Broil carrot tops for five minutes on high. When they are crispy, set them aside.
- Add the roasted vegetables to a blender. Pour two cups of plant milk. Blend till fully smooth.
- Season this mix with salt and pepper.
- Top the soup with carrot tops, coconut milk, and pesto.
Final Words
Carrot tops are edible and delicious parts of carrots. They contain a host of nutritional benefits that can be availed by consuming them, dried or undried. If you grow carrots, you can easily separate the tops, wash, dry, and consume them. Otherwise, buy carrots that have them or purchase the carrot tops separately.
