Can You Eat Carrot Greens? And What to Do With Them? (2024)

Think twice before you toss those carrot tops.

By

Melanie Fincher

Melanie Fincher is a Birmingham, Alabama–based food writer who covers everything from cooking techniques to gadget reviews. She has nearly 7 years experience writing news and lifestyle content.

Published on December 16, 2020

If you're throwing out those bright green, bushy carrot tops every time you buy carrots, you're missing out! Carrot greens are not only safe to eat — they're packed with nutrients and earthy flavor. Learn what to do with carrot tops in place of other herbs and leafy greens, and we'll dispel that myth that they're somehow poisonous.

Can You Eat Carrot Greens?

If you've heard the rumors that carrot tops are poisonous (and even deadly) it's understandable as to why you'd toss them. But these rumors are just that — rumors. Carrot greens and tops are not poisonous, and they are most certainly edible.

Carrot greens do contain alkaloids, but so does nearly every leafy green vegetable. Alkaloids are chemical compounds that serve as the plant's defense mechanism against pathogens. While some alkaloids can be toxic to humans in gross amounts, the amount of alkaloids found in many of our foods (including carrot greens) is not enough to be effective.

Others point to the bitter flavor of carrot greens as a sign that they are unsafe to eat, but many vegetables we regularly consume have a bitter flavor, such as radicchio, brussels sprouts, kale, and arugula.

In fact, their bitter flavor is what makes carrot tops so unique for use in the kitchen. They can be enjoyed raw or cooked (cooking them will soften the bitterness), and bring an earthy flavor to all sorts of savory dishes.

How to Store Carrot Greens

Start by trimming the stems at about two inches from the top of the carrots. Be sure to thoroughly wash the carrot tops, as they can have quite a lot of dirt in the greens. Then either pat them down to dry or use a salad spinner to remove excess water.

Wrap them in slightly damp paper towels to keep them fresh, and seal them in a plastic bag. Refrigerate and use within several days.

What to Do With Carrot Greens

Use carrot greens in place of other fresh herbs such as parsley or basil. Drizzle Maple-Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto to truly make the most of this root vegetable. You can also add them to soups in place of other leafy greens, like in this Vegan Carrot-Top Vegetable Soup. Or use them in place of salad greens, like in this Carrot Greens Salad with Sesame Seeds. Try stirring them into stir-fries or tossing them in salads to add contrasting flavor (much like you would with arugula).

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Can You Eat Carrot Greens? And What to Do With Them? (2024)

FAQs

Can You Eat Carrot Greens? And What to Do With Them? ›

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.

What can you use carrot greens for? ›

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.

Are carrot greens edible or toxic? ›

Carrot greens and tops are not poisonous, and they are most certainly edible. Carrot greens do contain alkaloids, but so does nearly every leafy green vegetable. Alkaloids are chemical compounds that serve as the plant's defense mechanism against pathogens.

What are the benefits of carrot greens? ›

Carrot leaves have 6 times more Vitamin C than the carrot root! They are also a good source of Vitamin K, which is actually not there in the root per se. They are rich in Potassium and Calcium. It is the high amounts of Potassium in the carrot leaves that gives them a slightly bitter taste.

Can you freeze carrot greens? ›

Because carrot leaves are very fragile, they will only stay fresh for about two days in the refrigerator. If you plan to use them later than two days, wrap them in a damp kitchen towel and place them in a eco-friendly freezer bag and freeze for up to a month (possibly longer, we haven't tested it) until ready to use.

How do you preserve carrot greens? ›

Freezing carrot greens is a great option because they'll stay fresh, and you won't need to rehydrate them before using them. After thoroughly washing the greens and drying them with paper towels, remove the leaves and chop them up. Then, put them on a baking sheet in a single layer and place them in the freezer.

What is carrot greens called? ›

Also called carrot greens, carrot tops are the frilly greens visible above the soil. If you only buy baby carrots or bulk carrots in a bag, you probably don't see this part often. Not only are these emerald-hued greens edible, they're delicious.

Why don't we eat carrot tops? ›

It has been rumored that carrot tops are poisonous and potentially deadly, but that's actually not true. In fact, they are very edible and loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Which part of carrot is not edible? ›

The edible part of the carrot is the Carrot Root. This is where the plant stores its nutrients, making it sweet and nutritious for human consumption. Other parts of the carrot, like the leaves and stems, are also edible but are not usually eaten.

Can worms eat carrot greens? ›

Worms will happily munch on a variety of fruits and vegetables. To name a few, the best food for worms includes: Vegetable scraps such as lettuce, carrot tops, broccoli stalks, cucumber peels, and the like. Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens.

Can you do anything with carrot tops? ›

Don't toss those tops! Carrot greens are just as edible as carrots themselves, and they're delicious in this tangy chimichurri sauce, pesto, and more. Today, we're making chimichurri out of carrot greens! I don't know who ever spread the idea that vibrant carrot tops should be tossed.

How do you eat carrot tops greens? ›

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.

What happens to your body when you eat carrot everyday? ›

Carrots are full of benefits—they may promote healthy vision, balance your blood sugar, help with weight management, lower your risk of cancer, regulate blood pressure, reduce heart disease, improve immunity, and boost brain health.

How to store carrot greens in the fridge? ›

Just remove the tops from the vegetables and store them separately. The tops won't last very long so plan to use them as soon as possible. Wrap a damp paper towel around them and store in a plastic bag for a day or so.

How do you store green carrot tops? ›

You can freeze carrot tops, cut the tops off the carrots, wash and dry them well, then place them on a baking sheet in the freezer in a single layer for 2 hours. Transfer the frozen tops to an air-tight container (with the air squeezed out) and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

What happens if you don't blanch carrots before freezing? ›

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.

Can I dry carrot greens? ›

You can dehydrate carrot tops! Don't waste those carrot greens from your garden or the fancy grocery stores again! Incorporate into green powder, or use on their own like parsley! Dehydrated carrot tops are a spectacular way to add more leafy greens to your diet without ever having to taste a thing!

What to do with carrot scraps? ›

Carrot tops can be used in a variety of ways. You can stir them into soups, toss them with salad greens, use them in place of herbs, add them to veggie burgers, or blend them into smoothies or green juice.

Can you plant carrot tops? ›

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.

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