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Fresh Dandelion Green Pesto Recipe Easy Homemade Garlic Lemon Parmesan

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A quick and easy pesto made from fresh dandelion greens, garlic, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese, offering a bright, earthy, and flavorful spread perfect for spring and early summer.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups dandelion greens, washed and roughly chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts (optional)
  • Salt to taste (preferably sea salt or kosher salt)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash about 3 cups of dandelion greens thoroughly to remove any grit or dirt. Roughly chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Toast ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Let them cool slightly.
  3. Place 2 large peeled garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop finely.
  4. Add the chopped dandelion greens and toasted nuts to the food processor. Pulse again until everything is roughly chopped, maintaining some texture.
  5. Pour in 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Pulse a few more times to combine.
  6. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Stop to scrape down the sides with a spatula to ensure even blending. The pesto should be creamy but still slightly chunky.
  7. Add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Pulse once or twice to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  8. If the pesto is too thick, add a teaspoon or two of water or more olive oil until desired consistency is reached.

Notes

If dandelion greens are bitter, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds then shock in ice water to mellow flavor. For vegan version, replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast. Nuts can be substituted with sunflower or pumpkin seeds for nut-free option. Store pesto with a thin layer of olive oil on top in an airtight container to prevent browning. Freeze in ice cube trays for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: dandelion greens, pesto, garlic, lemon, Parmesan, homemade pesto, wild greens, easy pesto, spring recipe, vegan pesto option

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/fresh-dandelion-green-pesto-recipe-easy-homemade-garlic-lemon-parmesan/