Don't Throw Out Your Vegetable Tops, Start Cooking With Them Instead

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Who among us hasn't bought a bunch of carrots or radishes, gotten home, and instinctively lopped off the leafy tops before tossing them in the compost bin? It's second nature for busy folks, but it doesn't have to be. Those frilly greens are not only edible, but often more nutritious too. Using vegetable tops is one of the easiest ways to reduce food waste and add bold, fresh flavors to your meals. When it's time to talk which tops you should be saving, there's no one better to ask than Lloyd Rose, vegan chef, cookbook author of "Island Vegan: 75 Flavorful Recipes from the Caribbean: Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, Dominican Republic," and creator of Plantcrazii. 

Rose certainly has his favorites in terms of what vegetable tops he prefers to add to his cooking. "Carrot tops, beet greens, celery leaves, and cauliflower leaves," Rose told The Takeout. Considering that carrot tops have six times the vitamin C of the orange root, it's worth knowing how to prepare them so you still retain the nutrients. Rose knows just what to do: "Use carrot tops raw," he advises. "A raw prep retains more vitamin C, and you can use them in pestos. If the tops are quite tough, blanch them in boiling hot water for thirty seconds." Blanching vegetables preserves their bright colors and fresh flavors, especially if you coat them with a thin layer of oil after to prevent them from drying out. 

Now that you've got your veggie tops saved, you'll need to figure out how to make the most of them. Luckily, chef Rose suggests two homemade sauces anyone can do. "Definitely pesto or chimichurri because they are really easy to make, no cooking is required," he says. "You can freestyle and add other herbs to the mix as well, such as basil, parsley, or cilantro."

Not all tops are created equal. Some are perfect for pesto, some are better in broth, and a few are best avoided altogether. In addition to Rose's suggestions, radish greens are tender and peppery, like a cross between arugula and spinach. They're what make this radish salad with brown butter dressing so delectable. Other ideas include sautéed side dishes using beet greens or turnip greens. These cook down beautifully with garlic, oil, and a splash of vinegar or lemon. You could also toss these greens into homemade vegetable soup or stir chopped tops into ramen or pho for freshness and a nutritional boost.

Of course, you'll want to skip potato greens and rhubarb leaves — those can be toxic. But most other tops are totally fair game. You can swap veggie tops anywhere you'd use fresh herbs, leafy greens, or aromatics. Cooking with tops helps cut down on food waste, to be sure, but it's also about seeing your ingredients in a new light. Those tops aren't scraps: They're actually whole ingredients, with flavors all their own.