Carrot top hot sauce is one of my favorite ways to use up the leafy greens that usually get tossed. If you’ve ever bought a bunch of carrots and wondered what to do with the tops, this is a great place to start. I know that carrot top pesto is always an option, but sometimes I want something lighter and a little bit more versatile, and this hot sauce is perfect for that.
It acts, tastes, and pours just like your favorite bright, tangy hot sauce, but it has an extra boost of color and micronutrients thanks to the carrot tops blended right in. Plus, it’s a low-waste recipe that keeps well in the fridge and gives those greens a second life. You can drizzle over toasts, grain bowls, soups, or honestly anything that needs a little zing.
I was first inspired to make this hot sauce because of Ottolenghi, who said on one of my favorite podcasts that his best hack was to take chilies, salt, sugar, vinegar and olive oil and blitz the together into a sauce that gets better with time. I thought it was genius, and my first idea was to add herbs, but then I realized how delicious it could be with carrot tops. So that’s where this recipe started. It’s a different texture than you would expect, but the flavor profile is phenomenal.
Read on for the recipe, ideas on what to do with carrot tops, as well as any substitutions that may work.
Table of contents
Ingredients you’ll need
- 2 cups carrot tops
- 2 jalapeños, seeds removed
- 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Ingredient substitutions
This recipe is truly delicious as is! Although it’s simple, it’s also very flexible. Here are some substitution suggestions:
- Carrot tops: Although they’re kind of the star of the recipe, I know they’re not always available so this recipe’s ratios also work well when you swap in spinach, kale or arugula.
- Jalapeño: Can be swapped for habanero peppers, serrano peppers, Birdseye chiles, red pepper flakes, or you can omit
- Fresh ginger: Swap for 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- White wine vinegar: Can be swapped with lemon juice
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Swap for avocado oil, grapeseed oil, really any oil you like!
How to make carrot top hot sauce
- Prep your carrot tops and jalapenos: Chop up the carrot tops, this helps prevent them from getting stuck in the food processor. Halve the jalapeńos and remove the seeds.
- Build the base: Add the carrot tops, jalapeños, 1/2-inch knob of ginger, tablespoon of salt, tablespoon of sugar, and 1/4 cup white wine vinegar to a food processor or powerful blender. Pulse until you have a chunky sauce.
- Add the olive oil in batches: Add the olive oil in two batches, pulsing in between. You want the sauce the texture of pesto. Add more oil until you reach the desired consistency.
- Season and finish: Taste and season with more salt or vinegar as preferred.
How to use it
Anything that needs a little zing would benefit from this!
Use this on avocado toasts, grain bowls, or steamed fish. You can also use it to swirl on top of curries or soups. You can also spread it on sandwiches, or add mayo and water to turn it into a creamy vinaigrette.
Storage tips
Here’s the best way to store it, based on each method:
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks. It will keep well and improve with time. When ready to serve, add more olive oil if needed to reach desired consistency.
Freezer: Store in an airtight container, or freeze in ice cube trays (perfect for portioning!) and transfer to a freezer bag once solid, for up to 6 months. Freezing can slightly alter the texture or cause minor separation upon thawing so just be sure to mix well and add more olive oil if needed.
Watch the recipe here:
Looking for other ways to use carrot tops?
Carrot Top Pesto
Vegan Carrot Top Soup
And that’s everything for this Carrot Top Hot Sauce!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups carrot tops
- 2 jalapeños, seeds removed
- 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Chop up the 2 cups of carrot tops, this helps prevent them from getting stuck in the food processor. Halve the 2 jalapeńos and remove the seeds.
- Add the carrot tops, jalapeños, 1/2-inch knob of ginger, tablespoon of salt, tablespoon of sugar, and 1/4 cup white wine vinegar to a food processor or powerful blender. Pulse until you have a chunky sauce.
- Add 1/2 cup olive oil in two batches, pulsing in between. You want the sauce the texture of pesto. Add more oil until you reach the desired consistency (it shouldn’t need much more).
- Taste and season with more salt or vinegar as preferred.
- Store this in the fridge, it will keep well and improve with time for 2-3 weeks.
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