Carrot greens are pretty tough customers, and that reputation is well earned—you’ll be giving your jaw a workout if you try to chew them straight off the carrot. They’re often tossed into a juicer as a “why not” ingredient for something like carrot/apple juice, and they’re definitely overlooked as a primary component in salads.

With some preparation though, they make an excellent addition to a summer salad, especially after you’ve used all your carrots in other dishes. I add carrot greens to raw fennel, diced onion, chopped basil, halved grape tomatoes, and diced feta cheese, tossed with a citrus-infused olive oil, and an herb-infused balsamic.

The anise flavor of the fennel combines nicely with the mild, grassy sweetness of the carrot greens. The onions add an aromatic bite, the feta adds a salty, creamy component, and the grape tomatoes add a bit of acid. It’s a tasty balance of flavors.

Just like radish greens, you want to soak and spin the carrot greens before chopping to remove all the dirt present. Also, chopping the carrot greens takes a bit of effort. You want them to resemble finely chopped dill when you’re done. I chop the fennel stalks and the carrot greens at the same time so they have a similar consistency.

Yields approximately 4 servings

Greens from 10 to 12 carrots
1 bulb of fennel, with stalks
3 to 4 grape tomatoes, halved
4 to 5 basil leaves, chiffonaded
½ onion, diced
1 to 2 oz feta cheese, diced
3 tbsp citrus-infused olive oil
1 tbsp herb-infused balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt to taste

Method:
1.   Cut the fennel stalks from the bulb, wash them with the carrot greens thoroughly as described above. Rinse the onion, basil, grape tomatoes, and fennel bulb.

2.  Dice the fennel bulb, feta and onion, chiffonade the basil, and halve the grape tomatoes. Put everything in a large bowl.  

3.   Place the carrot greens and fennel stalks on a large cutting board and start chopping. When the pile of greens resembles finely chopped dill, you’re done. Transfer to the large bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and balsamic, add salt to taste. If you need more dressing, double the amount.

5. Add the dressing to the bowl, and toss everything until evenly distributed. It will taste better if you let it sit for an hour, allowing the flavors to combine. Place leftovers in a sealable container and store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

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