Edible Flowers Pesto Recipe

It is very rewarding to top off any meal with a creative pesto made from fresh, seasonal herbs — or even flowers! This edible flowers pesto recipe is easy to customize depending on what flowers you have growing.

What Flowers Are Edible?

I love eating flowers! But not all flowers are edible, some flowers are poisonous. My son has obviously taken note. When we visit a place that as an unfamiliar flower, he asks, “Is this edible, Mommy?”

Some flowers are poisonous, so it is good to be sure of which ones you can eat. You want to have 100% accurate identification of your flowers. If you are at all unsure about which flower you are using, find someone that knows what they are doing.

Flowers that can be added to this edible flowers pesto recipe include calendula petals, cilantro flowers, fennel flowers, lavender flowers, rose geranium flowers, rose petals, sage flowers, and squash blossoms. For a little kick, you could also try adding spicy edible flowers, such as nasturtium flowers or garlic chives.

Note that most flowers from the florist or a store have been grown with pesticides. You only want flowers that have been organically grown and harvested in the cleanest area possible.

Ready to learn how to safely eat and drink flowers? Click here to get the Free Edible and Medicinal Flowers Guide

How Do You Prepare Flowers for Eating?

I don’t think you want fresh bugs with your edible flowers pesto, so here is a simple trick to help you enjoy them without the extra protein! Let the bugs escape! Harvest your flowers, put them in a basket, colander or on a plate outside in the shade and let the bugs leave. Leave your flowers outside in the shade for an hour and let everybody go home. There’s no need to bring the bugs into the house.

You can rinse your flowers if you want. The thing is that many of them wilt quicker after being washed. I don’t wash my flowers. What I do is I pick them from the garden, let them sit outside for a little bit and then they get eaten.

How to Enjoy Edible Flowers Pesto

There are so many ways you can use this edible flowers pesto recipe. Put it on eggs, toss it into bean salads, and mix it into pasta or soups. Add a little vinegar to your pesto and turn it into salad dressing. Spread it on pizza instead of tomato sauce, use it as a substitute for mayonnaise on sandwiches, or serve it as a dip with raw veggies. The possibilities are endless!

Print Recipe

Edible Flowers Pesto

Author: Kami McBride

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 1/2 cup fresh edible flowers
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup cashews or other nuts
• 1 tbsp capers
• 2 tsp tamari

Instructions

• Put the olive oil, herbs, flowers, and garlic into a food processor.
• Blend until you have a smooth paste.
• Add the cashews, capers, and tamari a little at a time until everything is completely blended.
• Put into a lidded jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

I would love to hear from you! Have you used this edible flowers pesto recipe? Share your story in the comments below.