Sticky Roasted Carrots with Tahini Yoghurt
These Roasted Carrots are elevated from a humble side dish to one bursting with irresistible flavour, colour, and texture – by simply adding a few readily available, easy-to-prepare ingredients!
Most of us remember a side dish of roasted carrots served with chicken or a roast as part of a home-cooked Sunday lunch. As good as it was, it was never really anything to get excited about. But that’s all about to change – with my roasted carrots with chilli citrus glaze and sticky tahini yoghurt. This exotic take will impress your family and friends – and likely become an instant favourite as part of your Easter feast.
And even though it looks gorgeous and tastes extraordinary, it’s pretty simple to make. In all, it takes around 50 minutes, but you can get everything else done while the carrots are roasting.
Carrots – As Versatile as the LBD
Potatoes are rightly praised for their versatility – and you absolutely cannot go wrong with this Crispy Potatoes with Salted Lemon recipe – but honestly, carrots are coming into their own. They’re available year-round, stay fresh for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator, are relatively inexpensive, enjoyed around the world, and have a subtle sweetness and nuanced flavour that goes with just about anything. Carrots are the Little Black Dress of cuisine. You can juice them, roast them, steam or grill them, use them raw, and produce dishes as varied as carrot salad, carrot cake, soup, smoothies, stir fries and of course, this roasted carrot dish.
Roasted Carrots Pack an Antioxidant Punch
The carotenoid present in carrots, beta-carotene, is a powerful antioxidant that is converted into Vitamin A by our bodies. And if you were paying attention in biology, vitamin A is used to ensure healthy vision and for a healthy immune system. They also contain “Vitamin See”. After all, you’ve never seen a rabbit wearing glasses, have you?
Our bodies absorb beta-carotene more fully when carrots are cooked, and roasting rather than boiling helps to preserve the nutrients. This recipe checks all the boxes – delicious, along with great health benefits.
Vegan Roasted Carrots
While this delicious carrot dish is suitable for vegetarians, by simply substituting Maple Syrup for honey, plant-based butter for traditional butter, and plant-based yoghurt for dairy yoghurt, you’re able to create a deliciously satisfying vegan dish that’s fit for any celebratory meal.
Inspired By Middle-Eastern & Mediterranean Flavours
Made from lightly toasted sesame seeds – a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diets – tahini adds a deliciously earthly flavour to this dish. The addition of Greek yoghurt provides a creamy, cooling counter to the heat from the chilli and sweetness of the honey. Then, the citrus notes provide a zesty, palate-pleasing freshness that’ll have your guests clamouring for more.
It’s Crunch Time
This recipe includes the option of adding cooked quinoa or any cooked grain of choice, like pearl barley or millet to this roasted carrot recipe. This adds a delicious crunchy dimension to the dish. And of course, there’s also the option to substitute the cooked grains for roasted, salted nuts.
Pistachios, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are all great options, depending on your preference.
Sharing is Caring
Did you try out this magnificent Roasted Carrot with Sticky Tahini Yoghurt? If so, we think you might love these other recipes.
- Honey Glazed Carrots With Dates And Pecans
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes With Salted Lemon
- Kale Salad With Crispy Chickpeas, Tahini And Dates
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gluten-free?
This dish is gluten-free provided you use quinoa or millet – or pistachios, macadamia nuts or hazelnuts. Do not use pearl barley if you want it to remain gluten free.
Can I make this vegan?
With a few substitutions, this recipe is suitable for vegans. Substitute honey with maple syrup, dairy yoghurt with plant-based yoghurt and plant-based butter to replace dairy butter.
What is Skyr?
Skyr is technically classified as a cheese because it contains rennet, but has the same consistency as strained yoghurt and is eaten in the same way as yoghurt. It has a milder flavour than yoghurt, is higher in protein and lower in fat, sugar and carbs.
Can I leave out the chilli?
Yes, while some like it hot, others prefer to omit the chilli. The recipe works just as well.
Sticky Roasted Carrots with Tahini Yoghurt
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Roasted Carrots are elevated from a humble side dish to one bursting with irresistible flavour, colour, and texture – by simply adding a few readily available, easy-to-prepare ingredients!
Ingredients
- 500g Carrots
- 40g Honey
- 30g Butter
- 1 Whole Orange for juice and zest
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Olive Oil for drizzling
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, pearl barley, or drained and rinsed chickpeas/white beans
Pickled Chilli
- 1 Chilli
- 1/2 TSP Honey
- 1 Whole Lime for juice
Yoghurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup/ 140g Greek Yoghurt or Skyr
- 15g Tahini
- 2g Chopped Dill plus more for garnishing
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 180C.
- Peel the carrots with a vegetable peeler. Keep them whole where possible but remember to halve any carrots that are larger than the rest so that they cook evenly.
- Place the carrots in a roasting dish, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for around 30-40 minutes until soft.
- While the carrots are roasting, make the pickled chilli. Thinly slice the chilli, add to a bowl with the honey and squeeze the lime juice over the chillis. Stir, then set aside, allowing the chillies to pickle in the sweet lime juice.
- As the carrots approach the end of their cooking time, make the glaze. Heat a pan over a high heat and add the butter.
- Cook the butter until brown then add the honey, orange zest and juice.
- Drain the lime pickling liquid from the chillies and add this too. Reserve the chillies for later.
- Reduce the glaze until thickened.
- Remove the carrots from the oven and push them to one side of the tray. Coat them well in the glaze.
- If you’re using grain or nuts, add them to the other side of the roasting dish. Toss in a little oil for coating.
- Return to the oven to cook for 5-10 minutes or until sticky and glossy and the grain or nuts are lovely and crispy or crunchy.
- While waiting for the carrots to finish, make the tahini yoghurt. Combine the yoghurt, tahini, and dill, and season to taste. If the tahini makes the sauce a little too thick, you can thin it out with a little water. It should have a thick, but spreadable consistency.
- To serve, smear the yoghurt over a serving plate. Top with the roasted carrots and drizzle over the glaze sauce. Finish with pickled chilli, crispy quinoa, and more dill.
Notes
Try to keep carrots whole where possible. But if some carrots are significantly larger, cut these in half lengthways so they’re uniform in size, to ensure even cooking.
The type of chilli you prefer to use all depends on your heat tolerance. If you’re looking for a mild chilli, try a Peppadew, Poblano or Jalapeño. You can turn up the heat with a Serrano, Red Cayenne Pepper, or Thai Chilli. And if you’re really looking to punish yourself, you can try an African Bird’s Eye Chili, Bird’s Eye Chilli or Habanero!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 - 50 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Calories: 159.88kcal
- Sugar: 12.32g
- Sodium: 193.16mg
- Fat: 9.18g
- Saturated Fat: 3.64g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18.06g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Protein: 3.64g
- Cholesterol: 13.78mg
6 Responses
I am loving your Easter meal suggestions. What kind of chili do you use?
I used a mild red chilli. I think it was a serano….
Excited to be making this now. What would be equivalent of “ten sprigs” of dill? 2T? Roughly how much quinoa would you recommend?
I use about 1 Cup cooked quinoa. If I have any left its a great little pop corn adjacent snack. If you cooking it from dried that’s roughly 1/2 cup dried, then follow the package instructions to cook.
I prepared this dish for my daughter’s birthday, it was a hit! The different spices and ingredients will provide different delicious layers of flavors,the creamy tahini sauce is the final hug that will make these carrots the star of your meal.Totally recommended !
So glad you enjoyed it!