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Harissa Roasted Carrots are going to be the star of your holiday table! We’ll start by tossing petite carrots in a few spices, then brush with a harissa honey mixture and let them caramelize. Serve it on a bed of whipped feta! It’s creamy, dreamy and so delicious!
Look out Easter table –
There’s a new carrot dish in town and it is loaded with sauces, herbs, and whipped feta cheese!
This unbelievable side dish has main dish qualities. And don’t even get me started on the taste! They’re slightly tender, and drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce. The whipped feta dip at the bottom helps cool off the palette from the spices and adds a nice lemony zing.
We’ll roast one pound carrots with a few moroccan-inspired spices until they’re golden brown. Then brush on a harissa honey mixture that will give them a nice glow and elevate the natural sweetness of carrots.
Serve these over a bed of creamy whipped feta and garnish with herbs, like, fresh parsley, cilantro, and chopped mint. What you’re left with is a flavor explosion!
I love serving it up with my homemade roasted chicken or garlic butter baked salmon for weeknight-friendly dinner recipes, but also with a holiday turkey. That makes these spice roasted carrots ideal for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Trust me when I say this, you’ve never had a side dish like this.
Ingredients for Harissa Roasted Carrots Recipe
- Petite Carrots: I like to use small carrots for this recipe as it makes the dish look just a tad bit fancier! The carrots also take a bit less time to roast, so if you use larger carrots, be sure to give them a few extra minute sin the oven. Feel free to peel, or cook them peel-on. I suggest giving them a good scrub if you leave the peel on. Dry carrots on a paper towel before you toss them in oil. Use can easily double the recipe by using 2 lbs of carrots. Just be sure to use a large baking sheet so the carrots have an ample amount of room to roast.
- Oil: we’ll drizzle the carrots with the oil before sprinkling them with our spice mixture. You’ll also need a bit more extra virgin olive oil to blend the whipped feta dip.
- Spices: We’ll use ground coriander, Aleppo pepper, and some kosher salt. You can always add a hint of ground cumin, thyme, sumac, smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, or even some cayenne pepper if you prefer this dish to be a hit of spice. I usually keep the seasonings simple as the harissa paste and honey will bring plenty of interest.
- Harissa Paste: Use a mild harissa paste to keep things tamed, we’ll need 2 tablespoons. Use a spicier harissa for more of a kick! Substitutions for the harissa paste? The closest thing would be chili paste.
- Honey: The drizzle of honey just balances out the spices in the dish. For those who can’t have honey, you could swap it for maple syrup instead.
- Fresh Herbs: I typically use cilantro or fresh mint. But parsley or even the carrot tops adds just the right amount of color and flavor to this side dish.
- Garlic Cloves: we’ll grate a clove of garlic in the food processor before processing the feta dip. This ensures you don’t end up with harsh bites of garlic throughout the dip.
- Crumbled Feta: I typically keep French feta in my fridge as I have a middle eastern grocery store close by that makes it fresh in house. French feta is made with sheep’s milk and is often less tangy than Greek feta. The texture of French feta is also a bit more smooth so it’s easier to blend. Making it a great choice for this recipe. But any kind of feta you like will work here.
- Sour Cream: Adds dimension and thins out the feta. Feel free to swap this with Greek Yogurt, I typically use them interchangeably in this recipe without any issues.
- Lemon Juice: adds freshness. Be sure to grate the lemon as we’ll use the zest too!
- Serving: though you can serve this as a side dish on its own, my family always needs a little bread or something scoop it all up! Serve this with homemade pita chips, homemade flatbread, or even no knead bread.
Making Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta
- Prep things. We’ll start by preheating the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to make clean up easier.
- Hit them with spice. Then toss the carrots in the oil. In a small bowl, combine the spices to make the spice blend, then sprinkle them over the carrots. Give the vegetables a good toss, then spread them out in an even layer so that they aren’t overlapping on the sheet pan. Roast the carrots in the oven until fork tender. Keep in mind that the carrots will take longer to bake if they are on the thicker side.
- Whip it good. While the carrots are roasting, in the bowl of a good processor, break down the garlic clove. Then add the feta, sour cream. lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil and pulse the food processor to help breakdown the whipped feta. Spread this out on a serving platter and make swoops using the back of a metal spoon.
- Baste and bake. Once the carrots are tender, we’ll combine harissa and honey in a bowl, and baste the carrots with this.You can zap this mixture in the microwave to help make it easier for you to baste. Pop the carrots back int he oven and let them go for a few more minutes until golden.
- Serve it up. Place the roasted carrots over the whipped feta once they are slightly cooled. Then sprinkle with fresh herbs or pistachios for a little color.
Other carrot recipes to try:
- Brown Butter Honey Glazed Carrots
- Spicy Thai Carrot Soup
- Super Moist and Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
- Moroccan Carrot Chickpea Salad
- Golden Butter Roasted Carrots
Harissa Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta
Harissa Roasted Carrots are going to be the star of your holiday table! We'll start by tossing petite carrots in a few spices, then brush with a harissa honey mixture and let them caramelize. Serve it on a bed of whipped feta! It's creamy, dreamy and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. petite carrots peeled and trimmed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste less or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Chopped cilantro or mint for topping
Whipped Feta:
- 1 garlic clove
- 8 ounces feta cheese crumble or broken into pieces
- ½-¾ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream see notes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- TOSS: Place carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil. In a bowl, mix coriander, Aleppo pepper, and salt. Sprinkle the seasoning over the carrots and toss. Arrange carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping around the halfway mark. Thicker carrots may take up to 35 minutes. Carrots should be tender when pierced with a fork.
- WHIP: While the carrots are roasting, add the garlic clove to the food processor and run it until minced into tiny pieces. Add crumbled feta to the food processor with sour cream (using ½ cup first), lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Pulse in the food processor until you’re left with a thick, spreadable feta mixture. If the feta is too salty/too thick, add the remaining ¼ cup of sour cream/greek yogurt. If you prefer to have it thinner whipped feta, pulse the food processor for another 20-60 seconds to thin it out to your liking. Remember, if you whip it too much, it will become liquidy. Spread whipped feta in a serving platter.
- BASTE: In a bowl, combine the harissa paste and honey. Remove carrots from the oven, when fork tender, baste with prepared harissa paste, and roast for another 5-7 minutes until caramelized.
- SERVE: Arrange the roasted carrots over the whipped feta once they are cooled a bit. Sprinkle with fresh chopped mint or cilantro before serving.
Notes
- About the feta: depending on whether you use commercial feta or fresh, Greek feta or French feta, you might want to play around with the amount of sour cream/greek yogurt in this recipe to help balance the salt. We found with freshly made or French feta, the ½ cup of sour cream or greek yogurt worked well to balance saltiness and creaminess.
- Serving: though you can serve this as a side dish on its own, my family always needs a little bread or something scoop it all up! Serve this with homemade pita chips, homemade flatbread, or even no knead bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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