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!
Servings: 6
Calories: 218kcal
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
