Roasted Carrots & Cilantro

Sweet roasted carrots served with a creamy, tangy cilantro yogurt sauce make a healthy weeknight side or appetizer for spring or summer.

We don’t really like carrots. Ok, I take that back, we like cake made out of carrots, and we like raw carrots, but both Jack and I grew up with a disdain for cooked carrots. Of course, we only knew them as the mushy baby carrot version. Or worse yet, the mushy baby carrots in the pot roast version. We both have memories of our moms smasing the carrots and boiled potatoes together and pouring gravy on top. “But it’s so good this way”, my mom would say… each and every time… as if one day this mush would miraculously taste like ice cream.

But last Saturday at the farmers market, I couldn’t pass up a bag of colorful carrots. (It also helped that the design of the label on the bag was so darn cute). I brought them home and realized that cake was out, as it would be the ugliest looking brown carrot cake. So instead, I decided it was high time to make cooked carrots taste good – by roasting them to tender-not-mushy-caramelized goodness. I made a tangy cilantro yogurt to dip them in, and we both devoured them.


5.0 from 2 reviews

Roasted Carrots & Cilantro

 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch carrots
  • ½ garlic clove, minced (use the other half in the yogurt sauce)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
For the cilantro yogurt:
  • Heaping ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons agave or honey
  • 1 teaspoon minced onion or onion powder
  • ½ medium or large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro, reserve some for garnish
  • Sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Depending on the size of your carrots, slice them lengthwise in half or quarters. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss them with the minced garlic and pinches of salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  3. Meanwhile, make the yogurt: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, agave, onion, garlic, ginger, lime juice, mustard seeds, cilantro (reserving some for garnish), and a pinch of salt. Stir, taste, and adjust seasonings. Add the reserved cilantro on top for garnish. Refrigerate until ready to serve with the roasted carrots.

 

 

25 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Rebecca J
    11.27.2023

    I made this for a Thanksgiving appetizer and everyone loved it. Thank you!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.28.2023

      Hi Rebecca, I’m so glad you loved the recipe!

  2. Holly Thomas
    07.03.2013

    Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all of us you actually know what you are talking about… Bookmarked.. Kindly also visit my website =). We could have a link exchange arrangement between us! Pickering Roofing Pros, 1284 Kingston Rd., #131, Pickering, Ontario, L1V 1B7, Canada, 289-275-1555

  3. Kelsey from happyolks.com
    06.28.2012

    catching up from being off the grid for so long, i want to eat everything you’ve posted this month! This is my very favorite way to eat carrots. love that sauce.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.