Spiced Carrots with Smoky Whipped Feta
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These roasted, spiced carrots are simple to make and can be served in some many ways: As an appetizer, side dish or as an addition for a mezze platter. Serve them with a smoky, ever-so-slightly-spicy creamy whipped feta dip blended with roasted red peppers.
I made these roasted spiced carrots as a side dish to go with dinner one night. But they never made it to the table!
What happened was I ended up eating more than my share straight out of the pan, holding them by the stem and nibbling them whole, while indulgently double-dipping (shhhh) into this smoky, creamy whipped feta spread.
Roasting whole carrots is the definition of ‘keeping it simple’ — there’s no need to slice, chop or boil these babies. And you don’t even need to peel them, if that’s how you roll. Carrots get even sweeter when they’re roasted because their abundant natural sugars concentrate and caramelize.
Adding aromatic spices enhances their flavor even more, which is why some of my favorite carrot recipes use spices — roasted whole carrots with cumin are a perfect example.
Spices to pair with carrots
Carrots are naturally sweet, which makes them a perfect partner for an array of seasonings and spices. The best spices for carrots are warm, sweet and pungent.
This recipe uses whole cumin seed, but it’s fun to play around different spices to see what you like. If using ground spices, start with a small amount (1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon). Keeping some spices whole when roasting with vegetables adds a crunchy, toasty spark of flavor to food.
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Caraway or fennel seed
- Cinnamon (ground)
- Turmeric (ground)
Serving ideas
- Arrange roasted carrots on an appetizer or mezze board along with toasted flatbread or pita.
- Add some toasted pistachios, almonds or walnuts to the platter.
- The whipped red pepper feta dip is fantastic alongside other sliced vegetables like raw fennel, celery or cucumber.
Spiced Carrots with Smoky Whipped Feta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
Whipped Feta Dip:
- ½ pound feta cheese
- 2 roasted red bell peppers, homemade or from a jar (see note)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Roast the carrots
- Preheat oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
- Arrange the carrots on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the cumin, red pepper, black pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Roll the carrots around to coat with oil and spices.
- Roast the carrots until they're tender when pierced with a skewer or point of a knife, 25-35 minutes depending on their size.
Make the whipped feta:
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl.
- Serve the carrots on a platter or board with the dip alongside, or on individual plates with a big spoonful of dip on each.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- To roast red bell peppers, put the whole peppers on a hot barbecue grill, under a broiler or directly over a stovetop gas flame until blackened on all sides. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover. When cool, peel off the skin, remove the stem and seeds. Store peeled peppers in the refrigerator for a week or so.
- The feta dip will keep refrigerated up to a week. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
- Aleppo pepper is a deep red crushed red chili used in Syrian and Turkish cooking. It has a warm gentle heat and wonderful fruity flavor. I buy it in specialty stores, and it’s also available on Amazon.
- Feta dip adapted from Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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You could use sweet potatoes, quartered yellow potatoes or root veg like parsnips.
Hi… loved the recipe.. what other vegetables can we use along with carrots ..
Delicious! This roasted carrot recipe has become a staple in my house. I make it each week, and it’s a regular snack food. Thanks for sharing it with us.