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

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

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.

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