Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Brighten up your plate with these roasted rainbow carrots. Lightly caramelized around the edges and crisp-tender in the center, they are a wonderful side dish!
Roasted rainbow carrots are a variety of different colored carrots. I harvested several bunches from my garden earlier in the year (to my delight!) and then later on in the season I was able to put together another bunch, because the warm fall made for a longer growing season.
Orange carrots are the common color, but carrots can also come in jewel-tone colors like purple, yellow, red, and even white. Since carrots have plenty of natural sugar, when you roast them at high heat they caramelize beautifully around the edges. I like mine pretty dark but not everyone does, so roast until you’ve hit your perfect amount of char.
This recipe uses carrot tops along with parsley to make the ‘gremolata’. While the carrots themselves are roasting, becoming slightly charred, tender, and caramelized in the oven, I whip together the gremolata with parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and salt. I sprinkle the gremolata over the rainbow carrots just before I serve to add a pop of fresh color. I top it off by drizzling on tahini sauce and pomegranate seeds for crunch and color.
The lemon zest and pomegranates are a nod to the holidays, so it would only be natural for these roasted rainbow carrots to take a place on your holiday table. However, this recipe is very easy to make and, as such, you can make them any time of the year, especially in the colder, darker months to brighten up any meal.
Rainbow Carrots Recipe Ingredients
Roasted rainbow carrots are fun to make and only take a couple of ingredients.
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- Rainbow carrots – Of course you start with rainbow carrots. If you can’t find rainbow carrots, orange carrots will do. Be sure to get fresh carrots. Limp carrots don’t work as well for this recipe
- Olive oil – Helps the carrots brown and soften in the oven
- Gremolata – Make the gremolata using fresh parsley and the carrot tops (if you have them). If you can’t find them just use fresh parsley and use extra parsley instead.
- Orange zest – Adds citrusy notes to the gremolata.
- Garlic – It gives the gremolata a rich, savory taste.
- Tahini Sauce – Brings a creamy, rich contrast the the carrots
- Pomegranate Arils – They are bursty crunch and bring out the sweetness in the carrots
- Add salt and pepper – Makes all the flavors pop!
How to Make Roasted Rainbow Carrots
This rainbow carrot recipe is simple!
Prepare the rainbow carrots. Clip off the carrot tops and rinse them. Dry and set aside.Scrub the carrots don’t peel them. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and add the salt and pepper. Toss and arrange to the carrots on the baking sheet.
Meantime, make the gremolata. Traditional gremolata is made up of fresh parsley, garlic, and lemon. You can substitute orange for the lemon is you like and I also tried mixing up the carrot tops with the fresh parsley – an idea I got from www.loveandlemons.com. This is a new take on traditional gremolata, but it holds true enough the the original to be just as fresh and bright.
Your roasted rainbow carrots are ready when they are fork-tender and caramelized. Normally, they take 20-30 minutes at 425°, but depending on the thickness it might take a bit longer.
Toss your roasted rainbow carrots with the gremolata when they are still warm from the oven. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle on the tahini sauce, sprinkle of the pomegranate seeds and serve!
How to Serve Rainbow Roasted Carrots
These roasted rainbow carrots are a perfect side dish for a holiday meal. It pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and roasted cauliflower.
Holiday meal not for you? Eat this rainbow roasted carrots for a comforting dish in fall and winter. Serve this alongside cherry tomato couscous, basil pesto pasta, or even baby beet green salad.
This recipe is best eaten the day you make it. However, it can be store in the fridge for a day or two. The tahini sauce with keep for a week or so and any leftover gremolata will keep for more than a week if stored in a glass jar with a secure lid. If you have extra gremolata sprinkle it over roasted cauliflower, corn chowder, or corn on the cob.
More Favorite Roasted Veggies
Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 lb rainbow carrots with tops
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup tahini sauce
- pomegranate arils as garnish
Gremolata
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot tops
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1 garlice clove, grated
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the carrots and their tops. Cut the tops off the carrots and set them aside for the gremolata.
- Put whole carrots on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender and browned around the edges.
- Meantime, make the gremolata: Chop the carrot tops and measure out ¼ cup.
- Make the gremolata Place the ¼ cup chopped carrot tops in a medium bowl and add the parsley, garlic, orange zest, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Toss carrots with the gremolata while they’re still warm from the oven. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with the tahini sauce, and garnish with pomegranate arils. Season to taste and serve.
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