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Picture this, a stunning platter of perfectly roasted colorful veggies. Now dress them with a zesty, cool sauce, and scattered with pieces of crunch for a surprise of texture. Well, you don’t have to picture it, you can make it! Harissa honey glazed roasted carrots with a tangy tahini yogurt sauce get topped with salty pistachios and fresh pops of pomegranate arils for the perfect combination of textures and flavor. Spicy, sweet, warm, cool, soft and crunchy, this dish has it all!
Growing up, I, like most children I would assume, was not a fan of cooked vegetables. This is probably because in my house, this meant canned, salty, mushy green beans and peas. And don’t get me started on carrots! They only appeared as squishy disks inside of canned soup that I would fish out with a spoon. Well folks, I am happy to admit that I had this vegetable thing all wrong! With the right flavors, the perfect cooking technique, and a few fun toppings, roasted carrots can turn from a forgotten side dish to a stunning star!
Honey Harissa Carrots
Roasted carrots are surprisingly easy to make, and surprisingly easy to make tender! I mean what’s worse than a carrot that should be soft and chips your tooth? And to make it that much better, let’s glaze them! To begin, start with 1 lb of rainbow or baby carrots. Peel and dry the carrots and set aside.
Meanwhile in a bowl, let’s make a simple glaze. Start with 2 tbsp of harissa paste. Harissa is a spicy Middle Eastern paste made of roasted peppers and spices such as coriander, caraway, and cumin. You often see it uses in dishes like shakshuka. Next, in a bowl the the harissa, add 3 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of honey to balance it out. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the peeled carrots into the bowl with the harissa sauce and coat each carrot. Lay the carrots in an even layer on a lined baking sheet, drizzling any remaining sauce over the top. Now, roast the carrots in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the carrots are tender and the glaze is caramelized and sticky. It may be necessary to toss the carrot halfway through to ensure the carrots and glaze cook evenly.
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
The carrots are absolutely delicious on their own, but warning, harissa is pretty spicy! The honey is a good balance, but the heat level is definitely there! So let’s balance it out! A nice cool sauce will definitely help counterbalance the heat of the glazed carrots to make the perfect bite. Begin with 4 oz of plain greek yogurt. To it, add 2-3 tbsp of lemon juice, 1-2 heaping tbsp of tahini (sesame paste-the stuff used in hummus), and 1/2 tbsp of honey. Totally optional but add 2 tsp of za’atar to round out the Middle Eastern flavors.
Place the glazed carrots on a platter and drizzle as much or as little of the yogurt sauce on top! And for just one more layer of wow, let’s top this all off with a few tbsp of de-shelled roasted pistachios and pomegranate seeds (also called arils) for some crunch and a surprising burst of sweetness. This little addition adds the perfect amount of texture to compliment the soft, warm carrots. These harissa honey glazed carrots with tahini yogurt dressing leave a surprise to be found in every bite! This will totally change the way you look at the vegetables you may have once been afraid of!
Want More Vegetable Sides?
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Grilled Asparagus Salad
Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Loaded Brussel Sprouts With Chili Honey
Harissa Honey Carrots with Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb rainbow or baby carrots
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp harissa
- 1 tbsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 4 oz plain greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- ½ tbsp honey
- 2 tsp za'atar
- 2 tbsp pistachios for garnish
- 2 tbsp pomegranate arils for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°
- Peel and pat the carrots dry.
- In a small bowl, combine harissa, oil, honey, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the peeled carrots and toss to coat.
- Lay the carrots in an even layer on a lined baking sheet and drizzle any extra harissa glaze over the top
- Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the carrots are tender and caramelized.
- While the carrots roast, in a small bowl combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and za'atar in a bowl. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 tsp of water at a time if needed to get to the desired consistency.
- Garnish with crushed, shelled pistachios and pomegranate arils (seeds) for texture and sweetness as desired. Finish with a sprinkle of dried parsley and serve immediately
