Roasting carrots is one of the best way to bring out and intensify this root's inner sweetness. Seasoned with a hint of heat that balances nicely with fresh mint dressing, Roasted Carrots is a tasty, versatile side dish. If you happen to have any leftovers, try chopping up the cold carrots and adding them to a salad.
Yield: 4-5 servings
Ingredients
- 15-20 small to medium carrots, or 20-25 Crispy Crunch Baby Carrots, peeled and tops removed
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- ½ cup peppermint leaves
- ¼ cup dill leaves
- 1 tbsp pine nuts or almonds
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 357℉.
- Toss the carrots in 2 tablespoons olive oil and lay them out on a lined baking sheet. Mix together paprika, garlic, cumin, and cayenne. Sprinkle over carrots, rolling them around to ensure all sides are seasoned. Place in the oven and roast for 15 – 20 minutes, or until they are softened and there's slight resistance when pierced with a fork.
- While carrots are cooking, very finely chop mint, dill, and pine nuts, and place in a small bowl. Add remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, and mix thoroughly.
- After removing carrots from the oven, place them on a serving plate and drizzle with mint dressing. Serve immediately.
Featured Ingredient: Peppermint
There are many varieties of mint, and while all of them are essentially "minty" in the same way, each one has a unique flavor quality. Peppermint is the boldest of the mint varieties, with an upfront peppery bite. It complements a large variety of fresh herbs, fruits, and beverages, and is a wonderful plant to have on hand. Mint grows beautifully in containers, and will also grow vigorously when planted in the ground. (In fact, you may want to plant it in a pot first, then plant the pot, to keep mint from taking over the garden.) Let us teach you the best way to grow your own mint.