whole roasted carrots with cumin and orange
We make this go-to side all the time. We love carrots raw, but their natural sweetness really comes through when you roast them whole, and the addition of cumin and citrus in this recipe makes it a true crowd pleaser. They’re amazing as is or paired with a sauce, like our forever favorite green goddess tahini sauce. These make a great side for dinner and are equally delicious chopped up in a big salad for lunch.
Why are carrots one of our favorite vegetables? Apart from being extremely versatile and delish, their nutritional content is hard to beat. They contain a range of micronutrients (several B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C and potassium to name a few) and phytochemicals (like beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and anthocyanins) that help to support our overall health and immunity. Carrots’ orange hue is from beta-carotene, which in addition to acting as a powerful antioxidant, gets converted to vitamin A, an essential nutrient for vision, skin, muscle and immune health. Bottom line: you basically can’t go wrong with carrots.
Enjoy!
whole roasted carrots with cumin and orange
serves 3-4
1 pound medium carrots (~8 to 10 medium sized carrots), scrubbed and patted dry (no need to peel, unless carrots are not organic)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
freshly ground pepper
juice of 1/2 orange, more to taste
to serve (optional):
MELA’s green goddess tahini sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Directly on the baking sheet, toss carrots with the oil, salt, cumin and a few grinds of fresh pepper.
Roast for about 40 to 50 minutes, depending on size, until the carrots are pierced very easily with a knife and appear slightly charred on the exterior, making sure to toss the carrots about halfway through.
Remove from oven, squeeze with orange and toss once. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if desired. Return carrots to oven 5 minutes longer.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of green goddess tahini sauce, if using.