A perfect accompaniment for any dish, these roasted carrots are delicious — and as always, easy to make. I made these to go with Sheet-Pan Harissa chicken and they paired really well. Both recipes also came from the same source, Melissa Clarks new book, Dinner: Changing the Game and used my current favorite cooking tool — the sheet pan!
The combination of flavors and textures is really inspired. You’ve got the the sweetness and crunch of the carrots paired with the more savory crunch of the walnuts. Add to that the salty goodness of feta, lively herbaceousness of dill and mint and the tang of pomegranate molasses and you’ve got magic. If you don’t stock pomegranate molasses in your pantry, I’d highly recommend it. It is really versatile and add a nice tang to sauces and dressings. You can see how I used it to make a Pomegranate Walnut Chutney that I use as an accompaniment to duck confit. De-lish!
Looking for an unexpected side dish for your Memorial Day BBQ? I’d highly recommend you give this one a try.
Roasted Carrots with Walnuts, Feta and Dill
Ingredients
- 1 lb medium carrots, halved lengthwise
- 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 t kosher salt
- 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 C coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 C crumbled feta cheese
- 1 T chopped fresh dill or mint leaves
- Pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar, for servic
Instructions
- Heat the oven 425 degrees F
- Toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Arrange them on a sheet pan.
- Roast, tossing after 20 minutes, until the carrots are golden and almost tender, about 35 minutes.
- Add the walnuts to the baking sheet and continue cooking until the walnuts are fragrant, about 7 minutes. Be careful not to burn the walnuts.
- Arrange the carrots on a platter. Sprinkle the nuts and feta over the top.
- Finish with dill and mint and a drizzle each of olive oil and pomegranate molasses.
These turned out really well. I was concerned that the carrots were getting a little too burned, so I ended up only toasting the walnuts for about 3 minutes but that was enough to get some toasted flavor. I used fresh dill, plus I had pomegranate molasses for the drizzle. I had a bag of mixed carrots — yellow, orange, and purple carrots. The purple carrots have a beautiful color change inside so they added an exotic touch to the dish. I would make this again.
★★★★★
I’m so glad!