First of the season carrots are roasted with a flavorful mix of ground cumin and cardamom. The roasted carrots are drizzled with plain yogurt and lemon juice for a nice tangy contrast before serving. Serve this vegan and gluten free dish as a side or add it to the top of a filling salad!
Carrots are a lovely gift here in the winter. Since summer and fall are so incredibly warm, and winters are relatively mild, we get carrots here in the winter and spring. It’s always an incredibly joyous occasion to see the first roots pulled from the ground, soil still clinging to them. I often treat the first carrots of the season with a simple preparation so their earthy sweetness really shines through!
As this roasted carrot dish relies on so few ingredients, I recommend going with some beautiful, fresh carrots (local if possible) and whole spices. If you can’t find whole cardamom seed or whole cumin seed you can always use ground, but you lose a little bit of their brightness. As for the yogurt drizzle, it’s totally optional but highly recommended for a nice, tangy contrast. Here’s to the return of carrot season!
Want More Carrot Recipes?
If you love carrots as much as I do and are looking for more ways to enjoy them, try this cucumber carrot salad with crushed peanuts and mint or this carrot ginger fried rice!
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Cumin & Cardamom Roasted Carrots
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
First of the season carrots are roasted with a flavorful mix of ground cumin and cardamom. The roasted carrots are drizzled with plain yogurt and lemon juice for a nice tangy contrast before serving. Serve this vegan and gluten free dish as a side or add it to the top of a filling salad!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of carrots (about 7–8 large/medium sized carrots)
- 1/2 tsp whole cardamom seed (or heaped 1/4 tsp ground)
- 1/2 tsp whole cumin seed (or heaped 1/4 tsp ground)
- salt & pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3–4 tbsp plain vegan yogurt
- 1 small lemon
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
If you are using a whole spices, grind up the cumin seed and cardamom seed together with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until they are relatively fine.
Scrub your carrots well and trim off any greens that may be attached. Slice each carrot in half lengthwise (or in quarters if it is especially large). Place the carrots on a large baking sheet, then drizzle them with the olive oil. Season to your liking with salt and pepper, then sprinkle on the ground cumin and cardamom mixture. Toss the carrots around a bit on the sheet so they are all evenly coated in the oil, salt, pepper, and spices.
Roast the carrots in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are tender and the edges are beginning to caramelize.
Serve the carrots warm with a drizzle of the plain yogurt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
- If your yogurt is very thick, you can mix in a bit of fresh lemon juice or water to thin it out.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: side
