Savory roasted carrots and red onion are seasoned with warm Mediterranean spices and served over creamy garlic tahini. Finished with a bright pistachio topping, this easy side dish is simple to make but full of bold, vibrant flavors!
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About This Recipe
If you love bold Mediterranean flavors, this roasted carrot dish is an easy one to fall in love with.
Carrots and red onion are tossed with warm spices like cumin and coriander, then roasted until perfectly tender and slightly caramelized. As they roast, the carrots become naturally sweeter, which pairs beautifully with the savory spices.
Serve them over a layer of creamy lemon garlic tahini sauce, one of my favorite sauces to make! Tahini is rich, nutty and incredibly versatile, and when it’s whisked with lemon and garlic, it becomes the most delicious, silky sauce that works with just about anything.
And for a finishing touch, garnish with a bright pistachio herb gremolata with lemon zest, parsley and olive oil. It adds freshness, crunch and a pop of flavor that brings the whole dish together. It’s simple, vibrant and a fantastic side dish for Mediterranean meals or holiday dinners.
📋 Ingredients
- Carrots: Use large whole carrots instead of baby carrots, because they have much better flavor. If you can find rainbow carrots, use those for a more colorful presentation.
- Red Onion: Red onion adds a mild sweetness and pairs really well with the carrots.
- Tahini: Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and can usually be found near the peanut butter or in the international aisle of grocery stores. It’s one of my favorite ingredients because you can turn it into so many different things such as sauces and dressings, use it as a dip or drizzle it over desserts.
- Pistachios: Raw shelled pistachios are roughly chopped to create a rustic texture for the gremolata topping. You can chop them by hand or pulse them briefly in a food processor if you prefer a finer texture.
- Cumin and Coriander: Both of these spices are warmer and work very well with the sweeter roasted carrots and onions.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Looking to add more spices to your Mediterranean pantry? Check out my detailed guide to Mediterranean Spices!
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Use other Vegetables: Add or substitute other root vegetables such as parsnips, butternut squash, kabocha squash, or beets would all be delicious.
- Make it Spicier: For extra heat, toss the vegetables with a pinch of cayenne before roasting.
- Different Tahini Sauce Flavors: Make a lemon herb tahini with fresh parsley or cilantro or add a teaspoon of harissa paste for a spicy tahini. For something slightly sweeter, add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup for a maple tahini sauce.
- Different Nuts: Instead of pistachios substitute with toasted almonds, walnuts or pine nuts.
- Garnish Options: For a touch of sweetness and tang, drizzle a little pomegranate molasses over the top or a sweeter date molasses.
⏲️ Instructions
Roast the Vegetables: Season the vegetables with cumin, coriander, salt and black pepper and toss with olive oil. Roast at 425°F for about 30 minutes, until tender.
Make the Tahini Sauce: While the vegetables roast, whisk together tahini, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl. Add water and whisk until smooth and pourable.
Make the Pistachio Gremolata: Combine chopped pistachios, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Assemble the Dish: Spread tahini sauce onto a wide serving bowl and top with roasted vegetables. Garnish with pistachio gremolata and Aleppo pepper.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Save the Scraps: Save the carrot, onion and garlic peels to make homemade vegetable stock.
- Tahini Sauce Tips:
- Tahini thickens before it loosens: When you add water to tahini it will first seize and thicken. Keep whisking and it will loosen into a creamy sauce.
- Add water slowly: If you need to thin the tahini sauce, add 1–2 teaspoons of water at a time until you reach a thick, pourable consistency.
- Refrigerating Tahini Sauce: Tahini sauce thickens in the fridge. To bring it back, whisk in a little warm water until smooth again.
- Make Ahead: The roasted vegetables can be made 2–3 days ahead. Tahini sauce can also be made about 3 days in advance. I recommend assembling the dish just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These roasted carrots with tahini make a beautiful addition to a Mediterranean or Passover meal.
Serve them alongside:
More Roasted Vegetable Dishes To Try
Savory Roasted Carrots with Tahini and Pistachio Gremolata
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 5-6 large carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 large red onion cut into ½-1 inch wedges
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Lemon Garlic Tahini
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 garlic clove finely grated
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup water plus more if needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pistachio Herb Gremolata
- ¼ cup pistachios finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Garnish
- Aleppo pepper
- Optional: drizzle of pomegranate molasses or date molasses
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Season the Vegetables: Place the carrots and red onion on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with cumin, coriander, salt and black pepper. Toss well so the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Roast the Vegetables: Spread the vegetables into an even layer and roast for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender and caramelized.
- Make the Tahini Sauce: While the vegetables roast, whisk together tahini, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl. Add the water and continue whisking until the sauce loosens and becomes smooth and pourable. Season with salt and pepper. If needed, add more water 1–2 teaspoons at a time until you reach a thick, honey-like consistency.
- Make the Pistachio Gremolata: In a small bowl, combine chopped pistachios, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Assemble the Dish: Spread the tahini sauce onto a wide serving bowl or platter. Spoon the roasted carrots and onions over the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Dollop the pistachio gremolata over the vegetables and finish with a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper. If desired, drizzle lightly with pomegranate molasses before serving.
Notes
- Peeling the Carrots: Peeling is optional, but it gives the carrots a smoother texture. Save carrot peels and vegetable scraps to make homemade vegetable stock.
- Tahini Tips: When water is added to tahini it will initially seize and thicken. Keep whisking and it will loosen into a smooth sauce.
- If the tahini sauce is too thick, add 1–2 teaspoons warm water at a time until you reach a thick, pourable consistency.
- Make Ahead: Roasted vegetables can be made 2–3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Tahini sauce can also be made about 3 days ahead. Assemble just before serving.
cheri says
Sounds fantastic, I've been eyeing pomegranate molasses for a while now, looks like it's supposed to be good in salad dressing as well.
Julia says
Look at those beautiful colors!! This looks so tasty and healthy! I love rainbow carrots and need to get my hands on that pomegranate syrup! So glad you shared this recipe with me and hope you have a great weekend 🙂