Discover the best carrot recipes to put this vibrant veggie to use! From side dishes to main courses and desserts there’s something for everyone on this list.
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Pin RecipeIt is always surprising to see how many different ways carrots can be used in the kitchen. The root vegetable can hold its own as a main or side dish and even steals the show when it comes to dessert. It’s a simple vegetable that doesn’t require much fuss to taste out of this world.
From simple honey-glazed carrots to traditional carrot cake, you’ll see how many ways carrots can be used in cooking. The recipes are excellent for a simple weeknight dinner or a family Easter celebration. Regardless of the carrot recipes you add to your menu, you are sure to have a tasty hit when you incorporate this springtime veggie.
Simple Carrot Recipes
1. Harissa Roasted Carrots
Harissa and roasted carrots make an excellent combination. The sweet roasted carrots take on the spice of the harissa extremely well, making a dish that isn’t lacking in flavor. If the harissa is a little spicy for you, keep a side of yogurt on the plate to cool everything down.
2. Bacon Roasted Carrots
Bacon is always a good idea and even better when paired with healthy ingredients like carrots in this bacon roasted carrots recipe. The carrots roast in bacon fat to create a sweet and salty flavor. Then, chopped bacon is added on top, because who doesn’t want more bacon?
3. Brown Sugar Baked Carrots
Carrots have a natural sweetness that is brought out even further with the addition of brown sugar. Try it for yourself in the classic side dish of brown sugar baked carrots. It’s so sweet it can almost pass as dessert but pairs wonderfully with main courses like Honey Baked Ham or an Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
4. Baked Carrot Casserole
This baked carrot casserole is a dish the whole family will love. Carrots combine with pepper and onions to create a vegetable base mixed with milk and eggs. Like most casseroles, the dish can be made ahead of time and warmed up when ready to serve.
5. Oven Roasted Carrots Elote Style
If you are a big fan of Mexican street-style corn, you are going to love these elote-style roasted carrots. The carrots borrow from the street corn to create a similar dish with even more nutrients. You might as well double the recipe, because everyone will return for seconds and thirds.
6. Carrot Top Pesto
Don’t let those carrot tops go to waste. Turn them into a rich pesto with this carrot top pesto recipe. The recipe is slightly tangy compared to your traditional basil pesto but can be used the same way, adding vibrant flavor to all your recipes.
7. Crispy Parmesan Carrots
This crispy parmesan carrot dish is an excellent side dish, no matter what main course you serve. The spice rub carrots are slow-roasted and topped off with a layer of parmesan cheese. Then, an array of spices adds depth for an explosion of flavors that tantalize your tastebuds.
8. Carrot Smoothie
Move over, green juice! Orange drinks are here to take your place with this carrot smoothie. The vegetable is excellent to add to your morning smoothie alongside apples, mangos, or oranges. Vibrant and tasty, this smoothie ensures you start your day on the right foot.
9. Air Fryer Carrots with Honey Garlic Butter
The air fryer does all the work to bring these carrots with honey garlic butter to life. Halfway through cooking, the honey garlic butter is added to the carrots, allowing them to caramelize while they finish cooking. They are so sweet and delicious that you’ll find yourself returning for seconds and thirds.
10. Spring Carrot Soufflé Recipe
Impress your guests this Easter when you add this spring carrot soufflé to the menu. It looks like it came from a five-star restaurant, but don’t be intimidated. Everything whips up in the blender, making it super simple to prepare!
11. Carrot Fritters
Carrot fritters are an excellent dish to keep in your pocket. They are great as a simple snack, a side dish to a main course, or a tasty appetizer for game day. There will be no leftovers of the fritters, no matter how you choose to serve them!
12. Healthy Baked Carrot Chips
When you are craving a potato chip but want something a bit healthier, turn to these baked carrot chips. Baked instead of fried, this recipe eliminates any unnecessary oil and provides lots of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber to keep you full.
13. Lemon Dijon Roasted Carrots
Show off carrots in all of their glory with this lemon dijon roasted carrot dish. The recipe features carrots as the star of the show, tossing them in lemon sauce and feta cheese. Bright and bold, it pairs with all your favorite main dishes!
14. Carrot Fries
Ditch the classic French fries, and replace them with carrot fries for a dish you never knew you needed. The healthy alternative is great next to a burger or on its own with a dipping sauce of your choice.
15. Honey Glazed Carrots
These honey-glazed carrots prove that sticking to simple flavors is the best. The carrots simmer on the stovetop in a sweet seasoning mixture to bring out their sweet and tasty natural flavor. It’s the perfect side dish for any main course.
Main Course Recipes with Carrots
16. Roasted Carrot Soup
Fill up with a hearty bowl of roasted carrot soup. A twist on tomato soup, it’s creamy, filling, and oh-so-nutritious. Enjoy it on its own or as a side with a salad or wrap.
17. Curried Chickpea & Carrot Burgers
Veggie burgers get an upgrade with these curried chickpea and carrot burgers. The carrots mix with the chickpeas to create an excellent base for a filling burger. To keep the texture of the burgers firm, they get baked in the oven. They are so tasty you won’t even notice the lack of meat on your plate.
18. Chickpea Carrot Salad Sandwich
Keeping lunch light and healthy isn’t hard when this chickpea carrot salad sandwich is on the menu. The chickpeas make a great base and let the carrots keep things chrunchy.
19. Carrot Ginger Soup
Warm up with a bowl of creamy carrot ginger soup. The soup takes just seven ingredients to bring to life. It’s perfect for a light lunch or a dinner with a salad on the side.
Salad Recipes with Carrots
20. Healthy Carrot Salad
Carrots are an excellent choice for when you want something healthy and filling. This healthy carrot salad proves it. It combines crunchy carrots with mixed greens, raisins, walnuts, and a tangy lemon dijon dressing for a no-fuss recipe that provides a whole lot of flavor.
21. Shredded Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
This carrot and apple slaw is about to take your tastebuds on a ride. The combination of carrots and apples makes the slaw crunchy, tangy, sweet, and bright. It’s delicious on its own or next to a burger or sandwich.
22. Carrot and Apple Slaw
The next time you’re searching for a side dish for your main course, keep this shredded carrot salad with honey mustard dressing in mind. It covers all the bases when it comes to a tasty side dish. Plus, it goes well with just about anything on your plate.
23. French Carrot Salad
Carrots are one of those vegetables that don’t need much fussing to taste good. Just look at this French carrot salad, for example. The salad combines carrots with olive oil, lemon, honey, and an array of spices. It’s simple in the best way possible.
24. Raw Carrot Salad
Have 20 minutes? Then, you can easily throw together this raw carrot salad. The carrots get shredded into long ribbons to add a different texture to the finished dish. It’s quick, simple, and super tasty.
25. Spicy Korean Carrots
Wake up your tastebuds with this spicy Korean carrot recipe. The dish uses a combination of spices like garlic and coriander and heats them in hot oil to create a signature spice. Who said eating your veggies had to be boring?
Dessert Recipes with Carrots
26. Simple Carrot Cake Recipe
Turn your favorite vegetable into a tasty dessert with our simple carrot cake recipe. The moist cake uses freshly shredded carrots, chopped nuts, and a mixture of warming spices. It’s hard to stop at just one slice!
27. Zucchini Carrot Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting, these zucchini carrot bars are so moist and sweet, that you’d never guess they’re full of veggies. One bite and you’ll be an instant fan!
28. Carrot Cake Cookies
When you are in the mood for carrot cake but don’t have the time to make a whole cake, turn to these carrot cake cookies. The mini treats give you everything you love about carrot cake, all in a handheld cookie form.
29. Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars
Love cheesecake? How about carrot cake? Then, you will fall in love with these carrot cake cheesecake bars! The bars take a rich and creamy vanilla cheesecake filling and swirl it with a classic carrot cake batter to make a sweet treat that is truly irresistible.
30. Carrot Cake Pancakes
While these pancakes are on the sweeter side, they are loaded with carrots, making it easy to sneak in a serving of veggies. Serve a hot stack for breakfast or dessert!
31. Carrot Bundt Cake Recipe
This carrot bundt cake recipe will put all your other carrot cakes to shame. Not only does this bundt cake feature a traditional carrot cake batter, but it also includes a cheesecake filling that is hiding in the center of the cake. The cake finishes off with a cream cheese frosting for a beautiful presentation and sweet flavor.
32. Carrot Pie With Cinnamon Streusel
Sweet potato pie has met its match with this carrot pie with cinnamon streusel. One bite of the cake, and you’ll wonder why it took you this long to make the carrot-based dessert.
33. Carrot Cheddar Sandwiches
Switch up your traditional sandwich for lunch, and put these carrot cheddar sandwiches on the menu. The carrot mash-up is almost similar to an egg salad sandwich, making a tasty bite that is filling and nutritious.
FAQs
Carrots can be bought year-round, but fresh carrots are in season during the late spring and early fall. They have two growing seasons for two fresh harvests.
You can eat the whole carrot, including the tops. Although bitter on their own, the tops taste great when used to make pesto or added to dishes as a garnish.
Roasting is best for cooking carrots. While other methods work for cooking carrots, roasting works the best, because it cooks the vegetable at a very high temperature. This helps them become tender and enhances their natural sweetness.
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