Meow Recipes: Roasted Carrots with Honey and Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Heirloom carrots on a sheet pan with yogurt sauce and a fork.

Deeply roasted, smoky peppered rainbow carrots. Swizzles of tangy garlicky yogurt sauce. A subtle and sweet golden drizzle of honey and festive little pistachio crunches, maybe a pop of bright fresh cilantro. Is this the most beautiful, delicious new veg to grace your holiday table scape this year? [*tips hat* ] Ah yes, don’t mind if we do.

These are not soft or overly sweet mushy carrots we might remember from holidays past. These are bite-tender roasty, warmly-spiced carrots. They will make an absolute knockout side this year or, honestly, you could pile up your plate with just these and call it a (holi-)day.

There can be a lot of buttery richness at the holidays because, hello, that is their job, but this is such a bright, tangy, smoky addition to not only cut through but really, really stand out. And a really fun and festive and special take on the whole savory-sweet vegetable thing that’s not just putting toasted marshmallow on top which, let’s be honest, really just winds up sweet-sweet (and no shade here, that certainly has its time and place!).

Simple But SO GOOD

Our fave kind of recipe sailing in here. You know it, you love it…that’s right, it’s kinda fake fancy! This recipe is so simple to throw together but when you plate it up and set it out, it’s all star-eyes and shoulder bops because it looks SO BEAUTIFUL. The flavor also feels very deep and complex with its warm cumin and smoky paprika, and that indescribable goodness that comes from just simply roasting a vegetable. Like, how is it so good?

The spoonfuls of garlicky Greek yogurt sauce are also a real win. Not only is the tanginess so perfect with the aforementioned warm-smoky, but it’s just so lovely on top of those rainbow carrots. (Yep yep, regular carrots work beautifully here too, but if you can find the rainbow ones, they’re a real eye-catcher.)

The honey swizzle on top just really makes it pop and we love crunch on crunch and texture surprises, so some chopped pistachios will NOT let you down. If they’re not your jam, maybe slivered almonds or another chopped nut of your choice. The chopped cilantro brings all its freshness and green but if you’re an anti-cilantro person (so sorry for your loss), some fresh chopped parsley would be great.

What You Need For Roasted Carrot Goodness

Like we said – keeping it pretty simple here for a short ingredient list that delivers big-time on flavor. Each little ingredient takes its job very seriously and for that, we are so proud. So grab your olive oil and let’s assemble the rest:

rainbow carrots (regular works too!)
spices: garlic + onion powders, smoked paprika, cumin, salt + pepp
greek yogurt
fresh garlic
honey
chopped pistachios
chopped cilantro

Roasted carrots on a plate with yogurt sauce and honey.

How To Make These Unbelievable Roasted Carrots

After a little bit of peeling/chopping, the process couldn’t be easier. Which will feel so great when you’re trying to time/balance/manage all the mashing and mixing and resting and carving.

Carrots. Throw your peeled carrots (we also sometimes slice them in half length-wise) on a sheet pan and toss them in olive oil and your spice mixture. Roast for about 20 mins. A+ for slightly charred edges yesssssss.
Sauce. Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic and salt + pepp.
Drizzle and serve. Once the carrots are roasted, spoon and drizzle the yogurt sauce all over, give it a quick swish of honey, sprinkle with some chopped pistachios and fresh cilantro. Get ready for some yums.

That’s it, put her on the table and let her wow.

Roasted carrots on a plate with yogurt sauce, honey, toppings, and a fork.

How To Serve These Roasted Carrots

Truly, this could be the runaway star side dish of Christmas 2021. The carrots have such a unique and inviting flavor that feels so special among our other typical holiday favorites. They’re lighter and veg-forward while still feeling deeply cozy and somehow rich. Some beautiful bright jewels tucked up against your turkey, your mashed potatoes, your pile of sage stuffing.

And once the holidays have passed, this feels like a recipe to come out again and again. Maybe you sheetpan-meal it up with some chicken and other root vegetables. Maybe you double everything and make a whole meal of these beautiful roasty gems with a hunk of warm crusty bread. Will you want to put this simple sauce on everything? Probably!

So thank you, roasted carrots, for your indescribable goodness. Thank you garlic and Greek yogurt for your bite and tang. Thank you warm spices and crunchy nuts and sweet golden honey. What a gift you’ve all given us.

Roasted Carrots: FAQs

Can I use regular carrots?

Yes! If you can’t find rainbow carrots, regular orange carrots will do. But if you can find these colorful gems, they really are something to look at on the table.

Any other nut I can use?

Slivered almonds would be really good!

Can I sub another herb for cilantro?

Sure! Try freshly chopped parsley on top.

Roasted Carrots with Honey and Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Author: Eman @ Pinch of Yum
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Units

Roasted Carrots:

1 bag (32 ounces) of rainbow carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Yogurt sauce:

1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Additional Toppings:

Honey
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread the carrots out onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Combine the spices, salt, and pepper in a small dish and sprinkle over the carrots. Gently toss the carrots in the oil and seasoning. Roast for 20 minutes until tender and the edges are slightly charred.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Spoon the yogurt sauce over the carrots. And finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cilantro and pistachios.

Notes

These beauties need to be on your table! Deeply roasted rainbow carrots, swizzles of tangy garlicky yogurt sauce, a golden drizzle of honey, and festive pistachio crunches on top.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Roast
Cuisine: American