Harissa Maple Roasted Carrots
Sweet, spicy, and perfectly caramelized — these Harissa Maple Carrots come together quickly but deliver big flavor. Add a pop of color and sweet heat to any meal.
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Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and cut on a bias
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons mild harissa paste depending on spice tolerance
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from about 1/2 a medium lemon
To Plate (use as many as you like)
- 1/3 cup roasted pistachios or almonds crushed or chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plain yogurt or whipped vegan feta, or tahini sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs I like mint or cilantro
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils or dried cranberries
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F. You will need a rimmed baking sheet. You can line with a sheet of parchment for easy cleanup, but I actually find the carrots caramelize best when cooked directly against the metal.
- Season the carrots: In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, harissa paste, maple syrup, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add in the cut carrots and toss to coat.
- Roast: Transfer the carrots to a rimmed baking sheet, arranging them in one layer. Roast for 40-45 minutes. Give them a toss roughly every 10 minutes so they cook evenly. Add extra time as needed until the carrots are tender and caramelized.
- Brighten: Once the carrots come out, toss with fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.
- Serve: I like to serve these carrots on top of a bed of vegan yogurt, vegan whipped feta, tahini sauce, or hummus. (This provides a nice cool counter-balance to the spice of the harissa but it's optional.) Top with crushed nuts for texture, fresh chopped herbs for freshness, and pomegranate arils or dried cranberries for a hint of sweetness/tartness.
Notes
Carrots: I like to look for medium or large carrots and do a roll cut (a.k.a oblique cut). This exposes a nice amount of surface area that is perfect for caramelization. You can also simply slice the carrots in half top-to-bottom, or even use baby carrots to avoid cutting altogether.
Harissa paste: I love the Mina brand harissa paste. It comes in mild and spicy varieties. I use 2 tablespoons of the spicy kind, but adjust based on your level of spice tolerance!
Vegan whipped feta for plating: Get my recipe here!
Easy tahini sauce for plating: Whisk together 1/4 cup tahini, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 3-4 tablespoons of cold water. Add the water gradually, whisking continuously, until the tahini becomes fluffy and pale in color. You can create a bed of this tahini sauce on the plate, or thin it out to a drizzle-able consistency to top the carrots.
The nutrition information provided on Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen is an estimate and is offered for general informational purposes only. Values will vary depending on the specific brands and amounts used.