Charred Carrots with Herbs

Jump to Recipe

Looking for an easy and delicious side dish for your next dinner party? Look no further than charred carrots with herbs! This dish is simple to make and can be tailored to your taste preferences. Plus, it's perfect for a festive holiday meal. So gather up your ingredients and get ready to cook! Talking of last minute Thanksgiving side dishes, if you already have a garlic green beans situation and need 1 more thing to round out your menu... I am all about these addictive Charred Carrots with Herbs.

A rectangular white platter with charred rainbow carrots with a drizzle of basil mint sauce along with a small bowl of the same sauce in the platter.


 

Why I Love This Recipe

I know what you're thinking... carrots? addictive? You're probably convinced that I have gone off the deep end. But I kid you not, these Charred Carrots with Herbs are seriously good.

We're giving these carrots a decent char! We want all those brown bits. Then get doused with this basil mint situation that you'll probably want to lather all over your body because it's just that good. Salt. Pepper. Done. Doesn't get much easier than that right? And while I've been saving this recipe SPECIFICALLY for Thanksgiving, it's a killer side dish for any time of the year. And if you'd rather roast the carrots in the oven, I also have a roasted carrots recipe!

PS – are you thinking of putting this on your Thanksgiving menu? Check out the full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!

Ingredients & Substitutions

A mise-en-place of all the ingredients to make charred carrots with herbs.
  • Rainbow Carrots
  • Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper freshly cracked
  • Red Pepper Flakes
For the Basil Mint Topping
  • Shallot
  • Fresh Basil
  • Fresh Mint
  • Garlic
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Olive Oil
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Salt

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.

How to Make Charred Carrots

A skillet with rainbow carrots whole.

Step 1: In a large cast iron skillet, add a bit of the vegetable oil over high heat. In batches, add the carrots and sauté over high heat until just slightly charred (they should be tender on the outside and have a slight bite in the middle.) Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes while they are cooking. Once charred, about 6-7 minutes later, remove them from the cast iron skillet and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining carrots, adding a bit more oil between batches if needed.

A food processor with all the ingredients to make basil mint sauce.

Step 2: Combine all the ingredients for the Basil Mint topping in a high powered blender and blend for 60 seconds until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve as needed.

A square white platter with charred rainbow carrots and basil mint sauce drizzled on top.

Step 3: Once all the carrots are charred. Arrange them on a serving platter and top with some of the basil herb mixture. Serve immediately. Save remaining herb sauce for another use.

How to Store Charred Carrots

The charred carrots can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I recommend storing the basil mint topping separately in a container for about 2-3 days.

How to Freeze Charred Carrots

The charred carrots can be frozen in freezer bags for 3-4 months. When time to use thaw them in the fridge overnight and heat them in the oven. If using in a stew or soup, you can add them without thawing. You can also freeze the basil mint topping for about 3 months in an ice cube tray for easy access to only the amount you need.

Tips & Tricks

I love the look of rainbow carrots, but if you can't find them then using orange is just fine.

FAQs

What if I use different carrots?

You can use any type/color of carrots you want. The only thing I prefer is tender carrots. I recommend slicing them in half lengthwise if they are not very tender.

What other toppings can I use?

You can also try my cilantro vinaigrette or the green goddess dressing as a topping for these carrots.

Similar Recipes

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today

Charred Carrots with Herbs

Author: Gaby Dalkin
5 from 7 votes
The Charred Carrots with Herbs are crispy on the outside, tender in the middle and doused with an herb topping that you'll absolutely love!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

For the Charred Carrots

  • 3 bunches rainbow carrots orange, yellow purple, cleaned with with a bit of top remaining
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Basil Mint Topping

  • 1 shallot roughly chopped
  • 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves stems removed (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves stems removed (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

For the Charred Carrots

  • In a large cast iron skillet, add a bit of the vegetable oil over high heat. In batches, add the carrots and sauté over high heat until just slightly charred (they should be tender on the outside and have a slight bite in the middle.) Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes while they are cooking. Once charred, about 6-7 minutes later, remove them from the cast iron skillet and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining carrots, adding a bit more oil between batches if needed.
  • Once all the carrots are charred. Arrange them on a serving platter and top with some of the basil herb mixture. Serve immediately. Save remaining herb sauce for another use

For the Basil Mint Topping

  • Combine all the ingredients for the Basil Mint topping in a high powered blender and blend for 60 seconds until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve as needed.

Notes

I love the look of rainbow carrots, but if you can't find them then using orange is just fine.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 21809IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @WhatsGabyCookin or tag #whatsgabycooking!

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson  // Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking

39 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    So good! I thought they were so beautiful cooking in my cast iron skillet, I took a picture and posted on IG!

Leave a Reply to Mary Cunanan Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating