Charred Carrots with Herbs
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!
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
Serve them warm or room temp. These carrots are incredibly forgiving. They hold well, travel well, and taste amazing even after they’ve cooled slightly. Perfect for entertaining.
Pick carrots that are similar in size. This helps them cook evenly and char at the same rate. If your carrots are all different sizes, just halve or quarter the big guys so everything roasts beautifully.
Don’t skip the peel. Peeling gives the carrots a smooth surface that caramelizes better. Plus, it just looks prettier on the platter and we love that.
Use high heat. Cranking up the oven (or letting your skillet get really hot) is the secret to getting that deep, charred exterior while keeping the centers tender and sweet.
Dry the carrots before roasting. Moisture = steaming. Dry carrots = caramelized, golden, glossy goodness. A quick pat with a towel goes a long way.
Toss with oil generously. Carrots are sturdy and can handle a good coat of olive oil. It helps them brown, helps the seasoning stick, and keeps them from drying out.
Season early and late. Salt before roasting to draw out sweetness, then finish with more salt, pepper, herbs, or citrus right before serving to wake everything up.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Give the carrots space so they can actually char. If they’re piled on top of each other, they’ll steam, and no one’s here for steamed carrots.
Flip halfway for even char. Let one side get deep golden, then flip to caramelize the other. Don’t fuss too much before they’re ready. Patience equals flavor.
Finish with something bright. A squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, or a handful of fresh herbs (dill, parsley, mint all winners) makes the whole dish pop.
I love the look of rainbow carrots, but if you can't find them then using orange is just fine.
Nutrition
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