Roasted carrots with tahini and lemon are a wonderful side with a Middle Eastern twist.
An interest in tahini…
I absolutely love when Kathy Gunst makes an appearance on Here & Now because I know an interesting discussion of food and culture is about to happen and some really cool recipes are on the horizon. Recently, I’ve been increasingly interested in tahini after reading Michael Solomonov’s brilliant cookbook, Zahav, named after his Philadelphia-based restaurant. So when Kathy Gunst laid out a middle-eastern inspired tahini-focused segment, I was all ears.
NPR’s Kathy Gunst recommends another fabulous dish…
Among other delicious dishes Kathy introduced to listeners was a side dish using carrots that peaked my culinary interest. I ended up cooking this along with my stuffed pork tenderloin and found it to be a welcomed twist on roasted carrots. This delicious dish of roasted carrots with tahini and lemon was gobbled up by my entire family, even my picky 3-year old. The subtle sweetness of the roasted carrots was elevated by the citrus of the lemon and countered by the garlic-nuttiness of the tahini sauce. I absolutely love this recipe and find it easier to make when making the tahini sauce in advance.
A note on tahini…
One very key ingredient is using the best tahini when possible. Zahav owner & chef, Michael Solomonov, who arguably makes the best hummus out there, highly recommends Soom brand tahini. Tahini is a paste made from toasted sesame seeds that is found in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is the main component of favorites like hummus and baba ganoush. Yum. Its also delicious drizzled on dates with a bit of salt. Double yum. Really good tahini is nutty and rich like a sesame butter. And its a perfect compliment to the carrots in this recipe. Enjoy!
Roasted Carrots with Tahini & Lemon
Print RecipeIngredients
- For the tahini sauce:
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Juice of 1-2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup tahini, well stirred
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tsp honey
- About 1/4 boiling water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- For the carrots:
- 1lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces
- 1.5 tbsp high heat oil, like avocado oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix all ingredients to make a smooth sauce. I use an immersion blender to make the sauce extra smooth.
Add more water for a thinner sauce if you prefer.
Taste and season with more salt or pepper.
TO MAKE THE CARROTS:
Heat oven to 425.
Place carrots on roasting pan or dish and toss with oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, until carmelized to your liking.
Remove from oven and add half of the tahini sauce and toss.
Roast for 3-5 more minutes.
Remove from oven and spoon on remaining tahini sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve with lemon wedges.
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