This quick and easy side dish transforms humble carrots into one of the best sides ever! Warm Moroccan spices pair perfectly with sweet roasted carrots, and a simple tahini sauce brings it all together. Make these Moroccan roasted carrots next time you need an exceptional (but easy) veggie side!
I recently tried Moroccan carrots from one of my favorite local Mediterranean spots (shoutout to Banzo!), and my partner, Andy, and I could not stop talking about them.
Sweet, savory, and so perfectly spiced, they made eating vegetables feel exciting again. I mean... it doesn't take much for me to be enthusiastic about a veggie, but for Andy to be equally as excited? A major win! Naturally, I had to recreate them at home.
These Moroccan roasted carrots are my ode to that experience: oven-roasted with a cozy mix of warming spices and a hint of heat. A drizzle of creamy tahini sauce ties it all together for a simple, flavor-packed side that's as doable on a weeknight as it is for a dinner party.
This recipe is also the perfect way to make the most of seasonal carrots, whether they came from your CSA box, farmers market, or a quick grocery run! Nothing like some simple, vibrant produce to make everyday cooking more fun and nourishing.
Key Ingredients + Notes
- Carrots - Carrots are the star of the show here! Whenever possible, I love buying seasonal and local carrots. Even in Wisconsin, I'm able to find local carrots in winter at my local co-op. If you have a similar co-op or farmers market available to you in cooler weather, take a look around and see what you can find locally.
- Tahini sauce - We'll also be using a simplified version of my go-to tahini sauce with a smaller yield, though feel free to make that exact recipe if you want more! For a bit of sweetness, you could also use the tahini maple drizzle recipe from my harissa roasted sweet potatoes.
- Moroccan spice blend - GAH it's so good. Cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Lately I've been grinding my own spices in a mortar and pestle (affiliate link), and I ground up some cumin seeds fresh for this recipe. Out of this world, highly recommend!
I was so inspired by these flavors that I later developed a spiced carrot and sweet potato soup with a similar spices! If you try and love these carrots, you'll love that silky, nourishing soup as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine peeled and sliced carrots in a medium-large bowl with olive oil and spices. Toss to get each and every piece nicely coated.
- Step 2: Arrange carrots in an even layer on a sheet pan (optionally lined with parchment or silicone baking mat). They can be a bit crowded and touching, but we want the carrots in a single layer for the most part. Roast the carrots for 18-20 minutes.
- Step 3: While carrots are roasting, prepare the tahini sauce by combining tahini, lemon, salt, and water. Whisk everything together until smooth. At first it'll look like it doesn't want to to combine, but just keep whisking! It'll form a smooth tahini sauce after a few seconds.
- Step 4: Once carrots are done, they'll be fragrant and caramelized with golden brown edges, and easy to pierce with a fork. Serve with tahini drizzled over the top and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro! OMG, and these maple cayenne toasted walnuts would be amazing crumbled on top. YUM!
Tera's Sustainability Tips
- Eat seasonal! Carrots have two primary growing seasons - when the ground first softens in spring, and in fall to be harvested and stored for winter. They can also be harvested mid-winter if left in mulched ground, which is why you're able to purchase carrots locally at farmers markets during cooler seasons (yay!).
- Reduce waste. Did you get carrots with tops? While we don't need them for this recipe, save those tops! They can be used in carrot top pesto or simmered in a homemade veggie broth.
- Plastic-free storage. If you purchase loose carrots by weight at the market or store, you can loosely put them in your cart and wash them well when you get home, or bring a mesh reusable produce bag to the store. To store without plastic, trim off greens (if applicable), then place in an open container with a clean, damp paper towel or reusable paper towel (affiliate link) on top. Fun fact: if your carrots become dehydrated, you can soak them in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes prior to use.
Moroccan Carrots FAQs
Store leftover carrots in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge. If freezing, place the container in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer!
They're great as a stand-alone side dish with your fave proteins, and I also love tossing them into grain bowls and salads. We recently at them in bowls with baked turkey meatballs and Israeli couscous, and not a single morsel was left (for my family of three).
Leftover Tahini Sauce? Try These Recipes!
Extra tahini sauce is not a bad problem to have 😉 Here are a few recipes to drizzle it on if you have leftovers after making these Moroccan carrots. I also love drizzling it onto homemade lemon dill hummus!
Did you make these Moroccan roasted carrots? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
Print📖 Recipe
Moroccan Roasted Carrots with Creamy Tahini Sauce
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: ~2 cups
Description
These sweet, savory Moroccan-spiced roasted carrots might just become your new favorite easy side dish. Roasted until caramelized with warm spices like cinnamon and cumin, then drizzled with a simple tahini sauce, they're flavorful, nourishing, and perfect alongside any protein or grain bowl.
Ingredients
For the Carrots:
- 2 pounds (4-5 large) carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
- Dash of cayenne
- Cilantro, finely chopped for serving
For the Tahini Sauce:
- ¼ cup tahini
- juice from ½ lemon
- ¼ cup water (add more for thinner consistency)
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven & prep carrots. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-large bowl, combine carrots, olive oil, and all spices. Toss well to get everything nicely coated.
- Roast carrots. Transfer seasoned carrots to a sheet pan in a single, even layer. It's okay for them to touch and overlap slightly, but we want them in a mostly flat layer. Roast at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, optionally stirring or flipping them halfway through for even cooking.
- Make tahini sauce. While carrots are roasting, combine tahini, lemon, salt, and water into a bowl. Whisk the mixture together until smooth. It will look lumpy at first, but keep whisking! It'll all come together into a smooth sauce.
- Serve! Carrots are done when they smell fragrant, have caramelized edges, and are easily pierced with a fork. Serve them with tahini sauce for drizzling and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro - yum!
Notes
- Carrot slices. The carrots should be sliced thin (less than ½ centimeter or ¼ inch), but I don't recommend using a mandolin - those slices are too thin for this recipe! We want something that has chew and can be pierced with a fork.
- Tahini. I find it's best of the tahini is still very drippy - or at least mostly. If you get to the dry stuff down at the bottom, it gets a little tougher to whisk, even with water. That said, you could blend it if you're up for getting your blender out.
- Nutrition info. Note that nutrition info is just an estimate and was calculated without sauce, since the amount everyone uses may vary.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 14.4 g
- Sodium: 403.1 mg
- Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.4 g
- Fiber: 8.6 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Would you like to save this post?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Leave a Reply