Got carrots? Here’s a new idea….. roasted carrot hummus. They come to peak season around late fall, early spring here in Northern California along with other yummy orange things like butternut squash and citrus.
Carrots can be one of those veggies that we take for granted. Rich in vitamin A and beta carotene, these root vegetables can be used in myriad ways and always seem to be available. Carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and other aromatics provide the basic foundation for many soups and sauces in the form of sofrito. Additionally, candied carrots show up often and the illustrious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Thomas Keller has a wonderful glazed carrot recipe that is worth trying, as well.
This last fall and early spring, I received carrots many times in my CSA box. As a fallback, I would simply cut lengthwise and roast carrots in olive oil, salt, and pepper. It makes a great side dish and goes well on salads. Soon, however, I was inspired to try to break out of the typical conventional carrot fare.
Then I thought… why not hummus!
Use these sweet and savory roasted carrots to make hummus. I am pleased to say, it turned out better than I imagined and now I am hooked. This carrot hummus can be used in place of or in addition to traditional chickpea hummus. Serve on bruschetta, in pita bread, or with crudités. For this dish, I topped the carrot hummus with fresh mint and sliced green onions, and a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Let your imagination be your guide!
To peel or not to peel? So as to always retain as much nutrition as possible, I refrain from peeling carrots. Take a clean green scrubby, and scrub the carrots under cool water to remove any dirt and little hairs.
Roasted Carrot Hummus
Ingredients
- 12 oz carrots, about 4 medium carrots
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp tahini
- a few sprigs of fresh mint
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Roast the carrots
- Preheat oven to 400 °F
- Wash and scrub carrots, then slice them longways onto sticks. Try to keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly. Cut each carrot in half lengthwise, the cut in half lengthwise again.
- Put carrots in a baking dish, add 1 tbsp. olive oil, a pinch of salt, then mix to coat the carrots.
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until fork tender, not mushy. Cool.
- Add the roasted carrots to the food processor and pulse of break up the carrots. I like to leave them a bit coarse. Add the tahini, lemon juice and zest, olive oil and blend until smoooth. Salt to taste.
- To plate: Add several spoonfuls to a serving plate and top with fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced green onions, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Yummy idea! Makes so much sense.
Hi Midge, Right?! I am having a fun time with roasted carrots. I recently made carrot cake with roasted carrots and it was beyond delicious.
Hope all is well in Italy!