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Everyone needs an easy side dish that looks fancy enough for a dinner party. Or something that you can whip up on a weeknight after work that’ll make the day feel more special than it is. These roasted carrots with spiced yogurt and raspberries are simple enough to make on a weeknight, but the unusual flavor combination takes it to a new level. They’re easy to cook, and deeply flavorful.
Don’t be afraid of new flavor combinations!
I’ll be the first to admit, most people don’t think to combine carrots and raspberries together. After all, they’re quite different from each other. Carrots are crunchy and earthy, where raspberries are soft and sweet-sour. But that contrast is where the magic comes in: they balance each other out.
I first made this dish for a dinner get-together with friends, and my husband was skeptical. But ever since the blueberry Bolognese, he’s learned to just trust me. Learn to think of flavors not as “carrot” or “orange” or “blueberry,” but as sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. This will help you put together unusual flavor combinations that really pop on the plate.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Carrots
These are a farmers market staple for me. Look for carrots that are firm and snappy. Carrots that are bendy are best saved for soups and purees, where structural integrity isn’t as important.
This recipe will work with other root vegetables as well. Try roasting parsnips or beets and pairing them with the same spiced yogurt and raspberries.
Raspberries
You’ll see all kinds of raspberries at the farmers market. I recommend red or golden varieties, as these tend to be more tart than black raspberries. The tartness is important here to balance the sweetness from the carrots.
I’m lucky to have a raspberry patch in my backyard. Now, it’s crazy overgrown and needs a lot of work, but it’ll be worth it. I’ve already enlisted my father-in-law to help with his agricultural expertise.
Greek Yogurt
Look for full-fat Greek yogurt, which has the best texture for this kind of sauce. You want a yogurt with a thick body that can stand up to the carrots.
In terms of a vegan or Whole30 substitute, I’ve found most coconut yogurts to be hit or miss. Most of the time, they’re extremely sweet. But I have good news here: I recently tried Coconut Cult’s original flavor, and it is fantastic. There’s no added sugar, and whatever sugar is in the coconut is consumed by the bacteria during the fermentation process. It’s tangy and creamy. This is the only coconut yogurt I would recommend as a substitution.
Tips and Tricks
Carrots from the farmers market may be on the smaller side compared to grocery store carrots, but you’ll probably get a lot more of them in your bunch. The good news? On a dish like this, there’s no need to peel your carrots. Simply give them a good scrubbing under cold water to remove any dirt, and then you’re good to go. This will save you a lot of time in your prep work.
Don’t throw out those carrot tops! I’ve got a whole bunch of recipes that you can make with them.
Serving Suggestions
I think roasted carrots pair beautifully with lamb chops. While they may look intimidating, lamb chops are actually quite easy to cook. Bon Appetit has a good article on yogurt marinated lamb chops. Since you’ll already have the yogurt and spices for these roasted carrots, you’ll already have the ingredients you need!
What about the leftovers?
You can easily avoid leftovers with this recipe! It’s very easy to scale up and scale down the number of roasted carrots to avoid leftovers.
Now, if you do have leftovers, save the parts in separate containers. The roasted carrots can be reheated, and even repurposed into purees or soups. The spiced yogurt sauce is lovely with grilled meats or other roasted vegetables.
I suspect you won’t have any problems with leftover raspberries. It takes enough self-control to not eat all the raspberries before they go on the plate, so I’m sure there won’t be any leftover at the end.
Roasted Carrots with Spiced Yogurt and Raspberries
These roasted carrots with spiced yogurt and raspberries are simple enough to make on a weeknight, but the unusual flavor combination takes it to a new level.
Ingredients
- 3 lb carrots
- 1 ½ tbsp avocado oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup yogurt
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp coriander
- 2 tbsp shredded mint
- 2 tbsp shredded cilantro
- 1 pt raspberrries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut carrots in half and coat in avocado oil and salt. Spread into a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 35-30 minutes or until carrots are tender.
- In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, lemon zest and juice, cumin, and coriander to make the spiced yogurt sauce.
- Plate by layering roasted carrots on top of the yogurt sauce. Top with shredded mint and cilantro. Sprinkle raspberries on top.
