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Harissa Roasted Carrots

We coat these rustic orange beauties in a homemade harissa paste made from a fiery mix of chile peppers, garlic, spices, tomatoes, and sherry vinegar. It’s easy to make and eye-poppingly delicious. Roast the carrots until they’re tender and deeply caramelized, then drizzle with a cool, creamy yogurt-dill sauce to temper the heat and top with radish slices for a nice, crisp snap. We’re just gonna say it: these might be the best carrots we’ve ever eaten.

Harissa Roasted Carrots

Servings: 4

Ingredients

    For the harissa paste:
  • 12 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 5 dried arbol chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
    • For the harissa roasted carrots:
  • 10 to 12 bunch carrots
  • ¼ cup harissa paste
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Parsley leaves, for garnish
  • Radish, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • Fresh dill fronds, for garnish
    • For the creamy dill sauce:
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp dill, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp water
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic, microplaned
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

  1. To make the harissa paste: In a medium bowl, cover the chiles in hot water. Cover with plastic wrap until fully hydrated, about 45 minutes. Drain the water, discard the stems and seeds, and set the chiles aside.
  2. In a small skillet, toast the cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
  3. Pour the spice mix into a mortar and pestle and break the seeds down a bit.
  4. In a food processor, combine the hydrated chiles, ground spice blend, paprika, salt, garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and sherry vinegar. Process until the mixture is a smooth paste. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, covered.
  5. To make the harissa-roasted carrots: Preheat the oven to 450º.
  6. Wash and trim the carrots, leaving 1 inch of the stem at the top of each carrot. Place the carrots on a baking sheet.
  7. Spoon the harissa paste over the carrots, and then toss to distribute evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Roast the carrots for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fork-tender.
  9. To make the creamy dill sauce: In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir until smooth and evenly mixed. The dill sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, covered.
  10. To serve, spoon the creamy dill sauce over the carrots, and garnish with the parsley, radishes, and fresh dill fronds.