Roasted Carrots with Tahini & Pistachios Recipe

11 March –

These carrots embrace Easter in both their flavor and presentation. Roasted and then topped with bright tahini and minty pistachios, this side is distinctly ‘spring.’

In the second episode of our Around the Table series, Shea shares her family’s favorite Easter traditions and recipes along with a few foolproof tips for a beautiful springtime tablescape. This roasted carrot recipe makes for a perfect side dish or appetizer to add to your menu. The carrots are roasted at high temps, finely chopped mint, pistachios, lemon zest, and olive oil are combined into a bright but nutty gremolata, and tahini and lemon juice are whisked to create a silky-smooth sauce. Watch the webisode to follow along and see the entire Easter menu.

Ingredients

2 pounds whole carrots, small to medium
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
¼ cup shelled pistachios
1 lemon
¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons water

Method

Preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Scrub the carrots clean and trim off the greens, leaving about 2-3 inches. Transfer the carrots to a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Roast the carrots until tender and the undersides are golden, about 20-25 minutes. Don’t flip the carrots—leaving them undisturbed allows them to caramelize.

While the carrots roast, make a gremolata by chopping the mint leaves and pistachios. Add the mint and pistachios to a bowl, along with the zest of the lemon and the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir to combine, then set aside.

Juice the zested lemon, then add the lemon juice to a small bowl with the tahini, water, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.

Spoon about half of the tahini sauce onto a large platter, spreading it with the back of a spoon. Layer the roasted carrots on top, then drizzle with the remaining tahini sauce. Spoon the gremolata over the top of the carrots and enjoy.