This simple recipe combines carrots with the unique flavors of cumin, honey and ricotta for a slightly sweet, amazing tasting side dish!
Want to up your side dish game? These simple roasted carrots combine the interesting flavors of honey, cumin and ricotta to give you an easy fall side dish that can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. The contrast of the smokey cumin, creamy ricotta and sweet honey in this dish will just blow you away!
I used to spend a lot of time in San Francisco for work, and I grew up in the Bay Area, so when I’m out there I always like to explore new restaurants. On a trip a year or so ago, I met up with a friend for dinner and she took me to a place called Pizzeria Delfina in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. It’s a farm-to-table restaurant that creates Neapolitan-inspired pizza and other seasonal dishes. The pizza is amazing but I was blown away by these honey roasted carrots served atop creamy ricotta cheese that we had as a starter. As I often do, I went home and created my version that I’ve been dying to share in a blog post!
Tips for Roasting Carrots?
- Be sure carrots are clean and dry. Excess moisture can result in somewhat mushy vegetables.
- If you are using larger carrots I recommend peeling them as the skin can be a little better. If you use the smaller baby carrots, not the kind in the bag but those with the tops on, you don’t need to peel them first. Just be sure to scrub them well.
- Arrange the carrots in a single layer on your baking sheet. You want to give them room to roast and want to be sure the heat can circulate.
- Make sure the carrots are evenly coated with oil. Enough to keep them from sticking to the pan and give them flavor but not so much that you are drowning the carrots.
Additional notes from the kitchen
- You’ll notice the carrots look a little shriveled in the photos! That’s because I choose not to peel them. Baby carrots with the stems on, not the kind that come in a bag, tend to be a little smaller and sweeter. The outer layer isn’t tough so you don’t need to peel them and since they are already fairly thin, no need to remove part of the carrot with peeling. If you want a prettier finished product you can definitely go ahead and peel them.
- If you want a little extra pop of flavor try using some wildflower honey. You can find it at some high-end grocery stores and possibly at your local farmer’s market as well. You can also just use the regular honey you have in your pantry. I like to use some wildflower honey to add a little extra pop of flavor but you can use whatever honey you happen to have in your cupboard or pantry.
- Looking for other tasty vegetable side dishes? Check out this Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower or these Parmesan Truffle Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes.
things you may want for this recipe
Jelly Roll Pan – This rimmed pan is ideal for just about any roasting or baking task. The edges allow you to roast things that have oil, juice or sauce without making a mess in your oven and you can still easily use them for baking cookies.
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This simple recipe combines carrots with the unique flavors of cumin, honey and ricotta for a slightly sweet, amazing tasting side dish!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch baby carrots, with the tops on
- 3 tbsp honey, divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Scrub the carrots to remove any dirt or stringy bits. I don’t peel them because they are small and you don’t really need to. Cut off any stringy ends at the bottom of the carrots.
- Mix the oil, 1 tbsp honey, cumin and salt. Arrange the carrots on the jelly roll pan and brush with the cumin mixture. Roast for 25 minutes or until carrots are tender.
- Remove from oven. Add ricotta to a serving dish and top with carrots. Drizzle with remaining honey and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Keywords: unique side dishes
Roasting carrots makes them so much sweeter that I would never have thought of adding honey, but this idea is amazing, and I love that you’ve paired this sweet vegetable with the salty taste of the Ricotta. Great recipe!
These look like the best carrots EVER! I love the combination of flavors. Gorgeous photos too!
These carrots with cumin, honey and ricotta look delish! Your pictures make me want them right now! A side dish I’m sure to try.
★★★★★
I love roasted carrots (and other veggies). With winters finally here, I always make a side of roasted vegetables during dinner and tonight it is going to be cumin roasted carrots!
I have never tried cumin in the roast mix… and given I use cumin in so many of my dishes, I am surprised why I never thought of it!
Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
This looks tasty and I really like your photos here.
Thanks Ben!
What a beautiful recipe! I love roasted veggies. I haven’t roasted carrots for a while. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I love roasted carrots, this reminds me I need to make more of this. I have never tried cumin before or served with ricotta. Going to try this, thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Those sound amazing! Carrots are so good, and so often just taken for granted… I love finding new recipes for them!
If these even taste 1/2 as good as they look we’ve got a winner! Great photos! Great flavors! I am trying these tonight!
★★★★★
I love how beautiful whole roasted carrots are. I’ve never tried them with ricotta, but your recipe sounds amazing!
I love the salty sweet combo of ricotta and honey, the spice of cumin would add a yummy third dimension! Thank you for sharing their inspiration. For a year and a half I lived 6 blocks away from Pizza Delfina, but the wait was always long so I never tried it. This makes me want to go back and wait in the line!
★★★★★