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Roasted Carrots with Garlic, Cumin, and Turmeric
4-6
servings
Main
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
2 ½ lb
carrots, scrubbed under running water
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c
olive oil
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1 tbsp
fine lemon zest
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2 tsp
minced garlic, to taste
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3 tsp
turmeric
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2 tsp
dried thyme
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1 ½ tsp
cumin
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1 tsp
salt, or to taste
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1 ½ tsp
Maras or other pepper flakes, to taste
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½ c
chicken or vegetable broth, or water, as needed
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1 ½ c
coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
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Fresh thyme, for serving
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1
lemon, halved to drizzle over the carrots
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Adapted from Aglaia Kremezi

In Greece, Aglaia Kremezi makes this roasted carrot dish with quince, which can also be chopped up to roast alongside the carrots. However, these roasted carrots are also delicious without quince. Serve these carrots alongside toasted bread, olives, or soft-boiled or poached eggs, or over porridge.

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Cut the carrots into 2-inch sections, then cut each section lengthwise into quarters. Transfer to a bowl and add the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, turmeric, thyme, cumin, pepper flakes, and salt. Toss well to make sure all pieces are coated in oil and spices.
  4. Transfer carrots to the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss. Taste and see if they are done, adding some broth and water—more or less depending on how tender you'd like the carrots: You need them to be fork-tender, not mushy but somewhat moist. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, adding the walnuts if you use them, until the carrots start to caramelize.
  5. Sprinkle fresh thyme and drizzle the lemon juice over the carrots. Serve warm or at room temperature over toasted bread, porridge, or on their own. They can also be served with a soft-boiled or poached egg.

Diana Kuan

Diana Kuan is a food writer and photographer based in Brooklyn. She is the author of Red Hot Kitchen, on cooking with Asian hot sauces, and The Chinese Takeout Cookbook, on Chinese food and culture in America. Her work has also appeared in Food & Wine, Time Out New York, and The Boston Globe, among other publications. In addition to writing and photography, Diana has taught cooking classes for the past 10 years in both Beijing and New York. Her favorite foods are dumplings, ramen, and tacos, usually with hot sauce on the side.