Roasted Carrot Tahini Lemon (Printer view)

Sweet roasted carrots with fresh greens and tahini-lemon drizzle create a vibrant, flavorful Mediterranean dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch sticks
02 - 5 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby kale)
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

→ Roasting

05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Tahini-Lemon Drizzle

10 - 1/4 cup tahini
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - 2 to 3 tbsp water, as needed
15 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss the carrot sticks with olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange the seasoned carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender and caramelized. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, and salt. Gradually add water until the dressing reaches a smooth and pourable consistency.
05 - Spread mixed salad greens on a serving platter or on individual plates. Top with roasted carrots and sliced red onion. Drizzle the tahini-lemon sauce over the top.
06 - Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, toasted seeds, and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tahini dressing does something almost magical—it turns a simple salad into something that feels like comfort food, but lighter.
  • Roasted carrots have this natural sweetness that caramelizes in the oven, so you're not fighting the vegetable, you're celebrating it.
  • Comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you've been thinking about it all day.
02 -
  • The tahini dressing will thicken as it sits and cools—make it slightly looser than you think it should be, so it's still pourable when you serve it.
  • Don't skip turning the carrots halfway through roasting; this one small action is the difference between caramelized and merely soft.
03 -
  • Taste the tahini dressing before adding it to the salad—adjust the lemon juice or salt then rather than trying to fix it after everything is assembled.
  • Keep your knife sharp and your cutting board dry when slicing the red onion; a wet board and dull knife will bruise the delicate layers and turn them bitter.
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