What's Up, Doc? 35 Carrot Recipes That Prove They're Not Just for Bunnies and Kindergartners (2024)

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Savory Carrot Ribbon Tart

With its tangle of bright carrot strips and bits of spicy chorizo, this beautiful tart makes anexciting appetizer or even a light main dish. An all-butter puff pastry, such as Dufour, givesespecially flavorful and flaky results, but it’s delicious made with any kind of puff pastry.

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Moroccan Chicken and Carrots

The warm spices of this one-pan dinner complement the roasted carrots.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Israeli chef Alon Shaya buys bunches of young carrots. “The skins are more tender,” he says. “I roast them skin-on for the added nutrients.”

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Carrot Manchego Salad

Its sweet note of honey and its aromatic cumin seeds give this salad a Moorish character. The sharp, nutty manchego cheese shavings add another taste of Spain.

5 of 35Photo: Aubrie Pick; Styling: Fanny Pan; Props: Kelly Allen

Italian Carrot Salad

It tastes even better made a day ahead and is ideal for a beach day.

6 of 35Courtesy ofAran Goyoaga

Roasted Carrots with Red Lentil Hummus

This is a great party dish and is easy to multiply for a crowd.

7 of 35Dylan + Jeni

Rum and Honey-Roasted Cayenne-Cumin Carrots

Who says carrots are for schoolkids?

8 of 35Photo: Iain Bagwell

Carrot and Dal Salad

This playful nod to Indiandal(legume curry) is perfect at room temperature for a picnic or office lunch, but also great alongside roasted lamb chops for dinner. It tastes even better after a night in the fridge. Yellow split peas look especially pretty here.

Carrot Soup with Dungeness Crab

Serve this lively soup, a fine showcase for Dungeness crab, to brighten up a winter day.

10 of 35Photo: Thomas J. Story

Carrot Soup with Anise

“Diners were going to fall for this soup before it ever crossed their lips,” says chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir. “Its vibrant orange color and sweet smell of fresh carrot mingling with heady notes of licorice would pave the way for their first satiny sip.”

11 of 35Photo: Iain Bagwell

Velvety Carrot Soup with Carrot Top Pesto

Get the most out of great fresh carrots by making pesto out of their tops.

12 of 35Leigh Beisch

Carrot Soup with Tomatillo Relish

A surprising combination that works just right.

13 of 35David Prince

Herbed Carrot Soup

Rather than stirring the herbs into the soup, try setting out bowls of dill and tarragon—along with some crème fraîche or sour cream for dolloping—and let guests do the garnishing themselves.

14 of 35Photo: Aya Brackett

Carrot and Parsnip Soup

Chef Aaron Woo of Natural Selection restaurant in Portland makes his soup with spices, apples, and Riesling to bring out the sweetness of the root vegetables

15 of 35Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Karen Shinto

Roasted Carrot Platter

Scoop up these spiced carrots and seasoned yogurt with freshly toasted pita chips.

16 of 35Victor Protasio

Oven-roasted Potatoes and Carrots with Thyme

Tender potatoes and carrots need very little fussing over. Simply roast them and toss withthymeand butter for an easy side dish.

17 of 35Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Jeffrey Larsen

Carrot Salad with Red Quinoa and Chickpeas

This healthy salad is picnic-perfect, because the carrots stay crunchy and the quinoa and chickpeas keep their texture.

Soybean and Carrot Salad

Easy, crunchy, fresh!

19 of 35Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Kevin Crafts

Carrot, Apple, and Corn Slaw

This light salad, based on one our reader had while vacationing in Germany, is great alongside grilled meat or fish.

20 of 35Photo: Iain Bagwell

Rainbow Carrot, Pea Shoot, and Chicken Salad

Slicing the carrots is fastest on a classic French- or Japanese-style mandoline, but you can also use a vegetable peeler.

21 of 35Annabelle Breakey

Mustard and Ginger Pickled Carrots

San Francisco Bay Area chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir gave us this tender-crisp pickle. It’s good served with raw vegetables alongside dips at a party.

22 of 35Thomas J. Story

Carrot and Beet Chips

Ever so slightly healthier than potato chips, but just as salty and tasty.

23 of 35Photo: James Baigrie; Styling: Randy Mon

Glazed Carrots with Pecans

Tender carrots and crunchy pecans get tossed in a sweet brown sugar and ginger glaze for a quick side dish that’s easy and delicious.

24 of 35Christina Schmidhofer

Glazed Carrots with Green Olives

Garlic, green olives, thyme, and parsley turn everyday carrots into an elegant side dish.

25 of 35Photo: James Baigrie; Randy Mon

Sautéed Carrots with Tarragon

Tarragon, so often overlooked, brings out a different side of carrots.

26 of 35Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Dan Becker

Caramelized Carrot Risotto

It’s made the traditional way, but this risotto hits some extraordinary flavor notes, thanks to mascarpone and, of course, sweet carrots.

27 of 35Dan Goldberg

Braised Carrots with Orange and Capers

This tangy dish makes a great side for roast meats.

28 of 35Ngoc Minh Ngo

Fresh Carrot, Feta, and Black Olive Salad

This cooling side dish is our interpretation of shlata chizo, a classic Moroccan salad.

29 of 35James Carrier

East-West Carrots

White miso and cider vinegar help this salad straddle two worlds.

30 of 35Photo: Thomas J. Story

Carrotini

Yes, it’s a carrot co*cktail, and yes, you’re going to enjoy it!

31 of 35Photo: Iain Bagwell

Carrot Ginger Tea Cake with Lime Glaze

Taking a cue from our favorite juice bar combos, this dense, not-too-sweet cake gets loads of moistness from both carrots and carrot juice, and a hint of heat from two kinds of ginger. The lime glaze adds a tangy kick.

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Inside-out Carrot Cakes

Fun and portable, this easy dessert stuffs sweet cream cheese icing between two flat cylinders of spiced carrot cake.

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Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

Put a new spin on carrot cake with these fresh and delicious treats.

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Miracle Carrot Muffins

Forget dry and dutiful; these whole-wheat muffins are incredibly moist. The trick is heating the carrots and raisins in water, which softens them nicely before they’re added to the flour mixture.

35 of 35Leo Gong

Spiced Apple Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting

Tart, grated apples give this moist carrot cake a delicious twist. Mild goat cheese adds a tang to the cream cheese frosting.