Roasted carrot dip is delicious. It's perfect for spreading on crackers as an afternoon snack, a sandwich, or an appetizer dip to have at your next party.
This white bean spread with roasted carrots is so tasty you'll find yourself eating it with a spoon as if it were a bowl of ice cream.
Why I love this recipe:
- Sweet and Slightly Spicy- roasting the carrots on high, they become caramelized, bringing out all of the natural sweetness of the carrots. By coding the carrots and harissa before cooking, this dip has a mild spice that perfectly complements the flavor of the caramelized carrots. The spice level in the final dip is pretty mellow. I would say it's more of a warm spice than a hot spicy.
- Easy to Make - this dip is incredibly easy to make. All you have to do is roast the vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes and throw all of the ingredients into a food processor.
- Make Ahead- this is an excellent recipe for bringing an appetizer to a party. You can serve it warm, at room temperature, or cool. t holds up exceptionally well in the refrigerator. My husband always asks me to make extra for a healthy snack throughout the week.
Ingredients:
- Carrots - you need about 2 pounds of carrots, peeled and cut into sticks. I like them cut as long strips so that there are flat surfaces for the carrots to caramelize in the oven.
- White Beans- I usually use a can of Catalina beans. But you could also use navy beans or great northern beans. Be sure to drain and rinse the white beans beforehand.
- Harissa- is a hot chili paste commonly found in north African cooking. Recipes vary among different countries and regions. I usually buy the Mina Harissa when I can find it. They sell both a mild and hot version. If you don't enjoy spicy food, using the mild version will give your dip some extra flavor, but it won't be spicy. You will find it in the international section of the grocery store.
- Roasted Garlic and Red Onion- on the same cookie sheet as the carrots, place sliced red onion and a whole head of garlic. Once caramelized, they contribute to the sweet and savory flavors. You could use a sweet or yellow onion if you don't have red onion. I like to roast the head of the garlic hole to reduce the chance the garlic could burn and become bitter. After it's cooked, I squeeze the roasted garlic out of the papery outside and add it to the food processor.
Instructions:
Start by preheating the oven to 425.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.
Peel the carrots into half-inch sticks and place them in a bowl. Add a quarter cup of harissa to the carrots and mix until the carrots are fully coded with the harissa. Don't be afraid of getting your hands dirty to make this happen.
Arrange the carrots on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Give the carrots a little room so that they have a chance to caramelize.
Slice the red onion into half-inch discs and place them on the parchment paper. Slice the top of the head of garlic and put it on the cookie sheet. Drizzle the top of the head of garlic with a bit of olive oil
Roast the carrots, onion, and garlic for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges of the carrots are caramelized.
After draining and rinsing your canned white beans, add them to the food processor with the roasted vegetables, salt, fresh ground pepper, lemon juice, and chopped mint leaves.
Blend everything for 2-3 minutes on high. You might need to stop the food processor halfway through and use a spatula to scrape down the sides before continuing. You want the dip to be smooth and have a consistent texture.
Try to taste the dip to determine whether you want to add more heat with more harissa.
Serve the roasted carrot dip in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a dollop of harissa, and a sprinkling of chopped mint for garnish. Grab a loaf of bread or some crackers and dive in!
Storing tips:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to six months.
If you enjoy this roasted carrot dip, you might also like some of my other favorite party, worthy dips and spreads like Roasted Pepper Relish, Easy Tzatziki Sauce and Pea, and Preserved Lemon Spread on Toast.
If you've tried this Roasted Carrots Dip recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Recipe
Roasted Carrots Dip
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of carrot peel cut
- 1 head of garlic with the top sliced off
- 1 red onion cut into ½ dice
- 3 olive oil
- 2 cans of white beans cannellini, navy of great northern
- 3-4 tablespoons of harissa plus so for garnish
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup lightly packed mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 425.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.
- Peel the carrots into half-inch sticks and place them in a bowl. Add a quarter cup of harissa to the carrots and mix until the carrots are fully coded with the harissa. Don't be afraid of getting your hands dirty to make this happen.
- Arrange the carrots on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Give the carrots a little room so that they have a chance to caramelize.
- Slice the red onion into half-inch discs and place them on the parchment paper. Slice the top of the head of garlic and put it on the cookie sheet. Drizzle the top of the head of garlic with a bit of olive oil
- Roast the carrots, onion, and garlic for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges of the carrots are caramelized.
- After draining and rinsing your canned white beans, add them to the food processor with the roasted vegetables, salt, fresh ground pepper, lemon juice, and chopped mint leaves.
- Blend everything for 2-3 minutes on high. You might need to stop the food processor halfway through and use a spatula to scrape down the sides before continuing. You want the dip to be smooth and have a consistent texture.
- Try to taste the dip to determine whether you want to add more heat with more harissa.
- Serve the roasted carrot dip in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a dollop of harissa, and a sprinkling of chopped mint for garnish.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!