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Moroccan Roasted Carrots aren’t your ordinary cooked carrots. This simple side dish uses the warm, rich spices of cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon and crushed red pepper, paired with lemon and freshly chopped cilantro. A great dish to add to your weekly rotation.
I have a bucket list of places I want to travel to someday. On that list are places like Lebanon, Greece, Portugal, Alaska, Paris, Bali, Bora Bora, Morocco and more.
Yes, I know, that is a pretty ambitious list, and to be honest there are probably a long list of additional places I want to go. A girl can dream, right? Ever since I studied abroad in Spain as a freshman in college I got the travel bug and the yearning to see other cultures and experience their food from around the world.
Travel has always been a passion of mine but with two kids I find it harder to do these days. Instead of actually traveling to the places I want to go to I get to experience a taste of their culture through food. I enjoy eating ethnic food whether it is Thai, Mexican, Greek, Lebanese, Indian or Greek. Once of the best things about eating ethnic food it gives you an opportunity to learn about their culture through their food. The customs that the people in that country have, the spices and flavors they use, what meal time is like and slowly you get a sense of that culture.
Moroccan food has always been one of my favorites because I just adore the spices and flavors they use. Today’s Moroccan Roasted Carrots are inspired by some of my favorite dishes I make, Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup and this Moroccan Red Lentil Soup and these Moroccan Chicken Thighs.
Recipe Ingredients
You will love this easy recipe and the simple ingredients. It is one of my favorite recipes!
- Large carrots, peeled and chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon wedges
- Spices: cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and crushed red pepper
- Fresh cilantro, garnish
How to Make Moroccan Roasted Carrots
Preheat the oven to 450.
1. Peel and Chop Carrots: Peel and chop your carrots and 1/2 of the lemon into wedges and put them in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the carrots and lemons and toss to combine.
2. Mix Carrots with Spices: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika and crushed red pepper {optional}. Sprinkle the spices over the carrots and lemons and toss to combine.
3. Spread Carrots on Baking Sheet: On a baking sheet arrange the carrots and lemon wedges into a single layer and bake for 14 minutes, turning once {I found that using a slip mat or aluminum foil helped the carrots not to burn on the cooking sheet}.
4. Serve Carrots: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the freshly chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Serve warm.
Storage Tips
Store the leftover carrots in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat you can heat in a skillet or the microwave.
More Carrot Recipes
Vegetarian
Balsamic Roasted Carrots
Vegetarian
Za’atar Roasted Carrots
Vegetarian
Roasted Carrots and Beets with Tahini
Vegetarian
Carrot Raisin Salad
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Moroccan Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 – 12 ounces bag of large carrots, peeled, chopped {this was 2 cups of chopped carrots for me}
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, sliced into wedges
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper {optional for spice}
- 3 tablespoons freshly cilantro, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450.
- Peel and chop your carrots and 1/2 of the lemon into wedges and put them in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the carrots and lemons and toss to combine.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika and crushed red pepper {optional}. Sprinkle the spices over the carrots and lemons and toss to combine.
- On a baking sheet arrange the carrots and lemon wedges into a single layer and bake for 14 minutes, turning once {I found that using a slip mat or aluminum foil helped the carrots not to burn on the cooking sheet}.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the freshly chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Serve warm
Notes
- I add the crushed red pepper for spice, feel free to leave that out.
- Parsley would also be a nice garnish for these.
- Originally I used a whole lemon for this recipe and there was a very strong lemon flavor {and I love lemon!}. So I took it down to 1/2 of a lemon the second time I made it and it worked much better. If you don’t like lemon at all you can leave it out completely and these will still be great!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My entire family said the loved this, including young children. I added feta and a little chiffonade of mint to go as a bit of extra but really tasty as is!! Thanks!
So glad you guys liked it! I love the idea of feta–I have to try that!
@Julia, My name is Julie my three grown boys are 30/35/37 now
The way to their hearts was through their stomachs I cooked international
They live in my town on the West Coast Canada and still come looking for international dishes thanks for this side dish I served in in a little tomatoe sauce
So glad you guys liked it! Sounds like we both have three boys- mine are just younger! 🙂 I am sure they love your cooking.
Big fan of carrots but surprisingly I don’t usually put much thought into how I roast them. Usually simple salt and pepper. Now I NEED to try this. Ingredients sound fabulous!
I would say that most of the time I do that as well but then when I do roast them with flavor like today’s recipe I realize I need to do it more often!
Wow, cooked carrots never had it so good. Love all these spices. Beautiful dish!
I know, right? Thanks!
Love all these spices and such a great side dish! I’ll bet if you pureed those veggies and added a bit of cream it would also make a heavenly soup!
Thanks Kimberly. The spices add so much flavor to the carrots!
I love roasted carrots and the Moroccan spices in your recipe would make this a fantastic side dish! I have a long travel bucket list too, and though we travel a lot with the kids, we don’t get to do as much international family travel all together as we would like. I agree that enjoying the flavors from other places of the world is a great way to transport yourself there for a bit! 🙂
I wish we had more time for International travel too, but hopefully some day. For now it sounds like we are both transporting ourselves there with food! 😉
I love Moroccan flavors too, these roasted carrots sound wonderful!
Thanks Joy. The flavors are some of my favorite.
What a pretty side dish to serve with any meal. I imagine these carrots taste fantastic. Love the colors in the bowl too. Yum.
Thanks Ali. The colors are nice in this dish! I love carrots and then these are even better.