Description
Elegant roasted carrots with caramelized edges served over cloud-like whipped ricotta and drizzled with sweet-spicy hot honey. This restaurant-quality side dish or appetizer combines sophisticated flavors with simple preparation for impressive entertaining.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium carrots (rainbow or orange), peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin or coriander (optional)
Fresh thyme sprigs
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil (for ricotta)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt (for ricotta)
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup honey
1–2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt (for hot honey)
Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or mint) for garnish
Toasted pistachios or almonds
Extra olive oil for drizzling
Flaky sea salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Wash, peel, and trim carrots. Cut into uniform pieces (halve lengthwise if large, leave whole if medium). Pat completely dry.
3. Place carrots on baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and cumin or coriander if using. Toss until evenly coated.
4. Arrange carrots in a single layer without touching. Tuck fresh thyme sprigs between carrots.
5. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until tender when pierced with a fork and edges are golden brown with caramelized spots.
6. While carrots roast, make whipped ricotta: In a food processor, combine ricotta, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and lemon zest. Blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth, light, and fluffy.
7. Make hot honey: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine honey and red pepper flakes. Warm gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add pinch of salt, and let steep 5-10 minutes. Strain if desired.
8. Spread whipped ricotta on a large serving platter in a smooth, textured layer using an offset spatula.
9. Arrange hot, caramelized roasted carrots on top of the ricotta in an attractive pattern.
10. Drizzle hot honey generously over carrots and ricotta.
11. Garnish with fresh herbs, toasted nuts, a drizzle of olive oil, and flaky sea salt.
12. Serve immediately while carrots are warm and ricotta is cool for best temperature contrast.
Notes
Cut carrots into uniform sizes for even cooking. Inconsistent pieces result in some burnt, others raw.
Don’t skip the high oven temperature (425°F)—it’s essential for caramelization.
Pat carrots completely dry before roasting to prevent steaming instead of caramelizing.
Make whipped ricotta and hot honey up to 2 days ahead. Store separately and assemble just before serving.
For smoothest ricotta, use a food processor. Hand mixer works but takes longer.
Adjust hot honey spice level by adding more or fewer red pepper flakes.
Store components separately. Carrots keep 4 days, ricotta 3-4 days, hot honey for weeks at room temperature.
Try Middle Eastern version with cumin, labneh, and tahini drizzle instead of hot honey.
For savory variation, use goat cheese and pesto instead of ricotta and honey.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, Modern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 4-5 carrot pieces with ricotta
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 485mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 19mg
Keywords: roasted carrots, whipped ricotta, hot honey, elegant side dish, restaurant carrots