A change from the usual cheese-loaded appetizer, this roasted carrot dip is a great one served with feta cheese and olives. It's creamy, quick to put together and can be as spicy as you like.
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A different dip
And did I mention you can have yours as spicy as you want to?
I'm sure you'll love this recipe because it's lighter than other dips, more in the line of the eggplant hummus.
And, though we love regular ones as much as anyone (caramelized French onion dip, for example), it's good to have variety.
For light carrot recipes, you can also try the Moroccan carrot salad.
Adjusting to your taste
Start by adding the amount of honey, garlic, and spiciness in the recipe (or even less) and then increase or decrease whatever you want. I like to add more than one garlic clove when they are roasted and use only half a clove if I use them raw.
Another addition that works well is a few tablespoons of cooked chickpeas. But the flavor will not be so carroty.
Black olives vs. green olives
- The difference between green and black olives is the time or moment when they are harvested. Green olives are under ripen (as the name suggests), while black olives are gathered when they are ripe.
- There are other differences, like the type of curing process they are subjected to, that is, how they are processed and canned for distribution.
- Depending on what country or part of the world you are in, there can be a larger amount of different types of both green and black olives.
For this recipe, I love black olives. But maybe green ones work for you just as well. I suggest you try whichever type you have in your fridge first.
Types of feta cheese
- Feta cheese is grainy, easy to crumble, comes as a block, and is usually salty.
- It can be made with goat, sheep, or cow milk and can vary depending on the country of origin. I love goat cheese in general and feta in particular, so that is the one I use for this recipe. Besides, it's easily available where I live.
- Feel free to use a similar cheese. I like it to be pungent, but we all have our different tastes and predilections. You can also omit it altogether.
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Roasted Carrot Dip
Ingredients
Roasted carrots:
- 1 pound carrots
- 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste, for roasting carrots
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste, for roasting carrots
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste, for roasting carrots
For the dip:
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon spicy sauce, I use homemade harissa, but Sriracha, Tabasco and chopped chipotles in adobo also work
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, feel free to add more if you want a more fluid dip, and adjust the rest of the flavors
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup black olives, to serve
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled, to serve (I use goat cheese)
- Crackers, to serve, like whole wheat crackers or olive oil crackers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
To roast the carrots:
- Wash, dry and slice 1 pound carrots.
- Scatter them on a baking tray together with 1 garlic clove. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste and roast for about 40-45 minutes, until very soft.
To make the dip:
- Process carrots, garlic clove (squeeze the soft meat out of the skin), 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon spicy sauce, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste, and about ¼ cup olive oil until almost smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream and process until as smooth as you want. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Check seasonings and adjust to your taste.
- Put in a bowl, top with crumbled 2 tablespoons feta cheese ¼ cup black olives and serve with crackers.
David says
I make a similar spread with somewhat different spicing - and I simmer the carrots! I will try your method soon! (Yes, tired of the usual cheese and crackers!)
Paula Montenegro says
I love roasting because of the caramelization. So much flavor!