These roasted carrots and asparagus are incredibly easy to make and are the perfect Mediterranean dish to serve on your table. They are roasted until slightly crunchy and lie down on a tangy and creamy yogurt dip. Whether for a satisfying lunch or a sensational side, this dish will satisfy your taste buds and nourish your soul. Say yes to these tasty roasted veggies!
Spring is in the air, and that means asparagus season, these little vibrant green veggies are incredibly full of flavor. There are countless ways to prepare them, but my favorite way involves roasting them alongside carrots and serving them with my scrumptious Italian flaky flatbread or with any Italian focaccia.
This roasted asparagus dish was inspired by my roasted carrots and shallots and pairs well with this easy chicken infused with lemon.
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Why you'll love this roasted carrots and asparagus
- Feed a crowd- Whether you are hosting a bbq, picnic, or gathering dinner with friends and family this dish is sure to be a hit. You can even double the recipe to serve it as the main dish and feed a larger crowd.
- Meat-free- This roasted veggies dish is meat-free, making it perfect for vegetarians or for those who want to reduce their meat consumption. Eating less meat is not only beneficial for personal health but also helps in preserving the environment.
- Versatile- What I love about these roasted carrots and asparagus is that they can be enjoyed as a side dish or a light lunch and dinner.
- Gluten-free- If you follow a gluten-free diet, you'll be happy to know that this dish doesn't contain any gluten ingredients. It's a safe option for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
🥘 Ingredients
Here you will find the list of what to look for when buying the ingredients to make this roasted carrots and asparagus. The recipe uses simple ingredients and are easily available in every store.
- Asparagus- Look for fresh and rigid asparagus. Make sure that the tips are straight, rigid, and closed. To keep the asparagus fresh for a longer time store them in the fridge in a clean jar with a little amount of cold water.
- Carrots- Either orange or rainbow carrots work great here. Remember to buy fresh and rigid carrots of the same size.
- Seasoning- Use salt, garlic, and olive oil extra virgin to toss the asparagus and carrots before baking it.
- Cheese- The cheese dip is a mix of Greek yogurt, feta, and ricotta cheese. It adds creaminess and a tangy burst of flavor that works great with roasted veggies.
- Lemon- Use the juice of a fresh lemon to toss the asparagus and for the dip.
- Herbs- Dill, and mint leaves are added to the whipped cheese dip.
- Nuts- Use almond flakes or just chop some almonds with a knife. Sprinkle on top of the roasted veggies before serving the dish for extra flavor. The almond can be removed if you or your family have a nut allergy.
🔪 Instructions
With minimal prep work, you will have delicious and healthy roasted carrots and asparagus to serve to your family or guests. Let's see make it.
Note: this is just a quick introduction. Please read the recipe card for the full instructions.
Wash under cold water to remove any dirt from the veggies. Cut the carrots in two and season them with the oil, salt, and garlic. Roast them for 15 minutes in a preheated oven. Once done set them aside.
In the same baking tray add the asparagus previously seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and oil. Roast them for 10/15 minutes. Once ready set them aside.
Add the yogurt, ricotta cheese, feta, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to a blender. Blend at high speed for two minutes until a creamy texture. Add the dip into a bowl and add the chopped herbs, mix to combine with a spoon.
Spread the yogurt dip in a serving dish, then add the roasted carrots and asparagus, the roasted almond, and a few mint leaves. Serve immediately.
📖Variations
You can apply different variations to serve this roasted carrots and asparagus. Here are some ideas to adopt for different diets or tastes of your guests or family.
More veggies- Add more vegetables to your taste. Shallots, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, or fennel. The possibility is endless, see what inspires you in the market.
Seasonal dish- Swap the carrots and asparagus with any seasonal veggies. Watch the season calendar to see what is in the season at the moment or have a stroll in one of your local farmer's markets. Some Fall/Winter ideas: use Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, beetroot, fennel, broccoli, or leek. Some Spring/Summer ideas: zucchini, potatoes, peppers, green beans, corn, or eggplant. Remember that the cooking time will vary according to the veggie size.
Salad- Add washed and dried arugula or mixed leaves salad to the dish. Season the salad with salt and olive oil before adding the roasted carrots and asparagus. Also cooked quinoa or lentils will work great too.
Grain salad- To enrich these roasted veggies add some cooked farro, spelled grain, brown rice, bulgur wheat, or barley. Before adding the grain to the mix remember to season it first with salt and olive oil for a Mediterranean taste. If you have a gluten allergy don't follow this variation as most grains have gluten.
Cheese- Before serving it sprinkle on top some crumbled feta or goat cheese. Alternatively, if you are following a vegan diet use vegan feta.
Spices- Add a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika to the seasoning of the carrots for a spice taste.
Leftover- I love adding the leftover to my lamb pita gyros. The blend between roasted veggies, yogurt dip, and lamb creates a tasty and appetizing meal.
Equipment
For the roasted carrots and asparagus use the oven Enamel Baking Tray, or alternatively, use any oven tray that you have. Cover the sheet pan with parchment paper before baking. To chop the herbs, and garlic and to cut the carrots use a chopping board and knife. Use a blender and a spoon to mix the yogurt dip.
Storage
Fridge- Store the roasted carrots and asparagus and the yogurt dip in two different airtight containers, once cooled off. Use within 3 days. Before warming up the vegetables drizzle some olive oil and heat them in a hot oven for a few minutes. Once warm serve the dish as suggested in the recipe.
Freezer- I recommend just to freezer the vegetables and not the yogurt dip. Freeze them in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge 12 hours before and warm it up in the oven with a little drizzle of olive oil.
💭 Top tip
Here I share my tips for achieving better roasted carrots and asparagus.
- Fresh ingredients- Always buy fresh vegetables, they will not just look beautiful but will taste better.
- Size matters- Try not to buy too large carrots as they may take more time to cook. Alternatively, cut them into four sticks. Once in the oven check them every now and then as the baking time may vary.
- Don't crowd the pan- Leave space between the veggies to let the heat spread properly for even cooking.
- Don't overcook- Roast them just until are slightly al dente. They taste better and will give an extra crunch to the dish. When inserting the tines of a fork inside the carrots it should feel slightly rigid but not soft.
- Season the vegetables- It is important to season and combines the veggies before roasting them. This will make sure that all veggies are coated with the seasoning increasing the flavor during the baking time.
FAQ
This recipe is not vegan as it contains dairy. However, you can just bake the vegetable following the recipe and at the end add a few crumbles of vegan feta.
No, there is no need to peel the carrots. A good wash and brush under cold running water will remove any dirt. However, if the skin still has visible dirt use a peeler to remove the skin.
No, there is no benefit in blanching the asparagus. Just roast the asparagus raw, this way it will keep the al dente texture for a better taste.
The reason why I roast the veggies in two different batches is to have an even cooking. However, if you want to roast together in the same tray you may need to cut the carrots into chunky sticks as even as the asparagus.
No, there is no need to peel the asparagus, this way you will have less food waste.
The ends of the asparagus, also known as the woody part, can be used in various ways. One option is to add them to vegetable stock when cooking risotto or soup to infuse flavor. Alternatively, you can freeze them in a freezer bag and use them within three months for future recipes.
🥗 Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with roasted carrots and asparagus:
📖 Recipe
Roasted carrots and asparagus
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 Spoon
- 2 Medium oven tray to roast the veggies and to roast the almond
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Vegetable Knife
- 1 Large plate
Ingredients
Roasted veggies
- 400 gr carrots Lb.oz 0:14.0
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon Maldon salt
- 1 garlic clove
- 400 gr asparagus Lb.oz 0:14.0
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon Maldon salt
- 1 whole lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 15 gr almond flakes Lb.oz 0:0.5
Yogurt dip
- 150 gr greek yogurt full fat Lb.oz 0:5.0
- 200 gr feta Lb.oz 0:7.0
- 200 gr ricotta cheese Lb.oz 0:7.0
- 1 teaspoon Maldon salt
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 8 gr fresh mint leaves + extra leaves for garnish Lb.oz 0:0.4
- 8 gr fresh dill leaves Lb.oz 0:0.4
Instructions
Yogurt dip
- Place the yogurt, ricotta cheese, feta, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt into a blender. Blend the ingredients at high speed for approximately one minute, or until you achieve a creamy texture. Transfer the blended mixture into a medium bowl.
- Chops the herbs on a wooden chopping board and add them to the yogurt dip bowl. Mix them together with a spoon, ensuring they are well combined with the dip. Set it aside until need it.
Roasted carrots
- Preheat your oven to a 180°C fan, 200°C conventional, 356°F or gas mark 4.
- Start by washing the vegetables under cold water to remove any dirt. If needed, use a brush to clean the skin of the carrots. Chop the garlic into pieces and cut the carrots into halves lengthwise. This will allow them to cook more evenly.
- Take a tray or baking sheet and cover it with baking paper. This will prevent the vegetables from sticking to the tray and make cleanup easier. Place the halved carrots on the tray. Drizzle them with oilve oil, sprinkle some salt, and add the garlic. Mix the carrots well, ensuring they are evenly coated with the seasoning.
- Roast the carrots in the oven for around 15 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting the tines of a fork into the carrots. They should feel slightly rigid but not too soft. If needed, you can continue roasting them for a few more minutes. Once the carrots are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside.
- Prepare the asparagus by removing the hard bottom part. You can do this by holding the asparagus stalk near the bottom and bending it until it snaps naturally. Discard the snapped-off ends.
- Place the asparagus on a large plate. Add olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the asparagus. Give everything a good mix to ensure the asparagus is coated with the seasoning.
- Transfer the seasoned asparagus to the same baking tray used for the carrots. Roast the asparagus in the oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until al dente texture. Once the asparagus are ready, remove them from the oven and set them aside along with any roasted liquids from the tray. In a separate tray, roast the almonds until they turn golden.
- Before serving, place the yogurt dip in a large serving dish, and arrange the roasted vegetables on top of the yogurt dip. Drizzle the roasted veggies with the liquids left in the tray, this will add extra flavor and moisture to the dish. To garnish add the almond flakes and a few mint leaves on top. Serve immediately.
Lynne Kenton says
My family loved this recipe! It was simple to make and full of flavor!
Bianca says
Made this as a side for our 4th of July celebrations and everyone loved them!