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These roasted carrots are served with farro and topped with a simple lemon yogurt sauce and crispy roasted chickpeas. They’re the perfect side dish to any meal!
Confession: I sort of cheated with this recipe. These roasted carrots are quite similar to this recipe I created last year, only better because uhhhh FARRO and roasted chickpeas are involved! The works.
To clarify, I had to buy roasted carrots for a photography project, and afterward I wasn’t sure what to do with them. I knew Miguel and I were going to eat them, but I wanted to do something a tad more creative. So, I placed the carrots atop a bed of farro and then added a yogurt sauce along with roasted chickpeas. As a result, I was only able to eat one carrot because Miguel ate the rest, and he’s not particularly obsessed with carrots. Apparently roasted carrots can be that good.
Oh my gosh I can’t believe I almost forgot to ask—how was your Valentine’s Day? Did you do anything special? I’m pretty indifferent about the holiday, honestly. I was never bitter towards couples back when I was single, and since Miguel and I have been together we’ve never made a big stink about it. We went out to dinner last year and most years he gets me flowers which I love, but that’s about it. I like it that way! Why? Because if I have to choose, I’d prefer to be a diva about my birthday and our anniversary. Just saying!
I posted my hot chocolate recipe on Instagram yesterday and I did end up making some for the two of us. Of course as I handed Miguel a cup he smelled it and said “what is it?!!!”. “Blood orange hot chocolate” and he’s all like orange……hot chocolate???? Ugh, men.
Ok, back to carrots. First, you’ll cook the farro while the carrots and chickpeas are roasting. The carrots will roast more quickly than the chickpeas, so be aware that if you want everything to be hot, you may have to put the carrots back in the oven for a couple minutes so they’re nice and steamy.
Tip: if you have two ovens (I do not, but if you do), you’ll want to roast the carrots at 375° for 10-15 minutes, and the chickpeas at 400° for 30 minutes, or until they’re nice and crispy. If you don’t have to ovens, have no fear; you’ll simply preheat the oven to 375° and begin roasting the chickpeas first, and then after 15 minutes or so you can add the carrots on the second rack. I’d recommend placing the chickpeas on the bottom shelf and carrots on the top.
Last, you’ll whip up the yogurt sauce, aka yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and tarragon! It’s so good and so simple—I hope you love it as much as we did!
Roasted Carrots with Lemon Yogurt Sauce and Farro
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro uncooked
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 can chickpeas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp paprika or more
- 1/4 tsp lemon pepper or more
- 2 bundles carrots tops trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp tarragon
- Salt and pepper
- For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp tarragon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cook farro over stovetop according to package instructions.
- While farro is cooking, drain and rinse chickpeas and then pat them dry with a towel or paper towels, trying to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Pour them in a bowl and add 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika and lemon pepper; stir to combine
- Place chickpeas on a baking sheet, add a bit more paprika and lemon pepper plus salt and pepper and then place on the lower shelf in your oven. Roast until chickpeas are crispy, around 30-35 minutes.
- Next, place carrots on a separate baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, tarragon, salt and pepper and place them in the oven. Roast carrots until soft, approximately 25-35 minutes.
- While farro, chickpeas, and carrots are cooking, make the sauce by combining yogurt, lemon zest and juice and tarragon in a bowl; set aside.
- Once farro is cooked, add spinach to the saucepan and stir until spinach is soft. You may need to add 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Place farro on a plate and top it with the roasted carrots, yogurt sauce and chickpeas.
- Enjoy!
Mary says
Just delicious and very beautiful - I could eat this everyday!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
Side dish? I'd be more than happy to gobble this up as my main meal! It looks phenomenal. I love the background choice too. So pretty!
We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day either. Brandon has taken me out to dinner the last couple of years because I cook so much since I've started the blog, I'll use any excuse for a night off! 😉
Erin says
Hey, that sounds like a pretty good deal to me! Thanks Sarah 🙂
Izzy | pinch of delight says
This looks so yummy! x
Izzy |https://pinchofdelight.wordpress.com
Kevin | economicalchef.com says
These looks awesome! I eat carrots every day. Seriously. I am excited to switch it up and give this a try!
Brooke says
This looks incredible. I am totally putting this on the meal plan next week. Thank you for the inspiration!
Erin says
Absolutely--let me know if you try it!
annie says
I'm on a roasted carrot kick right now. They're cheap and easy (insert 'your mom' joke here) and are pretty much French fries as far as I'm concerned. I'll try this out next time I roast up a batch.
Lol, my husband and I didn't really do anything for Valentine's day. I tweeted him a picture of a bike that said "I wheelie like you" on it. He texted me a picture of Bobby Hill covered in chocolate. We're romantic.
Erin says
HAHA that's amazing. I'm doing that next Valentine's Day.
Sarah | Well and Full says
I have a lot of recipes that are variations on former recipes too... sometimes you don't need to mess too much with a good thing, right? 😉
Erin says
EXACTLY!
Julia Mueller says
I definitely put recipes on repeat every once in a while, too...some recipes you just love so dearly you have to showcase multiple times in different forms 😉 I can definitely see how this would be a staple in any household! I love me some roasted carrots and am 200% down with that yogurt sauce!
Erin says
It's impossible NOT to repeat recipes sometimes! Thanks Julia 🙂
carlos at Spoonabilities says
I really like this combo combination. The carrots beautiful roasted and the white and creamy lemon yogurt sauce.. Uhmmm!
Erin says
Thanks Carlos!
Kelly @ Kelly Runs For Food says
I felt so bad yesterday. I basically didn't do anything special for Riley and he did all kinds of things for me - cleaned the house, got me flowers, made me dinner, etc. My birthday is also on Friday so I get pampered twice in the same week!
Erin says
Daaaang--Riley wins best husband award for Valentine's Day!
Daniel says
What an awesome combination ... it sounds so delicious!
Karlie says
These look amazing! Simple + creative recipes are the best. I'm definitely going to try this one. Happy Valentine's Day 🙂
Erin says
Thanks Karlie--let me know if you do!