Description
This Spicy Maple Roast Carrots with Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce recipe is a vibrant, flavorful dish that perfectly balances sweet, spicy, and creamy elements. Roasted carrots glazed with a maple and sriracha sauce become tender and caramelized, while chickpeas roast to a crunchy perfection seasoned with paprika and garlic. The tangy yogurt sauce with garlic and lemon juice adds a refreshing contrast, finished with fresh coriander and toasted pistachios for texture and a nutty finish. Ideal as a nutritious side or a light vegetarian main.
Ingredients
Scale
Carrots and Sauce
- 16 Dutch carrots, scrubbed clean and tops trimmed (keep 2cm/1″ of tops for looks)
- 600g (1.2 lb) regular carrots (5 medium), peeled, cut into quarters
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (or 2 1/2 tbsp honey)
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Crispy Chickpeas
- 400g (14 oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tbsp sriracha
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 tsp garlic, finely grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
- 3 tbsp toasted pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (425°F) or 180°C (fan). Arrange your oven racks to ensure even cooking of carrots and chickpeas.
- Prepare Chickpeas and Carrots: Drain the canned chickpeas thoroughly and spread them on a baking tray. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the spicy maple sauce made by combining maple syrup, sriracha, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Start Roasting: Place the tray with chickpeas and the bowl or separate tray of coated carrots into the oven. Roast chickpeas and carrots simultaneously, monitoring the chickpeas closely after the first 10 minutes.
- Season and Roast Chickpeas Crisply: After 10 minutes, remove chickpeas from the oven, season with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, maple syrup, and sriracha. Return to the oven and continue roasting until they are crisp and golden, approximately 15-20 additional minutes.
- Roast Carrots Fully: Continue roasting the carrots for a total of 30 minutes, or until they become tender and caramelized with slightly charred edges, enhancing their natural sweetness and spicy maple glaze.
- Prepare Yogurt Sauce: While roasting, mix together plain yogurt, finely grated garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and salt until well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Assemble the Dish: On serving plates, spread a generous layer of the yogurt sauce. Arrange the roasted carrots on top, drizzle with additional yogurt sauce as desired, and scatter the crispy chickpeas over. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander and toasted pistachios for an aromatic and crunchy finish.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute yogurt with dairy-free alternatives like coconut or almond yogurt.
- Adjust the sriracha amount to modify the heat based on your spice preference.
- To save time, you can roast chickpeas and carrots on separate trays if you want to better control crispness and caramelization independently.
- Keep the carrot tops trimmed to 2 cm for aesthetic presentation but they are not for eating.
- Use fresh coriander for the best flavor and substitute with parsley if unavailable.
- To toast pistachios, dry roast in a pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until aromatic, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
