Name: Za'atar Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: Approximately 8 large carrots; 1⁄2 cup yogurt (full fat is best, but low or nonfat also works); 1 tbsp tahini; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1⁄2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp za’atar

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Easy roasted carrots with za’atar and yogurt that look like they took work, making for a delicious, last-minute, child-friendly side . . .

I must have had za’atar roasted carrots with yogurt sauce at a restaurant years ago, because one day, seemingly out of nowhere, I found myself in the kitchen craving roasted carrots with Greek yogurt. This recipe (although tweaked a bit now) is what I made – and it is now one of my favorite go-to vegetable recipes.

The recipe plays on the sweet caramelization of roasted carrots against the rich and creamy tartness of the yogurt sauce. The yogurt sauce is made a little richer with tahini and brighter with some tart lemon juice. If you’re trying to keep calories low, you can use nonfat Greek yogurt. The only sugar here is the natural sugar in the carrots.

Za’atar Roasted Carrots

You can use pretty much any type of carrot. Baby carrots. Rainbow carrots. Huge fat carrots. Months-old carrots.

I often buy a big bag of carrots from the store and keep it in the refrigerator because the carrots last such a long time. And the za’atar roasted carrots with yogurt sauce makes a great fallback vegetable dish if I need a vegetable and don’t have much left in the refrigerator. It is a fallback dish, but it really does not feel like a fallback dish, which is one of the many reasons I love these roasted carrots.

Kids

If I’m feeding this to our kids, they can sometimes be particular about the yogurt sauce or about the za’atar. For this reason, I typically keep some roasted carrots reserved on the side for them. I call these reserve carrots the “baby carrots” (as opposed to the “big kid carrots” that the adults are eating).

That said, this one of my favorite vegetable recipes for kids (here are some others, if you’re in need!). It involves an activity (dipping in yogurt and sprinkling za’atar) which the kids are into. (Here’s why food activities can be helpful for kids.) The carrots also get quite sweet as they cook and caramelize a bit, which of course the kids like.

Za’atar Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce

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Easy roasted carrots that look like they took work and a delicious, last-minute side . . .

This is a simple dish made with refrigerator staples – carrots, plain Greek yogurt, tahini. It has protein, lots of fiber, and it is fun for the kids to eat.

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Approximately 8 large carrots

1/2 cup yogurt (full fat is best, but low or nonfat also works)

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp za’atar

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

If you have convection bake, use it.

2. Prepare the carrots to bake.

Peel the carrots (or don’t if the skin’s not horrible-looking) and then slice them lengthwise into carrot sticks. Aim for a thickness of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch for each carrot. The thinner you go, the faster they will cook and the more crispy pieces you will have. The carrot sticks do not need to be perfectly uniform (it’s better that they are not, so that you get a variety of crispy, soft, and chewy textures). Toss them in 1 tbsp of olive oil (or spray them with olive oil and sprinkle them with a bit of salt). Make sure they are spread in a single layer before you pop them in to bake. Too many carrots and they won’t crisp up properly.

3. Bake the carrots at 425F for about 40 minutes.

Check on them regularly after the first 20 minutes. Once they are tender when poked with fork and starting to char a bit, take them out of the oven. Err on the side of overly tender, and definitely let them get a bit of char.

4. Make the yogurt sauce.

While the carrots are baking, mix:

1⁄2 cup yogurt (full fat is best, but low or nonfat also works)
1 tbsp tahini
1⁄2 tbsp lemon juice

Once combined, dump it onto the plate where you will serve the carrots and spread it in an even layer across the surface of the plate. I usually aim for it to be a layer about 1/4 inch thick. If you’re feeling particularly lazy (as I was in the below picture), you can mix the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice directly on the surface of the plate. Or, better yet, have your toddler do it! (Just remember to tell them to hold onto the plate. Yikes.)

5. Dump the carrots on top of the yogurt spread.

Once the carrots are out of the oven, give them a couple of minutes to cool down. This helps them crisp up.

Also, consider setting some carrots to the side for suspicious kiddos who like to dip & sprinkle themselves.

6. Sprinkle with za’atar.

I recommend about 1 tbsp!

7. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Method: Bake