Roasted harissa carrots are perfectly sweet and spicy, making them a standout side dish for holiday spreads and easy weeknight dinners. If you’ve got a bag of carrots and a jar of harissa paste waiting to be used, this simple roasted carrot recipe is exactly what you need.
What is Harissa?
Harissa is one of my go-to pantry staples. This North African chili paste is made from roasted red peppers, garlic, and warm spices, giving it a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. The heat is gentle and warming rather than overpowering. Either way, store-bought harissa ranges from mild to medium, so it’s easy to find one that works for you.
Harissa is an effortless way to flavor recipes like beef and chickpea stew, harissa meatballs, Moroccan shakshuka, and even roasted carrots.
Key Ingredients
Harissa roasted carrots are the perfect side dish for holiday dinners or an easy way to elevate a simple weeknight meal. They’re sweet, smoky, and just spicy enough to make people pause mid-bite and ask, “Wait…what did you put on these?” Here’s everything you need to get started.
- Carrots: You will need a little more than a pound of carrots. I love using rainbow carrots for special occasions, but baby or regular carrots work too. As they cook, the natural sweetness of carrots caramelizes, perfectly balancing the heat from the harissa paste.
- Harissa Glaze: Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, spicy harissa paste (homemade or store-bought), honey or maple syrup, kosher salt, and black pepper. The smoky, sweet harissa glaze gets roasted onto the carrots, creating the most delicious flavor.
- Toppings: Finish the roasted carrots with a sprinkle of fresh cumin seeds, lemon zest, fresh parsley, and an extra drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Additions and Substitutions
Feel free to customize the ingredients and make the recipe your own.
- Balance the flavor. Honey balances the spice, but if you don’t have honey on hand, substitute it with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Control the heat. Harissa brands vary in spice level, so if you’re sensitive to heat, start with a little at a time; you can always add more.
How to Prep the Carrots
Peel any unpeeled carrots, especially those with a thick or tough outer skin. Remove the carrot tops, then cut each carrot in half crosswise, then in half lengthwise.
Try cutting the pieces into similar thickness so they roast at the same rate. You may need to slice thicker carrots in half or quarter them so they roast evenly, and you don’t end up with a mix of undercooked and overly soft carrots.
Once cut, pat the carrots dry, then toss them with the harissa glaze so they’re ready to roast to perfection.
How to Make Harissa Carrots
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, prepare the carrots and transfer them to a bowl.
Step 2: Whisk together the olive oil, harissa paste, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking. Pour the harissa sauce over the carrots and toss to coat.
Step 3: Spread the carrots in an even layer onto the baking sheet and sprinkle cumin seeds over the top. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the carrots are tender and caramelized.
Step 4: Transfer carrots to a serving platter and drizzle honey over the top to serve.
Expert Tips
- Prep the carrots. Cut or choose carrots that are roughly the same size so they roast evenly.
- Line the baking sheet. Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and better caramelization.
- Taste and adjust. Taste the harissa glaze and adjust the heat, salt, and sweetness before mixing it with the carrots.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Leave space between the carrots so they roast and caramelize rather than steam.
If you enjoy harissa carrots, try more veggie side dishes!
What to Serve with Harissa Carrots
These harissa carrots are so good, you might just eat them straight off the pan. But just in case you have some left over, they are a delicious side dish with shawarma, grilled chicken, boneless leg of lamb, falafel gyro, and pan-fried salmon bites to complete the meal.
The carrots are perfect toppings for salad greens and grain bowls, alongside chickpeas or white beans and other roasted veggies over fluffy rice or couscous.
One of my favorite ways to serve the honey harissa carrots is as a part of a holiday table or a Mediterranean mezze-style spread with butter bean hummus, baba ganoush, and muhammara for an easy, shareable appetizer.
You can also layer them over sweetened yogurt, whipped feta, or whipped ricotta dip. You can also top them with a dollop of Greek yogurt, tahini sauce or tahini yogurt sauce, labneh, goat cheese, or crumbled feta cheese. Finish the carrot appetizer with pomegranate arils and fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, dill, and fresh mint, or try a sprinkle of toasted pistachios or almonds.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover harissa carrots in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm the carrots in the oven or a skillet to preserve the texture, or serve them cold or at room temperature as a topping for salads and grain bowls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy harissa?
You can also usually find harissa at regular grocery stores, international markets, and specialty shops like Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and Sprouts Market.
More Carrot Recipes:
Harissa Carrots
- Rimmed Baking Sheet or Baking Dish
- 1½ pounds carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon honey, plus more to garnish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, prepare the carrots and transfer them to a bowl.
- Whisk together the olive oil, harissa paste, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking. Pour the harissa sauce over the carrots and toss to coat.
- Spread the carrots in an even layer onto the baking sheet and sprinkle cumin seeds over the top. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the carrots are tender and caramelized.
- Transfer carrots to a serving platter and drizzle honey over the top to serve.
- Prep the carrots. Cut or choose carrots that are roughly the same size so they roast evenly.
- Line the baking sheet. Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and better caramelization.
- Taste and adjust. Taste the harissa glaze and adjust the heat, salt, and sweetness before mixing it with the carrots.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Leave space between the carrots so they roast and caramelize rather than steam.