Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Chimichurri
I really believe every Thanksgiving table needs something acidic. In between the bites of mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, things start to feel… heavy. Full. Maybe a little gross.
The thing that saves me? Those bright, tangy bites that break through all the fat and carbs. That can be a salad with a punchy vinaigrette — or these roasted carrots with carrot top chimichurri. Honestly, you should probably have both.
I love this recipe because it uses the whole carrot bunch — tops and all — in a chimichurri that’s bright and a little punchy.
i used (for ~4-6 people):
- 1 bunch of carrots with greens (~1 lb of carrots)
- extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper
- ¼ cup labneh (or 2:1 greek yogurt to crème fraîche if you don’t have labneh)
for the carrot top chimichurri:
- 1 clove from a medium shallot, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ cup carrot tops, thick stems removed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2–3 tbsp red wine vinegar (some are more acidic than others)
- ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
to make:
- halve the carrots lengthwise, then cut into 3-inch pieces. if some are extra thick, quarter them so they roast evenly. toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until everything’s lightly coated. spread on a baking sheet and roast for at 400F for ~30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges are golden and the centers are tender.
- while the carrots roast, make the chimichurri. mince the shallot and garlic, sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt, and let them sit a few minutes to mellow out. chop the parsley and carrot greens finely, then mix everything together in a bowl — olive oil, red wine vinegar, the shallot-garlic mix, and salt. let it sit for about 10 minutes so the flavors settle in. taste and adjust salt and vinegar.
- to plate, spread a thin layer of labneh on the bottom of a plate. lay the roasted carrots on top — flat instead of stacked so they touch the labneh underneath. spoon over the carrot top chimichurri.