Roasted Carrots, Shallots & Fennel with Mint Recipe

Oven roasted carrots are often a forgotten side dish. They are one of my favorite side dishes, whether steamed or roasted, and can be dressed up in a lot of different ways. You can easily transform this vegetable into an aromatic dish with a few different spices and additional vegetables, topped off with a crunchy sunflower seed dressing. These Roasted Carrots, Shallots and Fennel with Mint are sure to be a hit at your next holiday gathering.

First things first, choose colorful carrots! There’s no better way to create color on a plate than with orange, purple and yellow carrots. You can often find these in the organic section at your grocery store but if you cannot find them, orange carrots will do. Try to find smaller carrots for shorter cook times and if you need to, quarter or half the carrots so that they cook evenly with the shallots or fennel.

You’ll make a vinaigrette for this dressing using toasted sunflower seeds and a mixture of paprika, coriander and red pepper flakes. Not to worry about the heat because the mint topping at the end will give this side dish a cool finish. Be cautious not to burn the sunflower seeds by leaving them for too long in the hot olive oil. If you prepare the side dish ahead of time, re-toss the carrots, shallots and fennel in the dressing before serving.

Turn up the flavor of your holiday meal with these deliciously spiced roasted carrots. They go perfect with baked ham, roasted turkey and beef. Enjoy!