This Harissa Roasted Carrots with Labneh and Pistachio Dukkah is the perfect recipe to use up fresh young carrots at the peak of their season. It's really easy to make and a great side to various Middle Eastern dishes.
Who is this recipe for?
This recipe is for you if you love food that is a little spicy with LOTS of flavor. These carrots are a great side dish to so many Middle Eastern dishes but they're also great served as an appetizer with toasted sourdough bread to scoop up all the labneh and harissa sauce.
That's honestly my favorite way to serve these, with fresh bread from the farmers market so you can really enjoy all the flavors.
I've also tried these carrots as a side with roasted salmon and quinoa and it was really delicious!
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a spice that comes both in a dry powder form and a paste. I personally prefer the paste.
It originates in Tunisia and it's made with Baklouti pepper and spices such as cumin, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and garlic. The paste also contains olive oil.
Can you substitute Harissa with Sriracha? Yes, the heat will be about the same but with Sriracha you'll miss out on all the great spices Harissa contains.
See the FAQ later in the post for more information about harissa.
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What is Dukkah?
Dukkah is a crunchy mix of nuts, sesame seeds, cumin, and coriander seeds. It originated in Egypt and it's used in various Middle Eastern dishes. There are a lot of variations, the one I use is made with roasted pistachios.
You can either make Dukkah yourself (recipe coming soon) or you can buy it in a specialized store or online.
You can check out this Dukkha recipe from the Food52 website. The recipe calls for coconut flakes which I didn't use in my recipe.
What's a good substitute for Dukkah?
Dukkah adds a nice crunch to the dish. To keep it simple you could use plain chopped nuts instead to add crunch.
- You could use Everything Bagel Seasoning if that's all you have on hand.
- Roasted pistachios and flaky sea salt would also work well here! Hazelnuts would also be great!
I don't recommend using Za'atar in place of Dukkah. It different flavors and it's missing the crunch Dukkah has. Your best bet are roasted pistachios.
FAQ:
Anything you'd put hot sauce in! It has great aromatic spices in it that regular hot sauces don't have and it's usually thicker, like curry paste. You can use it on veggies, fish, chicken, in spreads, sauces, dressings, etc.
It's madfe of chilies, garlic, some sort of acid (vinegar or lemon juice or both), and spices like coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds.
You should be able to find it in your regular grocery store or a specialized Middle Eastern store. Harissa usually comes in jars, tubes, or cans just like tomato paste.
Yes. You can substitute Harissa with Sriracha. The consistency is different, Sriracha is much looser and doesn't have all the spices harissa has but if you need a substitute, it will do the trick.
Dukkah has many uses. You can simply put it on bread with olive oil or use it to season any veggies like eggplant, bell peppers, or zucchini, or meats like fish, chicken, or lamb.
Dukkah has its own specific taste but if you don't have it or don't like the spices it uses, you can use Za'atar spice or Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Yes! Labneh is strained greek yogurt. If you use greek yogurt it will taste the exact same, the consistency will just be looser.
📖 Recipe
Harissa Carrots with Labneh and Dukkah
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These carrots are roasted until they're soft and caramelized and served with creamy labneh and crunchy flavorful pistachio dukkah.
Ingredients
Harissa Sauce:
- 1 tbsp harissa paste (I use mild)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- ¼| teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ tsp sea salt
Carrots:
- 8 young carrots (not the dry large thick carrots you buy in the winter, see notes)
- ½ cup water + more as needed
For serving:
- ½ cup Labneh
- 2-3 tablespoon Pistachio Dukkah
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F(200°F).
Harissa Sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix together the harissa paste, maple syrup, avocado oil, lemon juice, ground coriander, ground cumin, and sea salt. Set aside.
Carrots:
- Remove the green carrot tops, keep 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) attached to the carrots if desired for presentation.
- Peel your carrots (optional).
- Add the carrots to a deep baking dish that comfortably fits them.
- Drizzle the harissa sauce over the carrots and toss them using two spoons to cover evenly with the sauce.
- Pour ½ cup of water around the carrots. Don’t pour it right on them.
- Roast for 40-50 minutes or until soft. Toss to flip the carrots 1-2 times throughout roasting. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
Serving:
- Spread the Labneh on a serving dish, lay the roasted carrots on top, drizzle with some of the sauce left in the baking dish, and sprinkle with dukkah.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
This dish will be as spicy as the harissa you use. If you want to make it even spicier, add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Imperator carrots are the best for this. I use baby carrots or young carrots. Not to be confused with the little “baby carrots” you buy at a grocery store. Those are just big carrots cut into small shapes. Look for young carrots with green tops you would normally buy at the farmer’s market in the summer. They’re sweeter than the dry large carrots you buy at the grocery store.
If you’re not serving the carrots right away, keep them separate from the labneh, and dukkah. They will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
The nutritional information is just an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information is not guaranteed. (counted without the labneh and dukkah)
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Allyssa says
Thanks a lot for sharing this harissa roasted carrots recipe! Very easy to make and really tasted good! I highly recommend this one! Will surely make this one again!
Anaiah says
Wow! I'm so glad I gave this recipe a try. These harissa roasted carrots were so flavorful and the labneh and dukkah were a perfect addition.
Heather says
Ooo this sounds like a perfect healthy and super flavorful side dish. I always wondered what to make with young carrots, and can't wait to try this recipe!
Linda says
I've never tried cooking carrots this way and that sauce looks fingerlick' good!
Heidy says
This recipe Harissa Roasted Carrots with Labneh and Pistachio Dukkah, was outstanding! I loved the flavor combinations. I made it to take to a potluck, and everyone wanted to know where I got the recipe I used! I gave out your blog link. Have a wonderful day!
Jacqueline Debono says
I love harissa. I actually first tried it in Tunisia with eggs! Now I always have a jar of harissa paste in the pantry! However, this is a new way to use it for me. Definitely on my to make list!
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says
Harissa and Dukka I love both, these roasted carrots with labneh are so delicious! We loved it..thanks for sharing the recipe.
Stacey says
Wow! Love this idea to add flavor to carrots! Thanks for sharing this post!
Kim @ Three Olives Branch says
So delicious! I love that this is different from the typical carrot recipes out there. Very easy and tastes great
Moop Brown says
These carrots look so vibrant and tasty and will pair well with such a wide variety of dishes.
Natalie says
Harrisa with carrots? Oh, wow, what an idea! I never tried that but sounds delicious. I'm making this today for lunch. Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Stephanie Honikel says
Oh my yummy goodness, this looks so delicious. I admire you for being so creative when it comes to all these dishes you are making. I really need and want to step up my game over here. Thank you for sharing!
Tiffany says
So I’ve never even heard of these ingredients!!! This sounds amazing! I’m so impressed by the diversity in your recipes!
Bashaw says
My husband would LOVE this recipe because he is a fan of spicy good and love pistachios so I'm going to have to attempt to make this for him!