Warm roasted carrots sit atop a bed of creamy whipped feta for a Thanksgiving side dish that will please both the vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, at your dinner table. Introducing my Spiced Roasted Carrots with Lemony Whipped Feta, a delicious and easy dish that comes together in just 30 minutes. It’s made from perfectly spiced carrots, a creamy homemade whipped feta dip that comes together in seconds, and is garnished with fresh herbs and pomegranate arils for a bright flavor profile that is sure to stand out!
Friends, it’s my favorite time of the year: Thanksgiving. As someone who creates recipes for a living, there is absolutely nothing that I love more than bringing people together over food. It’s why I’ve devoted the past several years to creating recipes and community that brings people together, and I can’t believe there is a community of over 1 million Kalejunkie readers now!
There’s something so special about being able to make food from scratch and share it with the ones that you love, which is why I love creating simple and healthy Thanksgiving recipes that you can share with your family. This side dish is not only perfect for serving alongside your favorite turkey, but it also comes together in 30 minutes (and can be prepped ahead of time). Which means that you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family. What could be better than that?
And for the ultimate Thanksgiving meal (KJ style, of course), I recommend pairing these carrots alongside my Cinnamon Bourbon Cranberry Sauce, my Vegan Stuffing, or my Creamy Green Bean Casserole. Yum!
What You Need to Make This Bright & Flavorful Vegetarian Side Dish
- Carrots: Carrots are the star of this dish! I recommend using baby carrots, however you CAN also use regular carrots! I just recommend chopping them in half to make them easier to cook and eat. See my notes in the recipe card for full instructions on this!
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of healthy fats and adds a delicious flavor to these carrots!
- Honey: Honey adds the perfect amount of sweetness to these carrots, without the refined sugars, and without making them too sweet.
- Spice Blend: To perfectly season these carrots, we’ll be using a blend of sea salt, ground black pepper, Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon. Yum!
- Feta Cheese: I always recommend using traditional greek feta that is packaged in brine, in a block, rather than pre-crumbled feta cheese, as it has the best flavor.l
- Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is not only thick and creamy, but it’s packed with protein, making the whipped feta both healthy and delicious.
- Lemon: You’ll need the juice of approximately one lemon (3 tablespoons) to add the perfect balance of acidity to the whipped feta!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add the best flavor to the whipped feta! I highly recommend them, here.
- Garnishes: These are optional, but I love adding these garnishes on top of the carrots and whipped feta to bring even more flavor to them! I recommend garnishing these carrots with some chopped parsley, olive oil, more Aleppo pepper, or pomegranate arils.
How to Make This Perfect Thanksgiving Day Side Dish
To make these carrots, start by preheating your oven to 400 F. Next, wash the carrots (and cut them, if desired), being sure to remove the stems. Add them to a large bowl, alongside the olive oil, honey, and all of the seasonings: the Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to toss the carrots and fully coat them in the seasoning blend. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the carrots to the baking sheet, making sure they are spread out evenly. Roast the carrots for 20-25 minutes, until they are fork tender. At the halfway point, remove the tray from the oven and toss the carrots to ensure that they cook evenly.
While the carrots are in the oven, prepare the whipped feta by adding the feta cheese, greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic to a food processor and processing them until the feta reaches a smooth and creamy texture. If you prefer a thinner consistency to the feta, you can add in a few tablespoons of water and re-process until the feta reaches your desired consistency.
Once the whipped feta is done, spread it across a plate. Then, once the carrots are done, remove them from the oven and add them on top of the whipped feta. Garnish the carrots with some chopped fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, more Aleppo pepper, or pomegranate arils, if desired. Then, serve and enjoy!
How to Prepare This Dish Ahead of Time
Let’s be honest: Thanksgiving Day is a busy day in the kitchen, which means that any recipe you can prepare ahead of time will make your life much easier. Luckily, this is one of those recipes that is super easy to prepare ahead of the big day!
To prepare these carrots ahead of time, prepare the carrots and whipped feta according to the instructions above. Then, store them separately in airtight containers, in the fridge, until you’re ready to serve them. Then, to reheat the carrots, line them up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them in the oven at 250 F for 10-15 minutes. Then, follow the plating instructions above, serve, and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
For the Carrots:
- 1 Pound Carrots, I recommend using baby carrots. If you want to use whole carrots, use 6-8. You don't need to peel them, but you can cut them in half, if desired.
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- ½ Teaspoon Aleppo Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- Sea Salt, to taste
- Ground Black Pepper, to taste
For the Whipped Feta:
- 8 Ounces Feta Cheese, crumbled
- 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 Lemon, juiced – this is about 3 tablespoons
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic
For Garnishing:
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley, chopped – optional
- ½ Teaspoon Aleppo Pepper , optional
- 1 Drizzle Olive Oil, optional
- 1 Tablespoon Pomegranate Arils, optional
Instructions
- To make these carrots, start by preheating your oven to 400 F.
- Next, wash the carrots (and cut them, if desired), being sure to remove the stems. Add them to a large bowl, alongside the olive oil, honey, and all of the seasonings: the Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to toss the carrots and fully coat them in the seasoning blend.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the carrots to the baking sheet, making sure they are spread out evenly.
- Roast the carrots for 20-25 minutes, until they are fork tender. At the halfway point, remove the tray from the oven and toss the carrots to ensure that they cook evenly.
- While the carrots are in the oven, prepare the whipped feta by adding the feta cheese, greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic to a food processor and processing them until the feta reaches a smooth and creamy texture. If you prefer a thinner consistency to the feta, you can add in a few tablespoons of water and re-process until the feta reaches your desired consistency.
- Once the whipped feta is done, spread it across a plate. Then, once the carrots are done, remove them from the oven and add them on top of the whipped feta.
- Garnish the carrots with some chopped fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, more Aleppo pepper, or pomegranate arils, if desired. Then, serve and enjoy!
How to Prepare These Carrots Ahead of Time
- To prepare these carrots ahead of time, prepare the carrots and whipped feta according to the instructions above. Then, store them separately in airtight containers, in the fridge, until you're ready to serve them.
- To reheat the carrots, line them up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them in the oven at 250 F for 10-15 minutes. Then, follow the plating instructions above, serve, and enjoy!
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Just possibly the tastiest carrots I’ve ever had- I’m likely to eat more carrots now that I have this recipe. Only critique was that the whipped feta was too liquidy for us, so we saved most as a salad dressing for future so that the carrots weren’t swimming in soup. Taste was 100% on point for both, and will try again with less lemon juice and greek yogurt.
These were so good! Super easy to make and the feta made the dish feel extra fancy without adding a ton of steps. This is now a regular side for us!
I am so happy you enjoyed it, Lauren! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for your kind review!
I’m not normally a feta fan, but I LOVE carrots. This was so easy to make and super flavorful. We made this as a side with another KJ recipe for dinner (Chicken Milanese), but it would be so fancy for a holiday party too.
Omgg the best roasted carrot recipe..such a winning combo. ..can’t believe how many times I’ve made it from thanksgiving to Christmas!! Rave reviews always 🤗 and so pretty on a holiday table!
Yay! Thank you so much, Sherine!
I made this last Thanksgiving and again this year. I made this to jazz up my sides because I felt like I had been making the same things for years. This has become a new family favorite with no leftovers either year. The whipped feta is so delicious and I liked the ability to prep this in advance.
I first tried this at my mothers in law house and I immediately asked her for the recipe. It’s so delicious and most importantly easy to make. I make the carrots in the air fryer to save time and they taste just as good. I’ve done this recipe multiple times and it has saved me because most of the ingredients you already have at home. Definitely a crowd pleaser.
Absolutely delicious, the honey spice mix brings out the very best of the carrots, the whipped feta is sublime and the pomegranate arils complemented it all perfectly. I want to eat this for every meal forever more.