Can we talk about how beautiful those rainbow carrots are?! You are looking good today, carrots. Looking good. So utterly dazzling, in fact, that I can hardly take my eyes off of those carrots to write about the rest of this recipe. Here we go.
This stunning roasted carrot recipe features warm whole grains, protein-rich chickpeas, spiced pepitas and a light herbed crème fraîche sauce. Don’t be intimidated by its gourmet looks—it’s remarkably simple to make, once you get down to it.
This recipe would be a lovely vegetarian option/side dish on the holiday table or a well-balanced weeknight dinner.
Crème Fraîche Notes
Whew. I want to point out that crème fraîche sauce. Crème fraîche is new to me, so I imagine it’s probably new to a lot of you as well. Basically, it’s a French version of sour cream. It’s a thick, cultured cream that offers lovely, rich flavor and a light tang.
You can use crème fraîche in recipes that call for sour cream or heavy cream, whether savory or sweet. It’s a great addition to soups because, unlike sour cream, it won’t curdle at high temperatures.
Crème fraîche is becoming more widely available at grocery stores now, thanks to Vermont Creamery. You may have noticed that bright pink container in the gourmet cheese area of your stores, so you now you know what it is! I have found it at Whole Foods and at several grocery stores near me. Vermont Creamery works with dairy farmers in the Vermont area to produce superior dairy products without added growth hormones, so I feel good recommending their products to you.
Watch How to Make Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crème Fraîche
On a carrot kick? Don’t miss these recipes:
- Perfect Roasted Carrots
- French Carrot Salad
- Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado
- Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Dill
Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crème Fraîche
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
This roasted carrot recipe looks gourmet, but it’s surprisingly easy to make! It would be a lovely side dish on your holiday table or a great weeknight dinner on its own. Recipe yields 4 to 8 servings, depending on portions.
Ingredients
Farro and chickpeas
- 1 cup dried farro, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
Roasted carrots
- 1 pound slender heirloom carrots, scrubbed clean and patted dry (I didn’t peel mine)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
Spiced pepitas
- 3 tablespoons pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- Pinch of cumin
- Pinch of chili powder
- Pinch of salt
Herbed crème fraîche
- ⅓ cup Vermont Creamery crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 1 more tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- To cook the farro: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro with at least three cups water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches). Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy (pearled farro will take around 15 minutes; unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes). Drain off the excess water and return the farro to the pot. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil, the lemon juice, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well, then add the chickpeas and stir to combine. Set aside, covered, until you’re ready to assemble.
- To roast the carrots: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and add the carrots. Drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper. Use your fingers to make sure the carrots are lightly and evenly coated in oil and spices. Roast for 20 to 35 minutes, until the carrots are easily pierced by a fork near the top of their stems. Roasting time will depend entirely on the size of your carrots. I removed some of the more slender carrots at 20 minutes and checked them at 5 minute intervals thereafter, removing the carrots as they were done.
- To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium heat, warm ½ teaspoon olive oil until shimmering. Add the pepitas and generous pinches of cumin, chili powder and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises. Remove from heat to cool.
- To make the herbed crème fraîche, combine the crème fraîche, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, water, and a few dashes of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- To assemble the dish, pour the farro and chickpea mixture onto a large serving platter. Arrange the carrots in a single layer over the mixture. Drizzle herbed crème fraîche generously over the carrots, then sprinkle them with pepitas and one tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately or let the dish cool to room temperature (it’s good either way!).
Notes
Make it gluten free: Substitute brown rice and/or wild rice for the farro, adjusting the cooking method/time accordingly.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Lemony tahini sauce with parsley would be great here, too. Mix together ⅓ cup tahini, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, then thin it out with water as necessary. Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice.
▸ Nutrition Information
This post was created in partnership with Vermont Creamery and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Nicole
I’ve been eyeing this one for months – it seemed a little too special to make just for myself, but I think it will be wonderful as my main contribution to Christmas dinner! Any advice for making ahead? I’m thinking make/store the component parts separately and assemble day of for sure, but how to re-warm everything?
Kate
Hi Nicole! You could make the components separately. You could rewarm in the microwave or oven.
LAURA J GREENBAUM
One of the most delicious recipes I’ve found on line. I’ve made it several times and everyone loves it. Even my meat eating friends don’t miss the “meat” and it’s become a favorite for everyone I’ve made it for. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Angela
This turned out great! I made it for a Christmas Eve celebration and we enjoyed it even though it was cold outside. I thought the toasted pepitas really made it amazing. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Angela!
Bree
This recipe is awesome! I just tried it to try to be more adventurous… I’m usually not a big fan of carrots. Despite my aversion, I feel like I’ll be making this recipe a lot because it has wonderful flavor.
★★★★★
Cheryl
So delicious, thank you! I had to sub white beans for the chickpeas and subbed a mustard aioli for the creme fraiche and it was still a hit. I also added red pepper, paprika, curry to the carrots and cilantro to finish. Well done!
Erica
Any recommendations on what to serve with this dish to complete a full meal?
Kate
Hi! You can add another side salad to it. I find it’s pretty filling.
David
This was so easy and the taste was awesome. My new fav.
★★★★★
Anna
I’m working my way through your cookbook and this meal was incredible! My family has already asked me to make it for dinner again next week! Highly recommend!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you are loving my cookbook! Thank you for your review, Anna.
Jessi Summers
This was delicious! For some reason, the produce box service gave me four very thick carrots as a pound, so I cut them to a more uniform size to make the roasting easier. I also ran out of lemons but had an abundance of oranges, so I used orange juice. I am a huge fan and would definitely make again!
★★★★★
Angela Rocchi
Outstanding. I made the recipe from the cookbook with herbed tahini instead of creme fraiche but either is fantastic. It turned out EXACTLY the way it should, with Kate’s instructions. You are gonna love it!
★★★★★
Kate
I made this as a side dish on Easter Sunday. It’s the perfect recipe for spring, and it was a big hit with the family. I substituted pine nuts for the pepitas, and it worked. Very tasty, and it makes a great presentation, too.
Rachel
Made this recipe for my dad who usually eats meat and he’s requested it over and over again. This recipe is excellent!
★★★★★
KC
I was definitely wary of trying this recipe as I’m new to cooking more veggie focused food (grew up eating meat daily multiple times) but it was great! Very flavorful. I cooked the garlic on the stove in some oil and also threw chickpeas on the pan to get them a little toasty. I used canned chickpeas and they worked nicely. Would definitely recommend for a weeknight dinner or holiday party!
★★★★★
Jane
I adore this recipe! I’ve made it several times and will be making it again for our family Thanksgiving meal. My son’s girlfriend is vegan so I serve the creme fraiche on the side and use micro arugula on top for garnish. This dish is as beautiful as it is tasty and healthy!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Jane!
SLC
This dish was so easy to make, yet it was elegant and delicious! The blend of flavors is absolutely genius– from the spiced pepitas to the herbed creme fraiche topping! So creative! I generally don’t like cooked carrots, but in combination with the other components of the dish, they were quite tasty! It will become a staple at our Thanksgiving dinner table!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing.
Jeff
Tried this recipe for Thanksgiving for the family. Substituted quinoa for our gluten-free family members. It was a big hit!! Super easy to make, and a hardy, filling side. We will be making this again soon. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Jeff! I appreciate your review.
Ronda Byers
I have to share my excitement in making this dish! In 2018 my dream of traveling to Italy came true! My primary reason to go was to eat REAL Italian food. We visited a winery/ farm in Tuscany ,Fattoria Poggio Alloro. For Christmas this year my husband ordered pastas and grains that come from the farm. In my gift was Farro, Chickpeas, and Olive Oil all from their farm. I have cooked many of your recipes, but this one is unbelievably delicious! It warmed my heart so much to be cooking this dish using ingredients that came straight from the farm in Tuscany! I will definitely be making this dish again and again! Thank-you! ( It was so good that I forgot to take a photo! I will next time!) – Ronda Byers Nashville Indiana
★★★★★
Eve
I made this dish and my family and I loved it! Instead of the creme fraise I used the tahini sauce, it was deliciaus! To balance the meal we also had steamed asparagus. The sause worked well on both. I definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Ellen Doustan
Do you think I can substitute barley for farro?
Kate
Sure, you can try it! Let me know what you think.
Anna
A friend of mine had an intensive surgery a couple months ago, and I made this and brought it to her while she was recovering. Several weeks later, we were out to dinner with several other friends and her husband told them all it would be worth it to get just sick enough that I needed to bring them dinner because I had brought them one of the most delicious meals they’d ever tasted. So thanks for this recipe.
★★★★★
Steve
Just tried tonight as a main course – delicious. How many calorie/cup?
★★★★
Kate
Hi Steve, nutritional information is below the recipe notes.
Mary Ellen Finucane
Just made this for dinner out of Cookie and Kate’s cookbook Love Real Food . DELICIOUS! The only thing different from THIS recipe is the sauce; in the cookbook it’s an Herbed Tahini Sauce, which made it vegan. I followed the recipe exactly as written. It was easy ( I assembled all the ingredients before I started) but looked fancy. Definitely company worthy.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for your support, Mary.
Mary Ellen Finucane
Just made this for dinner out of Cookie and Kate’s cookbook Love Real Food . DELICIOUS! The only thing different from THIS recipe is the sauce; in the cookbook it’s an Herbed Tahini Sauce, which made it vegan. I followed the recipe exactly as written. It was easy ( I assembled all the ingredients before I started) but looked fancy. Definitely company worthy.
PS Just noticed that the tahini sauce recipe option is at the bottom of the recipe!!!
★★★★★
Patty
This is amazing! I made if for my family for Easter…I can’t believe how much they loved it, my healthy options are rarely such a big hit :) I made cashew cream so it was vegan & a little healthier. It’s easy to make & so good. Thank you, always love your recipes!