Roasted Carrot Dip
Why I Love This Recipe
FEATURING: Carrots, garlic, and carrot tops (optional).
A nice vegetable creamy dip that you can make with or without chickpeas.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 1/2 cups (200 g) peeled and diced carrots (2 to 3 medium chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) untoasted sesame or olive oil
Pinch fine sea salt
1 small garlic clove
3 packed tablespoons (6 g) chopped carrot tops (or cilantro or dill), or more to taste
1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas* (optional- you can leave this out and just put a bit more tahini, if needed)
1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
4 tablespoons (60 mL) water
1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 mL) untoasted sesame oil or light olive oil, to taste
3/4 to 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, to taste
For garnish:
Ground cumin, ground coriander, and/or fresh minced carrot tops (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a roasting pan with parchment paper.
Spread the diced carrots on the roasting pan. Toss them in the teaspoon of oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast for 32 to 37 minutes, until carrots are fork-tender and blackened on the bottom.
About 5 to 10 minutes before your carrots are done roasting, place the garlic and fresh carrot tops into a large food processor. Process until minced.
Drain the chickpeas over a small bowl.
Next add the drained chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water, oil, and salt. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the side of the processor as necessary.
When the carrots are ready, carefully transport them to the processor using the parchment paper as a handle to carry. Process the mixture again until smooth. I like to let the machine run for a couple minutes so it gets as smooth as possible. Taste and adjust ingredients as desired. Feel free to add more carrot tops, lemon, salt, oil or water depending on your preferences.
Serve the hummus with a sprinkle of ground cumin, coriander, and fresh minced carrot tops, plus a drizzle of sesame or olive oil, if desired. Leftover dip will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 to 7 days.
