Roasted carrots, charred dates, chopped pistachios, and a tangy lemon dressing make this side dish very unique. This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
If you’ve never sauteed Medjool dates before, I couldn't recommend it more. They get lightly charred which helps balance out their natural sweetness and yields a somewhat chewier texture.
The tart lemon dressing adds balance to the sweetness in both the roasted carrots and dates and ties in nicely with the tartness from the sumac. The chopped pistachios are a subtle hint of nuttiness with a needed crunchy textural contrast to the other soft ingredients.
Ingredients
- Carrots - I love the contrast of the bright orange carrots against the deep berry color of the sumac.
- Sumac - a Middle Eastern spice made of ground sumac berries. These burgundy-colored berries taste sweet and tart and have a tangy flavor.
- Medjool dates - add natural sweetness to the dish.
- Pistachios - you can either shell your own or buy them pre-shelled, roasted, and seasoned with sea salt for a quicker option.
- Tangy lemon dressing - lemon zest, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
How To Make Roasted Carrots and Dates With Pistachios
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Cut the carrots on a bias (angle), then transfer them to a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and sumac then spread into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes until fork-tender.
Step 2. While the carrots roast, prep the dates. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a little olive oil and the chopped dates. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until some charring has occurred.
Step 3. Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 4. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make these roasted carrots and dates with pistachios using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No sumac? - try lemon pepper, ground coriander, or za'atar seasoning.
- No dates? - use prunes or reconstituted dried figs.
- No pistachios? - use other nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
- Make it nut-free - toasted pumpkin seeds would be great!
- Variations - Serve tossed with a couple of handfuls of spring leafy greens or massaged kale (or arugula) to add more bulk.
More Carrot Side Dishes
Roasted Carrots and Dates With Pistachios
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large carrots
- olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 pitted dates, cut into small pieces
- ⅓ cup pistachios roughly chopped
- mixed spring greens (optional) I used about 3 cups
Tangy Lemon Dressing
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- couple cracks black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Cut the carrots on a bias (angle) into about ¼-1/2-inch slices, then transfer them to a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and sumac then spread into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes until fork-tender.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a little olive oil and the chopped dates. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until some charring has occurred and remove them from the heat.
- Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss to combine.
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