These roasted carrots with whipped feta pair fork-tender, browned carrots with a creamy feta base and a sharp horseradish dressing. Fresh dill and parsley finish the platter, with pomegranate arils, chopped walnuts, or both on top.
Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness, which pairs so well with the salty, creamy whipped feta. Then you have the zippy dressing made with horseradish, white wine vinegar, and garlic that adds a delicious sharpness to balance everything out.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
This is such a beautiful dish to bring to the table, whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner or enjoying a meal with family and friends. It’s colorful, full of flavor, and looks just as delicious as it tastes.
Why You’ll Love These Roasted Carrots
- Creamy against browned and tender. Instead of just sprinkling feta over your veggies, we’re making a creamy whipped feta that acts as the base for the roasted carrots. The combination of the salty, smooth feta and the sweet, tender carrots with their beautifully browned edges creates the perfect contrast.
- A sharp finish, not a honey glaze. These aren’t your typical sweet-glazed roasted carrots! Instead, we’re using prepared horseradish, white wine vinegar, and garlic to create a zippy dressing that complements the carrots’ natural sweetness. It adds a tangy, savory flavor that makes this dish so delicious.
- One component can be done ahead: The whipped feta can be prepared the day before, leaving you to focus on roasting the carrots, making the dressing, and assembling your beautiful platter when it’s time to serve.
The Ingredients That Make This Version Different
Carrots
You can use regular orange, rainbow, or heirloom carrots for this recipe. I love using rainbow carrots because they look so beautiful on a platter, especially for the holidays. Look for small-to-medium carrots, wash and trim them, and halve any larger carrots lengthwise before roasting. This helps you prepare the carrots for roasting and getting those delicious browned edges.
Block feta and heavy whipping cream
The creamy base is made with feta cheese from a block in brine and Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream. The feta brings that salty, tangy flavor we all love, while the cream helps turn it into a smooth, delicious spread. Blend them in a food processor with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest for a flavorful whipped feta that pairs perfectly with the carrots.
The horseradish dressing
This dressing is what gives these roasted carrots their delicious zippy finish! It’s made separately from the whipped feta using prepared horseradish, white wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic. The sharp, tangy flavor is such a great contrast to the sweetness of the roasted carrots and the richness of the feta. You’ll toss the carrots in this dressing after roasting, before adding them to the platter.
Fresh herbs and optional finish
Fresh dill and parsley add a pop of freshness and color that brings the whole dish together. You can also finish your platter with pomegranate arils, chopped walnuts, or both! The pomegranate adds little bursts of tart sweetness, while the walnuts give you a delicious crunch.
How to Make Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta
- Make and chill the feta base: Add the feta cheese, Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream, olive oil, garlic cloves, and lemon zest to a food processor. Blend on high until everything is combined and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed so all the ingredients get incorporated. Give the whipped feta a taste before adding any extra salt, since feta is naturally salty. Once it’s smooth and creamy, pop it in the refrigerator while you roast the carrots. The whipped feta isn’t baked with the vegetables; it’s the delicious creamy base you’ll spread onto your serving platter at the end.
- Roast in a single layer at 425°F: Preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare your carrots by washing and trimming them. If you’re using large carrots, halve them lengthwise before roasting. Toss the carrots with olive oil, kosher salt, and ground pepper on a large baking sheet, then spread them out in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, give them a toss or flip, and return them to the oven for another 10–15 minutes. You want the carrots to be fork-tender and starting to brown. Those two things together are your sign that they’re ready! The roasting brings out their natural sweetness and adds so much flavor to this dish.
- Dress the carrots after roasting: While your carrots are in the oven, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, prepared horseradish, and pressed garlic in a large bowl. Once the carrots are finished roasting, add them to the dressing and gently toss until coated. Let them sit in the dressing for 5–10 minutes so they can absorb all that delicious, zippy flavor. This step is important because it gives the horseradish and vinegar dressing time to flavor the warm carrots before they’re added to the whipped feta.
- Build the platter: Now for the fun part! Spread the creamy whipped feta onto a large serving platter, creating a beautiful base for the carrots. Arrange the dressed roasted carrots over the whipped feta, then sprinkle with fresh chopped dill and parsley. If you’re using pomegranate arils, chopped walnuts, or both, add them on top to finish. You want the whipped feta underneath and the dressed carrots layered over it, so you get a little bit of that creamy feta with every bite. It’s such a beautiful combination of colors, textures, and flavors for your holiday table.
What to Serve with It
If you’re planning a roast dinner, this would make a beautiful vegetable side. You can also check out my Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe for more dinner inspiration. That recipe already features carrots and a feta-based accompaniment, so you could serve this roasted carrot platter as an alternative to those components rather than preparing both versions.
If you love roasted veggies paired with creamy feta as much as I do, you’ll also love my Roasted Vegetables with Dukkah and Whipped Feta. It’s another delicious way to enjoy roasted vegetables with a whipped feta base, but with its own unique flavors and textures.
Can You Prepare It Ahead?
One of the best things about this recipe is that you can prepare the whipped feta ahead of time, which is especially helpful when you’re hosting a dinner or preparing a holiday meal.
You can make the whipped feta up to one day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving with the carrots to let it soften.
If you’re preparing the entire recipe on the same day, simply refrigerate the whipped feta while the carrots are roasting. There’s no need to add an extra waiting period to that method.
faqs
Yes. This recipe works with orange, rainbow or heirloom carrots. Follow the preparation directions, including halving larger carrots lengthwise, and roast until they are fork-tender and starting to brown.
Yes. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and take it out about 15 minutes before serving with the carrots.
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Ingredients
For the whipped feta
- 400 grams feta cheese from a block of feta cheese in brine (about 3 cups crumbled)
- 6 tbsp Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Kosher salt to taste
For the carrots
- 2 lbs small-medium bunch mix of orange and/or rainbow or heirloom carrots, washed, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
For the zippy sauce
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
Garnishes
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- Pomegranate arils and/or chopped walnuts
Instructions
Start CookingMake the whipped feta
- Make the whipped feta by adding the feta cheese, heavy whipping cream, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves and lemon zest to a food processor and whip on high speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Taste and adjust with salt if needed.
- Put the whipped feta in the fridge while you bake the carrots.
For the carrots
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Trim the green tops off the carrots, leaving a bit of the green visible (if desired). If the carrots are quite large, make sure to slice them in half lengthwise before baking.
- Place the washed and trimmed carrots on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt and ground pepper and toss to combine. Spread the carrots into a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake the carrots for 20 minutes, toss / flip and then bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are fork-tender and starting to brown.
Make the zippy sauce
- While the carrots bake, make the zippy sauce by whisking together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, prepared horseradish and pressed garlic in a large bowl.
- When the carrots come out of the oven, gently toss them in the zippy sauce and let sit to absorb the sauce, for about 5-10 minutes.
To serve
- When ready to serve, spread the whipped feta on a large serving platter and layer the carrots on top. Garnish with the fresh chopped dill, fresh chopped parsley and pomegranate arils and/or chopped walnuts if desired.
Notes
- You can make the whipped feta a day ahead and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving with the carrots.
- If you love this recipe, try our Dukkah Recipe (with roasted vegetable and whipped feta)
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