Hot Moroccan Carrots
I finally figured out a way to turn my favorite summer side dish into a winter side dish! These Hot Moroccan Carrots are a new favorite side dish recipe for us. They are served hot, straight out of the skillet, and the carrots are flavored with olive oil, lemon, cumin and garlic with a spicy kick from harissa. You are going to love them!
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Hot Moroccan Carrots
In the summertime, I make Moroccan Carrots all the time. I’ve been known to stand at the fridge and eat them right out of the bowl. I’ve shared my classic version here and it is an all-time favorite. But I’ve never thought of making them when it’s cold outside until I came up with the idea for these Hot Moroccan Carrots.
Recipe Highlights
- These harissa carrots come together in less than 30 minutes!
- You can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for the week.
- It’s a side dish that pairs well with lots of different main courses. Serve alongside chicken, beef, or even shrimp
More Carrot Recipes
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Carrots: I used unpeeled carrots for this recipe, although you can peel them if desired. Try to buy organic for the best flavor.
- Spices: Ground cumin, ground coriander, dry harissa (see ingredient note) and ground turmeric
- Lemon Juice
- Curly Parsley: You could also use flat Italian parsley as well.
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic: Freshly chopped garlic cloves is best for this recipe, however, you could use pre-chopped or garlic paste if you’re in a pinch. Try to avoid using garlic powder in this instance.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make These Spicy Moroccan Carrots
Step 1: Cook carrots
What I decided to do was to slowly saute the carrots in oil in a skillet for about 12 to 15 minutes. I wanted them to soften gradually, and not become mushy. I also wanted a bit of caramelization on a few pieces to bring out the natural sweetness. And if I’m going to be totally honest, that just seemed like the coziest way to make them.
Step 2: Cook garlic
Since this is a hot recipe and the carrots were already in the skillet, I opted to cook the garlic instead of making a raw garlic paste. To do that I just cleared a bit of pan, and let the oil pool into the cleared spot. Then I sautéed the chopped garlic in the oil for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then I stirred it into the carrots. Tricky huh?
Step 3: Season carrots
I waited until the very end to add the spices so that they bloom in the hot oil but don’t burn. I added harissa to the spices too because I love the heat and it makes such a bold pop of flavor with the cumin and garlic. I cooked the spices until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then I finished the harissa carrots off with lemon juice and parsley. The results are so good. And the left-overs are great heated up for lunch.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
These make a wonderful left-over side dish for lunch! Make them a day in advance (or 2) and store them in the fridge until ready to reheat. You could also eat them cod if desired!
Reheat the carrots in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave until just heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir halfway through.
I’ve made these harissa carrots with rainbow carrots as well and the dish came out so beautiful. You could also experiment by adding other seasonings such as freshly grated ginger and chopped cilantro.
If you like sweetness, you could also try adding in a drizzle of maple syrup!
Dry harissa is a blend of hot peppers, paprika, and other herbs and other spices such as caraway, mint and cumin. I used Teeny Tiny Spice Co Organic harissa. But Frontier also makes it. You can also substitute harissa paste or cayenne to taste.
Additional Recipes to Try
- Sheet pan dinners are so awesome! I especially love this Sheet Pan Salmon Dinner with Moroccan Spice.
- These Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Shanks are perfect for a Sunday night roast.
- If you’re a fan of skewers you have to try these Moroccan Chicken Skewers
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintHot Moroccan Carrots
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
These hot Moroccan carrots are similar to my classic healthy Moroccan Carrots, in that they are bright and acidic and flavored with garlic, cumin and parsley.
These Hot Moroccan carrots however are served, you guessed it, hot! Plus they have an added spicy kick from harissa.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch slices (about 6 cups)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dry harissa* see ingredient note
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chopped curly parsley
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and salt, and cook stirring occasionally until the carrots are crisp-tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Push carrots to one side of the skillet, leaving an open area of the skillet. Tilt skillet until oil pools in open area of the skillet. Add garlic to the oil and allow garlic to sizzle in the oil until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir into the carrots.
- Sprinkle cumin, coriander, harissa and turmeric over the carrots, and stir to combine. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and cook, stirring constantly until the lemon is mostly evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
Cooking Note: Dry harissa is a blend of hot peppers, paprika, and other herbs and other spices such as caraway, mint and cumin. I used Teeny Tiny Spice Co Organic harissa. But Frontier also makes it. You can also substitute harissa paste or cayenne to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2/3 cup
- Calories: 83
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 407 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
These are delish. I’m not a fan of cooked carrots . These are the exception! Hubby’s asking for them on a regular basis.
These are so yummy and thanks for this lovely treat we really enjoyed at home. It was nice and I hope next time would be great.
Confession: I am *not* a cooked carrots person, but due to a glut of beautiful, varied-color carrots from our CSA, I had to find something to do with them. I reluctantly gave your recipe a try.
OMG..delicious! I went back for seconds, that THAT is the first time in my life I’ve ever wanted more than one serving (and usually not even that) of cooked carrots. The carrots turn out al dente and not overly sweet. The spices are warm and exotic. Mmmm. They’re even good as leftovers. This recipe will go into our regular rotation. Thanks!
Hi LesLee, this is the best! I love that you are now a fan. When the weather is warm, do try the cold version of this recipe. Linked above. It is so good too and the left-overs are the best!
These hot Moroccan carrots look yummy. I think we can add pomegranate and cucumber makes it delectable. I can’t wait to try this hot Moroccan carrot. Really enjoy the step by step pics….makes me confident of what it should look like! Thanks!!
Sorry I hit “send” a little too soon. Made Moroccan Chicken yesterday and these carrots and a little couscous will make the perfect side. Now I have to find a dessert. Thank you for a great recipe.
Made Moroccan Chicken yesterday and these carrots will be the perfect side with a little couscous. Many thanks.
Thanks for letting me know Gail. I hope you like them. Enjoy!
Lovely flavours, this will go nicely with my roast chicken tonight.
It is great with chicken. Hope you enjoy the meal Nicole!
OK. We’re on board with these carrots. What’s good in VT during the winter is good in WI! Your carrots look and sound delicious.
Definitely! Lots of random roots.
You’re definitely not the only one who ends up with multiple, mostly-used bags of carrots. Or potatoes, for that matter. I think they multiply in there.
This looks really good. I love carrots and cumin together, but I usually add honey – this looks like a totally different approach! Lots of carrots through the winter here in PA, too (although with global warming who knows, we might have tomatoes in December next year).
So true. And I also happen to buy more cilantro than I ever can handle. I guess I must be afraid to run out. Ha ha. Lol about the tomatoes in December. A silver lining perhaps. 😉
What a great idea to make carrots more exciting as a side dish, can’t wait to try!
Thank you Emily. Have a great day!
Anything with lots of cumin and herbs in it gets my vote. We make something very similar, but with loads of feta too.
Ohh, I love the idea of adding feta to this. And maybe some currants. I buy this really soft and mild goat feta made here in Vermont, and it would be perfect with this dish. I’m going to have to try it! Thanks for mentiong that Dannii.
Love all these gorgeous flavours. Nice to see a different take on what to do with carrots
This sounds delicious and it looks great too. I have tried something similar to this before so I know how good it must taste!
Thank you and also for coming by today.