Cumin roasted carrots with lemony feta and chickpeas
Cumin roasted carrots with lemony feta and chickpeas
This recipe is a flavour amalgamation of two dishes - roasted cumin carrots (though you could use other orange vegetables like sweet potato or pumpkin squash) served on top of lemony marinated feta and chickpeas.
Personally, I find roasted carrots so satisfying, the humblest of vegetables transformed into a sweet and earthy bite. I’ve added cumin seeds two ways - the seeds add a crunch while the ground variety delivers citrusy earthy notes. Of course, you can stick to one type of cumin if that is what you have one hand.
This recipe is the epitome of pantry ingredients, transformed into something intensely flavorful. I used vegan feta for this recipe but dairy works too of course.
Serves 4
gluten free, for vegan, use vegan feta
Ingredients
- 670g carrots (6 medium), peeled and cut into 5cm/2-inch batons
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and black pepper
- 500g (about 1 pound) cooked chickpea, drained (from 2 cans)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus optional lemon juice for serving
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili (pepper) flakes
- 225g (8 ounces) vegan or dairy feta, crumbled
- Big handful of dill, mint or parsley (or a combination of all of them)
Preheat oven to 220˚C / 425˚F.
Place the carrots on baking sheet and add the cumin seeds, ground cumin, about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then arrange in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast until tender and golden around the edges, 22-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the chickpeas, zest and juice of 1 lemon, garlic, red chili (pepper) flakes, feta, herbs and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate while the carrots roast.
To serve, place the carrots on top of the chickpeas, drizzle with more olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. To finish, drizzle with olive oil and squeeze over some lemon juice, if you like.