These roasted beets and carrots are simple but deliver on flavor, starring caramelized root vegetables, creamy yogurt sauce, and a shower of fresh mint and pistachios! Everyone loves the flavor and beautiful plating—the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even a weeknight dinner.
We’re fascinated by how humble ingredients can become something magical with just the right kitchen moves. Case in point: these roasted beets and carrots. As cookbook authors constantly in search of new flavor ideas, Alex and I created this recipe based on inspiration from a memorable meal we had in Paris. And boy, did the results deliver!
First, you’ll caramelize the carrots and beets in a hot oven—then serve them over a swoosh of garlicky yogurt sauce, sprinkled with fresh mint and pistachios (and maybe, a drizzle of honey). It makes the kind of dish where people lean over and ask, “What did you do?!” and perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or even for weeknight dinners. We know one thing: this is the way we’ll be eating these two veggies on repeat.
“This recipe was super easy and quick to come together. This is an excellent side to any protein because it’s so simple! The pistachios and mint added a little something extra. I used colored carrots and golden beets and it all just looked so pretty! It would be lovely on a Thanksgiving or Christmas table.” -Tanvee
Tips for making roasted beets and carrots
Of course, you don’t have to take the “fancy” serving suggestions: these roasted beets and carrots are just as good on their own! The serving suggestions make it like a restaurant-style dish. (For kids, you might want to deconstruct a little bit based on their tastes!) Here are a few things to keep in mind for this recipe:
- Use thin carrots if possible. We were able to find long thin carrots for this recipe, which is a nice size contrast to the beets. If you can’t find them, simply slice your carrots into thinner pieces.
- Consider rainbow carrots or golden beets. The more colors the merrier, so feel free to mix it up color-wise. Farmers markets often have even more varieties of these root vegetables, like candy stripe beets (Chioggia beets).
- Plate just before serving. The color of the beets can bleed easily, so plate this dish immediately before serving. If you like, add a drizzle of honey to bring out the sweet flavors!
This recipe works well as a side dish for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It also could be a weeknight meal if you serve it with a protein and grain, like seared chicken or chickpeas and cooked farro.
A yogurt sauce that makes vegetables sing
An inspiration we took from that meal in Paris was serving roasted vegetables over a garlicky yogurt sauce, dressed up with herbs and nuts. To be fair, it’s a Mediterranean-style trick, not Parisian—which the restaurant was quick to pay tribute to.
The yogurt sauce is tangy and savory, and dragging a forkful of the earthy vegetables through it makes them taste absolutely divine.
Storing leftovers & make ahead tips
This recipe is a great side dish for everyday meals and holidays, and works well made in advance! To do so, roast the vegetables until tender. Leave them at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate until serving. When ready to serve, reheat in a 350°F until warmed through.
Dietary notes
This roasted beets and carrots recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, use tahini sauce or cashew cream in place of the yogurt sauce. (You can also substitute non-dairy yogurt for the yogurt, but we find that the quality and flavor of different brands varies greatly.)
Roasted Beets and Carrots
These roasted beets and carrots are simple but deliver on flavor, starring caramelized root vegetables, creamy yogurt sauce, and a shower of fresh mint and pistachios! Everyone loves the flavor and beautiful plating—the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even a weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
For the roasted beets and carrots
- 1 pound carrots (we like using small thin carrots)
- 1 pound beets (about 1 ½ large)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 handful pistachios, finely chopped
- Mint and parsley leaves, finely chopped
- Optional: Honey, for drizzling
Yogurt sauce:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped mint (optional)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Clean and peel the carrots and chop into 1-inch chunks (or if using long thin carrots, slice them in half). Peel the beets, then slice them into about ¼ inch thick pieces.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the carrots on one side and the beets on the other. Toss each side with ½ tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until tender and browned (no need to stir).
- Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce and refrigerate. (Stores up to 1 week refrigerated). Finely chop the pistachios and mint and parsley leaves.
- To serve, spread the yogurt sauce on a platter. Top with the roasted vegetables, then sprinkle with the pistachios, mint and parsley. If desired, add a drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.
Notes
Make ahead instructions: Roast the vegetables until tender. Leave at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate until serving, then reheat in a 350°F until warmed through.
More ways to enjoy beets and carrots
Our favorite beet recipes are adding them to fresh salads like this beet salad with balsamic dressing, whizzing them into beet hummus, or throwing them raw into a beet smoothie.
When it comes to carrot recipes, these sauteed carrots with herbs are at the top, followed by carrot cake cookies, carrot fries with ranch seasoning, this carrot salad, and carrot ginger soup.
