Everyone knows that carrots are packed with nutrients, but how do they actually benefit us?
For one, they’re loaded with antioxidants that fight off bacteria and other viruses. For another, they can potentially lower our risk of developing cancer.
On top of these, they have a ton of beta-carotene content which helps keep our vision in great shape — which is a total win in my book!
As a writer, I’m in front of my laptop the whole day, every day. And because of this, I’ve had my fair share of challenges when it comes to eye care.
Luckily carrots are here to the rescue!
But, let’s be real here, eating raw carrots isn’t the most exciting snack. At least, it’s not for me. That’s why my solution is to grill them.
And here are seven of my favorite grilled carrots recipes.
1. Grilled Carrots With Harissa Butter
I’ll be honest, when it comes to grilling veggies, carrots have never been my first pick. I’ve always thought they were boring, but I was so wrong!
Turns out, grilling them brings out their natural sweetness. And the grill’s smoke adds a touch of char and earthiness, making these veggies anything but boring.
And with the addition of harissa butter, you’re left with nothing but a fresh and bright side dish with a hint of spice and tang.
So, to make this recipe, toss one and a half pounds of peeled tiny carrots along with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Grill your seasoned carrots for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even charring.
While waiting for them to finish on the grill, here’s how you make the harissa butter.
Combine two tablespoons of melted butter, a tablespoon of harissa, two tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and half a teaspoon of ground coriander.
You can also add some salt and pepper for extra flavor. If you don’t want to, though, that’s OK too! There’s enough flavor to go around — with or without the salt, trust me.
Now, pull out your carrots from the grill and put them in the butter before topping them off with some flaky salt and mint leaves.
And if you want to add more zest, you can serve this side dish with some lemon wedges.
2. Maple-Glazed Grilled Carrots With Bacon
As I always say, bacon goes with everything — including carrots.
With this recipe, the natural sweetness that comes from grilled carrots only becomes more pronounced with the sweetness of the maple syrup. But it’s also balanced out by the saltiness of the bacon.
Because of this, this maple-glazed grilled carrots with bacon recipe is the perfect snack to whip out, especially if you’re craving something sweet and savory at the same time.
To get started, grab a pound of your peeled carrots, a quarter cup of maple syrup, two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, two slices of bacon (chopped), three tablespoons of toasted pecans, sea salt, and pepper.
Once you have the ingredients you need, cut your carrots vertically in half. Then, season them with salt and pepper before grilling as usual.
As you wait for your carrots, whisk your maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt in a bowl.
When it’s time to take your carrots off the grill, toss them directly into your maple syrup mixture to coat. Set them aside for a while as you fry your bacon slices until crispy.
Now, take your carrots from the sauce and transfer them to a serving dish. Toss in your bacon slices and toasted pecans. You can also drizzle any of your leftover maple mixture on top before taking a bite.
In this recipe, I opted to keep the bacon and carrots separate, but an alternative method you can try is to wrap your bacon slices around the carrots before grilling.
After they’re finished cooking, that’s when you drizzle your maple mixture and pecan bits.
Honestly, there’s no wrong way of doing this recipe. It’s all a matter of personal preference. If you want, you can switch it up from time to time just to add some variation.
3. Curried Grilled Carrots
Looking for another recipe that combines sweet and savory to perfection? Give these curried grilled carrots a try.
They’re equally sweet and spicy, and — to me — they taste a lot like vegetable candy if vegetable candies were a real thing.
For this recipe, you’ll need two pounds of carrots (peeled and sliced diagonally), three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon of curry powder and honey, and a pinch of salt.
Start by seasoning your sliced carrots with olive oil, curry powder, and salt on a baking sheet until everything is evenly coated. Then, put them on the grill to cook for about 25 to 30 minutes.
During that time, get your rubber spatula ready to move the carrots around every few minutes. This will help prevent any sticking and burning from happening.
After the 25 to 30-minute mark, take your grilled carrots off the heat and transfer them to another baking sheet or a large bowl.
Drizzle some honey directly on top and dig in!
I like my carrots extra sweet, so I drizzle a lot more than a tablespoon of honey to get the taste that I want.
4. Pesto Grilled Carrots
Pesto already has a lot of flavor, so you don’t need to do much to your carrots to make them taste incredible.
I’ll prove it to you! All you need for this recipe are five basic ingredients: carrots (of course), salt and pepper (to taste), olive oil, and a jar of pesto from the store.
Now that your ingredients are ready, let’s begin!
First, slice your carrots thinly or into rounds. I usually use two to three carrots to start. But if I know I have guests coming over, I add a couple more.
Then, mix them in a bowl with two tablespoons of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper.
When your veggies are nice and coated, put them on the grill to cook. I usually leave mine for 15 minutes, but if you want them extra crispy, you can leave them on the grill for up to 20 minutes.
Keep a close watch and turn your carrots around every five minutes.
Transfer your grilled carrots to a larger bowl and add a few dollops of your pesto sauce. Stir it around until every piece of carrot is coated.
As I mentioned, store-bought is fine for this dish. But, if you have a family pesto recipe you want to make from scratch, you’re more than welcome to do that.
Every time I make this recipe, it always feels like I’m munching on my favorite snack — chips — but in a healthier version, of course!
5. Moroccan-Spiced Grilled Carrots
If you think pesto and carrots have a lot of flavor already, wait until you give these Moroccan-spiced grilled carrots a try. They’re savory, sweet, and have the distinctive flavors of Morocco.
To get started, get two pounds of carrots (cut into rounds), a quarter cup of olive oil, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and two tablespoons of white sugar.
To make the Moroccan-spice blend — which is the highlight of this recipe — you’ll need a teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
With your ingredients ready, it’s time to preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
As you wait for your grill to warm up, toss your sliced carrots in a bowl with your olive oil, lemon juice, sugar, and spices.
Once every carrot is coated and flavored, lay them flat on a baking sheet before putting them on the grill to cook.
Just like the previous recipe, the cooking time can vary depending on how soft or crispy you want your carrots to be. But on average, this should take no more than 30 minutes.
Then, the only thing left is to wait for your seasoned carrots to cool down a bit before giving them a try.
Side Note: When making this recipe, it’s best to use room-temperature carrots. If you use frozen carrots, the Moroccan-spice flavors may not adhere to the vegetables as well.
6. Spicy Grilled Carrots
Since we’re talking about spice, let’s keep the ball rolling and dive into these spicy grilled carrots, which you can get done in as fast as three steps!
First off, get your ingredients.
These are a bunch of carrots (sliced or whole, it’s your choice), two tablespoons of sriracha sauce, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, and two tablespoons of honey (or Agave, if you’re vegan).
Next, mix your sriracha, honey, and smoked paprika in a small bowl before brushing the mixture over your carrots.
Finally, when your carrots are nicely coated, place them on the grill racks to cook for about 20 minutes or so. Be sure to keep rotating your veggies every five minutes to avoid burning them.
It’s as easy as that! Plus, if you have any leftover sauce, you can drizzle it on top of your grilled carrots before serving. This step is optional but it will make your dish a whole lot spicier!
7. Soy-Ginger Grilled Carrots
Soy and ginger are staples in Asian cuisine. When combined, these two ingredients are a flavor powerhouse that can really make any dish (especially vegetables) taste incredible.
If you don’t believe me, I suppose you’re just gonna have to see for yourself and make this recipe at home.
If you decide to make this at home, firstly, you need to get all your ingredients. These are six large carrots (halved), and three tablespoons of soy sauce and rice vinegar.
Then, you’ll also need two minced garlic cloves, two teaspoons of sesame oil and minced ginger root, and a quarter teaspoon of Chinese five-star powder.
For the flavors to come together, you need to parboil your carrots for about five minutes. Then, drain and rinse your carrots under cold water.
Parboiling will help soften your carrots, which will make it easier to grill them later on.
In the meantime, grab a bowl or glass dish and mix your soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and five-spice powder. Add your carrots in and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Once they’re nice and seasoned, take your carrots out of the marinade and place them directly on the grill rack.
Since they have been partially cooked, you only need to grill your carrots for another 10 minutes. This should be enough time for them to get slightly charred.
Feel free to drizzle any leftover marinade on top to enhance the flavor of your grilled carrots just before serving.
Grilled Carrots: Not Your Average Side Dish
Before trying these recipes, I admit that carrots were not at the top of my grilled vegetables list.
But now, I’ve changed my mind. Who knew that carrots could be so flavorful and exciting? With just the right sauces and marinades, we could make carrots taste a whole lot better.
And while these recipes are great side dishes for BBQ events, they also work as snacks — or in some cases — full-blown meals.
So, to answer the question: are carrots just your average side dish? I think not, and this list is proof of that.
