Roasted Carrots And Dates With Pistachio Pesto

Why you’ll love this recipe

Gourmet flavors for the holiday table. If you’re like me, you want your holiday dishes to really impress your guests. And in this dish, every bite is an elegant and beautiful balance of sweet, salty, savory, and tangy. Your guests will definitely be asking for this recipe! And these roasted carrots and dates with pistachio pesto bring that fresh pizzazz that your holiday dinner needs. All of the flavors and textures work so harmoniously together that it’s guaranteed to be a hit. When roasted at high heat, carrots and onions get caramelized and perfectly tender, and briefly roasting the dates enhances their sweet chewiness. Layering a few slightly sweet ingredients like this produces a complex flavor dimension, which gets further enhanced by the salty, tangy flavors in the pistachio pesto and the subtle heat in the seed sprinkle. But simple, quick, and affordable! While the carrots and onions roast, you can make the pistachio pesto and seed sprinkle. The pesto just requires you to blend a handful of ingredients and the seed sprinkle takes all but 5 minutes. And using a few produce staples and pantry staples like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit make this gourmet dish surprisingly affordable, which is always a bonus during the otherwise pricey holiday season. Wholesome but indulgent. The sweetness of the carrots and dates, the creaminess of the pesto, the crunch of the seed sprinkle work together to make this feel like an almost indulgent dish. But it’s made of nourishing whole foods, like carrots, onions, dates, nuts, and seeds. Versatile leftovers: you’ll likely end up with some leftover pistachio pesto and seed sprinkle, which is awesome because these tasty condiments can jazz up nearly any meal. Check out the “Tips” section below for some ideas!

Step-by-step instructions

Peel the carrots. For medium carrots, bisect lengthwise (for fat carrots, quarter lengthwise). Cut into 2-inch pieces (on a diagonal). Peel the onion but don’t slice off the root end. Slice in half and cut into 1-inch wedges, keeping the core intact as much as possible. Meanwhile, make the pistachio pesto. Add the pistachios, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor. I typically buy unshelled pistachios (I love cracking them open!), but you can also buy shelled pistachios to shave off a couple minutes! Roast at 425ºF for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Scatter the chopped dates across the pans and bake for another 5-8 minutes, until carrots and onions are nicely browned and tender. Blend until a paste forms. Gradually stream the olive oil in with the motor running, scraping down as you go. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of water to get a creamy, spoonable consistency. Meanwhile, also make the seed sprinkle. Heat a frying pan over medium heat until warm. Add the olive oil, pepitas, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and a pinch of salt. Stir almost continuously for 2 minutes, or until golden brown and toasty. Assemble the dish. Transfer the roasted carrots, onions, and dates to a large plate or serving platter. Drizzle some of the pistachio pesto on top. Scatter some seed sprinkle on top and enjoy!

Tips for making this recipe

Size of carrots. If your carrots are fat, cut them lengthwise in quarters before cutting into 2-inch pieces. If they’re on the average size, cut them lengthwise in half. Very skinny? You can actually leave them whole. If your carrots are a lot fatter on top than the bottom, cut these sections according to the above descriptions. Depending on the size of your carrots, roast the carrots and onions for 20 or 25 minutes before adding the dates. Dates. If you’re using whole dates, be sure to pit and chop them into small pieces. Don’t leave the dates in the oven for more than 8 minutes to prevent them from burning. Seed sprinkle. When making the seed sprinkle, be sure to stir continuously to prevent the spices from burning. Don’t waste the leftovers! Leftover pistachio pesto will stay good in the fridge for up to 1 week, and it’s a great way to round out a grain bowl or salad, or to drizzle on other veggies or tofu. You can also use it as a sandwich spread! I particularly love it paired with a fennel and citrus salad (the flavors are SO good together). It would also be lovely with roasted beets, as in this Roasted Beet Salad. The seed sprinkle will stay good in the pantry for a few weeks (store in an airtight jar). It adds such a fun, salty and slightly spicy crunch to salads, soups, and all kinds of bowl meals. I particularly love it in a burrito bowl using my Black Beans with Sofrito (you can find that recipe in my earlier YouTube video “I ate like a king on just $5 a day!”).

More vegetable side dishes for the holidays

Maple Roasted CarrotsCreamy Vegan Mushroom SoupRoasted Butternut Squash & Kale SaladBaked Japanese Sweet Potatoes

If you love this fresh, flavor-packed dish, please be sure to leave a rating and review below! It’s always much appreciated :) And tag me on Instagram – I love hearing your feedback.