Beyond Sweet and Savory

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Root Vegetables

Roasted carrots and beets with ghost pepper and lentils

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Roasted carrots and beets are transformed by ghost pepper into a adventurous, complex, and flavorful dish that is delicious on its own and pairs well with roast meat and fish.

roasted carrots and beets

Thanksgiving is a few days away and I have my menu all planned! It’s a bit stressful for me to cook the whole feast solo but after a decade of doing this I think I got a handle on it.  For the main event, I’ll be roasting my usual easy, foolproof Thanksgiving turkey.

roasted carrots and beets

We all know it’s the side that’s really the star of the big day and I like to switch things up every year.  Let’s be real, who wants to eat brussels sprouts, mashed potato, or green bean casserole years after years!  I couldn’t be more excited to partner with Yellowbird Sauce to share this flavor forward side dish of roasted carrots and beets with ghost pepper and lentils.

roasted carrots and beets

Both carrots and beets have a natural sweetness that plays so well with the heat of ghost pepper.  I added just a touch of ghost pepper but feel free to add more if your taste buds feel it’s too tame. Made in the heart of Austin from a blend of fresh fruits and veggies, with no preservatives or any ingredients that you can’t pronounce, Yellowbird condiments offer a hearty sauce with a wide range of heat level that pair well with different vegetables, meats, and fish.

roasted carrots and beets

To prepare the root vegetables, I give them a good scrub to get rid of the dirt.  I buy organic carrots and beets and don’t peel the skin off because there’s a lot of nutrients in it.  To infuse the carrots and beets with flavor, I toss them in a mixture of olive oil, honey,  pomegranate molasses, ghost pepper, and garlic and roast them until tender.    

roasted carrots and beets

After 20 minutes in the oven, the carrots and beets were transformed in a flavorful and complex side with the help of the ghost pepper.  They pair so well with lentils, sweet pomegranate tendrils, mint, and a tangy yogurt dressing and bring a much needed break to a heavy meal.  If you happen to have vegetarian guests at your party, these roasted carrots and beets will make them happy and satisfied. We make this dish for meatless Monday as well as a side with other protein like chicken, lamb, and salmon.        

roasted carrots and beets

These condiments from Yellowbird Sauce are quite addicting and have become a pantry staple for heat lovers like us.  We like the 2.2 oz bottles that’s perfect for our small family and we find ourselves using them more than just a condiment for tacos, wings, and pho.  They go into a lot of marinades and salad dressing and I can’t wait to share more recipes with you.  For more inspiration, you can find a whole arsenal of recipes on the Yellowbird Sauce website.

roasted carrots and beets

This post was sponsored by Yellowbird Sauce.  All opinions are mine.  Thank you for supporting the brands that support Beyond Sweet and Savory.

 

5 from 6 votes
roasted carrots and beets
Print
Roasted carrots and beets with ghost pepper and lentils
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Roasted carrots and beets are transformed by ghost pepper into a complex and flavorful dish that pair so well with meat and dish.

Course: Side Dish, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beets, carrots, ghost pepper, lentils
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound organic baby carrots, trimmed and leave about 1” of green tops
  • 4 organic small golden beets, trimmed and leave about 1” of green tops
  • 4 organic small chioggia beets, trimmed and leave about 1” of green tops
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1/2 tsp Yellowbird Sauce ghost pepper condiment
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup French lentils
  • 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate tendrils
  • 1/4 cup of mint leaves
  • 2 tbsps toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
Greek yogurt dressing
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp ghost pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

  2. In a large prep bowl, whisk olive oil, honey, pomegranate molasses, ghost pepper condiment, salt, and garlic.

  3. Add the carrots and beets to the bowl and toss until well coated.

  4. Lay the carrots and beets in a single layer on a roasting pan and roast for about 20 minutes until tender.  If not tender, put it back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes.

  5. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the lentils. Cook lentils in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat for 15 minutes until tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water and drain again.

  6. To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, and ghost pepper condiment. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  7. When ready to serve, add the lentils to the plate. Place the carrots and beets over the lentils. Garnish with pomegranate, mint leaves, and pistachios. 

  8. Serve the vegetables with yogurt dressing.

Recipe Notes

To make after-dinner cleanup easier, line your roasting pan with aluminum foil before adding the carrot and beet mixture.

Blood orange and roasted beet salad

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This blood orange and roasted beet salad is complex in flavor with the sweetness of the beets providing a nice contrast with the tangy yogurt and sweet tart flavor of the blood oranges.

ingredients for blood orange and roasted beet salad

And we’re back for meatless Monday! We had planned on posting a recipe every Monday but it’s been challenging with our schedule, the baby’s unpredictable nap times or rather lack of naps, and the weather not cooperating.  We’re aiming for every other Monday for the time being. Today I’m sharing a recipe for a blood orange and roasted beets salad with yogurt, mint, and hazelnut from Athena Calderone’s Cook Beautiful cookbook. The original recipe called for taragon but mine had wilted by the time I got around to making the recipe so I plucked some mint from my garden and threw it in the salad. The switch worked well and I will use mint again.

plate of blood orange and roasted beet salad

Cook Beautiful is one of my favorite cookbooks published this year besides The Lost Kitchen and the Book of Greens, all of which are James Beard Foundation book nominees.  The recipes are divided by the season and the photography is absolutely stunning. Given my obsession with blood orange, it was a no brainer to try this recipe. The sweetness of the beets provided a nice contrast with the tangy yogurt and sweet tart flavor of the blood oranges.  It tasted almost like a dessert but the olive oil and dressing tipped the scale right back to the savory side.

plate of blood orange and roasted beet salad

This blood orange and roasted beet salad is a breeze to throw together, and its complex flavor makes it a perfect complement to your heavier mains.  I have made this salad a few times and can’t say I’m tired of it yet. With the first official day of spring arriving tomorrow, I’m going to share a few more citrus recipes before spring goes into full spring and citrus disappears from the farmers market.  

plate of blood orange and roasted beet salad

If you want more salad inspiration, check out these recipes: burrata blood orange and fennel salad, seared scallops grapefruit and shaved fennel salad, watermelon radish carpaccio with arugula salad, and za’atar roasted radishes and lentil salad.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram.  We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.

5 from 6 votes
Print
Blood orange and roasted beet salad
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 

This blood orange and roasted beet salad is adapted from Cook Beautiful by Athena Calderone

Course: Salad
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 medium organic golden beets
  • 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts
  • 4 blood oranges
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsps red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
  • a few sprigs of mint leaves
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220 ̊C)

  2. Place beets in the center of a large piece of foil. Drizzle them with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Tightly seal the foil around the beets to make a packet. Place the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife,  about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your beets. 

  3. Unwrap the beets and let them cool slightly.  Remove the skin by peeling it off with your fingers or knife.

  4. While the beets are roasting, toast the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet for 5 minutes, or until they’re golden and fragrant.

  5. Place the toasted nuts on a kitchen towel and rub them against one another to remove the skins then roughly chop the nuts.

  6. Cut a slice off the top and bottom of each orange so they have a flat bottom to sit on. Use a sharp knife to cut the peel and remove as much of the pith from the oranges as you can. Slice the oranges into ¼ inch rounds and use the tip of your knife to pick out any seeds.  Set the cut orange slices aside on a prep plate.

  7. To make the dressing, squeeze the juice from half of an orange into a medium bowl.  Add the shallot and vinegar.  Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  8. Cut the beets into wedges and toss them with some of the dressing,

  9. Just before serving, divide the yogurt among the plates. Arrange the orange slices and beet wedges over the yogurt, spooning some of the dressing over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts and garnish with mint leaves.