20+ Recipes for How to Cook Carrots

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Looking for new ways for how to cook carrots? These recipes will help you make use of your favorite vegetable, from sweet to savory!

Carrots have long been one of my favorite vegetable. I know I’m not alone, considering statistics say we in the United States each eat more than 8 pounds of carrots every year!

While raw carrots are great for snacking, there are so many other ways to enjoy them. Whether you love sweet baked goods or savory soups, carrots can have a role in all of them.

collage of carrot recipe images

Choosing Carrots for Cooking

We’re all used to seeing rows and rows of packaged carrots at the supermarket, but did you know there are multiple varieties of carrots?

Multicolor carrots are perfect for using in recipes where the carrot is intact, like pickled carrots, carrot fries, or roasted carrots.

When the carrot is shredded, blended, or mashed, I prefer to use regular orange carrots.

Make sure your carrots are firm and crisp for most recipes. You can roast or mash carrots that are slightly past their prime, or use for soup.

Baby carrots can also be swapped in for many recipes. These carrots are just trimmed down from larger ones, and are optimally sweet.

Keep in mind that the cooking time for baby carrots may be less, depending on the dish.

For recipes requiring grated carrots, I recommend using a food processor to make quick work of the job. Packaged shredded carrots can work in a pinch, but make sure they are fresh!

Ready to get cooking with carrots? Check out all my favorite recipes for how to cook carrots below.

Carrot Appetizers

carrot fries dipping into ketchup
Carrot Fries
Carrot fries are deliciously seasoned roasted fries. These potato fry substitutes are easy to make and even easier to enjoy!
Make Carrot Fries
close up of carrot fritter with yogurt sauce on top
Carrot Fritters
These tasty carrot fritters are a great starter or side dish for a spring meal. Serve with a dill yogurt sauce.
Make Carrot Fritters

pickled carrots in a jar with carrots and tongs on a plate
How to Pickle Carrots
Pickled carrots are so easy, you can make them today with ingredients you probably have on hand! This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled.
Make Pickled Carrots

Carrot Soups

close up of roasted carrot fennel soup in a bowl
Roasted Carrot Soup with Fennel
This simple vegan soup can be prepared quickly on a weeknight.
Make Roasted Carrot Fennel Soup

Carrot miso soup is easy for any weeknight. It makes great leftovers for lunch, too.
Carrot Miso Soup with Cilantro Cream
Carrot miso soup is creamy, comforting, and ideal for winter. Finish it off with a swirl of cilantro cream.
Make Carrot Miso Soup
Carrot Ginger Soup
This Carrot Ginger Soup will warm you up from the inside out. Simple and delicious.
Make Carrot Ginger Soup
Spicy Carrot and Lentil Soup
This delicious carrot and lentil soup is the perfect warming dish for winter days. Nutritious, frugal and filling, my easy recipe for spicy carrot lentil soup is also vegan and gluten free. This soup freezes well making it perfect for batch cooking.
Make Spicy Carrot and Lentil Soup

Carrot Side Dishes

roasted carrots on white plate
Honey Roasted Carrots
Easy honey roasted carrots are a family favorite! This sweet and savory easy side dish only needs a handful of ingredients to prepare.
Make Honey Roasted Carrots

carrot salad on metal plate with fork
Carrot Salad
Tangy carrot salad is ready in less than 10 minutes and makes for a wonderful side dish to any meal.
Make Carrot Salad
bowl of mashed carrots
Mashed Carrots
Mashed carrots are a simple side dish to round out any meal and a great alternative to potatoes. Add any of your favorite seasonings to these naturally sweet carrots. 
Make Mashed Carrots
maple glazed carrots on plate
Maple Glazed Carrots
Mashed carrots are a simple side dish to round out any meal and a great alternative to potatoes. Add any of your favorite seasonings to these naturally sweet carrots. 
Make Maple Glazed Carrots

bowl of carrot top pesto with spoon
Carrot Top Pesto
Carrot top pesto makes quick, zesty work of leftover carrot greens. Use it for pasta, pizza, and more!
Make Carrot Top Pesto
Ethiopian Cabbage with Carrots
This Ethiopian, one pot, cabbage and carrot stew (i.e. Atakilt Wat or Atkilt Wot) is vegan, gluten-free, and comes together in just 30 minutes. Flavored with turmeric, it's a great way to use pantry veggies!
Make Ethiopian Cabbage with Carrots
Roasted Harissa Carrots
Roasted Harissa Carrots are baked in the oven until they get caramelized and delicious. These carrots are just the right amount of spicy with a tiny touch of sweet.
Make Roasted Harissa Carrots

Middle Eastern Roasted Carrots
These Middle Eastern whole roasted carrots are dressed in a mixture of cilantro, harissa and preserved lemons & topped with goat cheese, olives and nuts.
Make Middle Eastern Roasted Carrots
Instant Pot Carrots
Are you looking for a super easy side dish? It doesn’t get any easier than these Instant Pot Carrots! With just the right amount of sweetness, this recipe works just as well on a busy weeknight as it does on a holiday celebration.
Make Instant Pot Carrots
Sumac Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Tahini Sauce
Sumac Roasted Carrots with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce is a simple whip-it-up and walk-away side dish with very little fuss and a whole lot of flavor. Citrusy sumac and herbaceous za’atar pair perfectly with the toasty sweetness of carrots, along with crunchy toasted pecans and a creamy yogurt tahini sauce.
Make Sumac Roasted Carrots
Maple Roasted Air Fryer Carrots
Maple roasted carrots in the air fryer have to be one of our favorite things, but when you add in a little cinnamon and balsamic vinegar, they are totally delicious!
Make Maple Roasted Air Fryer Carrots

Honey Roasted Carrots In Air Fryer
Honey Roasted Carrots In Air Fryer is a delicious way to eat carrots – caramelized with honey and perfectly balanced with simple seasoning. They make a healthy side dish, or a great snack by themselves. 
Make Honey Roasted Carrots in Air Fryer

Carrot Cakes & More

Carrot cake scone on plate
Carrot Cake Scones
Carrot cake scones are loaded with carrots, plump raisins, and walnuts. Great for brunch or snacking!
Make Carrot Cake Scones

Instant Pot Carrot Cake {with Cream Cheese Frosting}
Instant Pot Carrot Cake is full of shredded carrots, sweet pineapple, crunchy walnuts and topped with a cream cheese frosting! Enjoy without even turning on your oven!
Make Instant Pot Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake Roll
Carrot Cake Roll
Carrot Cake snuggles up with cream cheese frosting in this simple yet decadent version of a Swiss Roll. Like a Pumpkin Roll with a carrot cake recipe to make a different and fresh dessert to serve to your guests.
Make Carrot Cake Roll

What’s your favorite method for how to cook carrots?

megan

About Megan

I focus on fresh ingredients and easy methods, with spins that keep meals interesting. Dinnertime shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…

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