Rainbow Roasted Carrots

Easy rainbow roasted carrots with toasted quinoa, fresh mint, lemon, and tahini drizzle. Perfect for a dinner party or holiday main dish! 

Spring has sprung!

Well, sort of.

We had a “fakeout” snow storm yesterday and now it’s 60 degrees and sunny.

Yeah, take that, winter.

I don’t know about you, but I’m giddy thinking about bright pastels and light spring dishes and jacket-less adventures.

These Rainbow Roasted Carrots with Toasted Quinoa, Mint, & Tahini makes all of that feel possible in one easy light dish!

It’s fresh, bright, nutritious, and comes together in under an hour for a hearty veg-centric entree or side.

I can’t get seem to reach my carrot quota lately.

When we were in California recently, I bought a big bag of them that I dipped in creamy peanut butter and hummus alike; the crunch seemingly deafening in our little hotel room.

If you’re conscious of the crunch too, these roasted rainbow beauties will help keep your carrot consumption on the DL.

In this recipe, we roast them until they’re fork tender, supple, and sweet.

Roasting the carrots brings their natural sweetness to the forefront for a slightly sweet smokey treat!

What You Need to Make Rainbow Roasted Carrots

I love meals where the veggies take the center stage, don’t you?

So often they’re sidelined in our dishes, looking prettier than the MVP, but in this recipe, they’re the main attraction!

If you’re like me and are soul-crushingly tempted to eat all of those gorgeous roasted carrots straight from the roasting pan, STOP.

Pair them with a hearty blend of quinoa, toasted pine nuts, fresh mint, lemon, and tahini drizzle so you have an excuse to sit down and enjoy the rainbow properly.

Carrots & Quinoa. Quinoa & Carrots. Mmm.

Here’s what you need:

• rainbow carrots
• avocado oil 
• Himalayan sea salt
• black pepper
• I Heart Keenwah Toasted Quinoa
• mint leaves
• runny tahini
• pine nuts
• lemon

That’s it!

How to Make Rainbow Roasted Carrots

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scrub your rainbow carrots, chop off the carrot tops, and peel, if desired.

Pat the carrots dry and place them on the baking sheet so none of them are touching.

Drizzle with a bit of avocado oil (omit if avoiding oil) and season them with Himalayan sea salt and black pepper.

Roast the carrots for 20 minutes, then flip and roast them for another 20, or until fork tender and slightly blackened on both sides.

The carrots are done when they start to shrivel slightly and can be pierced with a fork.

While the carrots are roasting, prepare your quinoa according to package instructions. 

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium-low, shaking them frequently to prevent them from burning.

The pine nuts are done when they’re lightly browned on all sides and fragrant.

I Heart Keenwah Toasted Quinoa

In addition to my carrot craze, you probably know that I’m just a little bit quinoa obsessed, too.

But not just any quinoa, friends, because I like my quinoa TOASTED.

Never had toasted quinoa?

You’re going to love using I Heart Keenwah Toasted Quinoa in this recipe.

This heirloom Bolivian royal quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor and the fluffiest texture!

Perfect for resting roasted carrots on. Just saying.

I also love how it’s prewashed so it adds less prep time to my recipes.

The warm tasting flavors pair perfectly with sweet roasted carrots, toasted pine nuts, bright mint, and tangy tahini. 

If you can’t find rainbow carrots near you, no worries, regular orange carrots will work instead!

We all have our favorite herbs, so if mint isn’t yours, try subbing your favorite instead.

Fresh parsley, cilantro, or dill would taste fabulous here too!

For extra protein, add chickpeas or lentils to make this entree even heartier.

How to Serve Rainbow Roasted Carrots

To serve, divide the quinoa between plates and top them with three warm roasted rainbow carrots.

Garnish the carrots with fresh mint, toasted pine nuts, a big squeeze of lemon, and a spoonful of runny tahini.

Enjoy these Rainbow Roasted Carrots as a beautiful plant-based dinner, lunch, or side.

This colorful veg-centric dish would be the perfect nourishing addition to your spring spread!

If you’re not prepping this dish for a party or gathering, it’s great for solo meal prep, too.

I like to roast the bunch of carrots and cook my quinoa in advance to throw together for easy power bowls during the week.

Store the leftovers separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and reheat before serving.

Enjoy!

This post is brought to you by I Heart Keenwah, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission if you use these links. I only recommend brands I love, trust, and can’t keep quiet about!