Roasted Carrot Salad Tahini (Print version)

Sweet roasted carrots on fresh greens with a creamy tahini-lemon drizzle and crunchy seed garnish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb peeled carrots, cut into 2-inch sticks
02 - 5 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby kale)
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

→ Roasting

05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Tahini-Lemon Drizzle

10 - 1/4 cup tahini
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - 2 to 3 tbsp water, as needed
15 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make:

01 - Set the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine carrots with olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Spread carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender and caramelized. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, and salt. Slowly add water, whisking until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
05 - Arrange mixed greens on a platter or individual plates. Top with roasted carrots and sliced red onion. Drizzle generously with tahini-lemon sauce.
06 - Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, toasted seeds, and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The tahini-lemon drizzle is so ridiculously good that it's become my secret weapon for making any vegetable taste like restaurant-quality food.
  • You can prep everything in 15 minutes and then just let the oven do the heavy lifting while you sit with your coffee.
  • It's one of those rare salads that feels fancy enough for guests but honest enough for a solo dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip turning the carrots halfway through roasting—they need to caramelize on both sides, and that's where the magic sweetness comes from.
  • If your tahini sauce breaks or gets too thick, don't panic—just whisk in more water slowly until it reaches that perfect drizzle consistency, which should coat a spoon but still pour.
03 -
  • Buy whole carrots rather than pre-cut ones—they stay fresher longer and you get better caramelization because they have less surface area damage.
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry pan for three minutes if you have time; the difference between toasted and raw is the difference between okay and absolutely worth it.
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