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Roasted Carrots and Fennel

Caramelized carrots, fennel, and onions tossed in a sesame seed vinaigrette and topped with fresh mint; the perfect vegan side dish for any holiday meal. Adapted from Bon Appetit's Roasted Carrots and Onions with Fennel and Mint.  

Servings 8 side dish servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lb carrots peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces
  • 2 red onions peeled, cut into 1/8ths, and left in wedges
  • 3 small-medium fennel bulbs green parts removed; white parts cut into 1/8ths, and left in wedges,
  • 5 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 tbsp raw sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds roughly chopped or lightly ground in a mortar and pestle
  • 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 10-15 mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Place carrots, onions, and fennel each on separate rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 Tbsp oil (so 3 Tbsp total). Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. 

  2. Roast, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and crispy and brown on edges; about 25 minutes for carrots and about 40 minutes for onions and fennel. If your oven is not large enough to hold three baking sheets, you can roast the veggies in batches. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheets. 

  3. While the vegetables are baking, in a small pan add sesame seeds, coriander seeds, Aleppo pepper, paprika, and 2 Tbsp oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until oil is gently bubbling and spices become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Stir in vinegar and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

  4. In a large bowl or platter, toss vegetables and dressing together. Just before serving, sprinkle with torn mint leaves. 

Recipe Notes

The dressing can be made the day before, and the vegetables can be roasted up to 6 hours ahead. If preparing ahead of time, toss the vegetables with the dressing just before serving. and then top with mint. This dish can be served warm or at room temperature.