This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I’ve seen a LOT of roasted carrot recipes with feta, but goat cheese wins for me. I love the creamy, unique combo, and the result is as beautiful as it is tasty. I toss the carrots in olive oil, Mike’s Hot Honey, cumin, cinnamon, and paprika, then roast them cut-side down until they’re golden and caramelized, and serve them atop a layer of whipped goat cheese. They're spicy, savory, and sweet - the perfect combo!
Table of Contents
Quick Look: Hot Honey Roasted Carrots with Whipped Goat Cheese
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: ~314 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: roasted cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 425°F, then piled on goat cheese whipped in a food processor
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: hot honey carrots with cumin, cinnamon, and paprika over creamy whipped goat cheese, with crunchy pistachios and pomegranate. Spicy, savory, and sweet!
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, perfect for a Thanksgiving side, a dinner party, or Easter
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
The Best Spicy, Savory & Sweet Side Dish
These hot honey roasted carrots are naturally gluten-free, and the whole recipe takes 45 minutes start to finish. I love making them for a Thanksgiving side or a dinner party, and they’re perfect for Easter, too!
The oven takes care of the roasting while I whip the goat cheese in the food processor with Greek yogurt, hot honey, and lemon. Then I spread it on a platter, pile the carrots on top, and finish with pistachios, pomegranate, and one more drizzle of hot honey. Carrots and goat cheese work SO well together!
For Thanksgiving, they’d go great right alongside my roasted turkey with garlic herb butter and cheesy mashed potatoes. Plus, the bright orange carrots and red pomegranate look SO pretty on a holiday spread!
Ingredient Notes
- Hot honey: I love Mike’s Hot Honey, and I use it in the carrots, the whipped goat cheese, and drizzle it on top. Regular honey works, too (if you want it slightly less spicy or don’t like heat)!
- Toppings: I like pistachios for crunch, but slivered almonds would work as well.
How to Make Hot Honey Roasted Carrots
Step 1: Toss the peeled carrots in the olive oil and spices to coat.
Step 2: Lay the carrots in one even layer, cut-side down if you halved them. You can leave small carrots whole (I only halve the big ones lengthwise).
Step 3: Make the whipped goat cheese while the carrots roast. Add your ingredients to the food processor.
Step 4: Pulse just until it’s fluffy, creamy, and smooth! Don’t overmix! The texture can get kinda funny if you pulse too long.
Step 5: Bake! You’ll know they’re done when they’re golden, caramelized, and slightly browned!
Step 6: Spread the whipped goat cheese on the bottom of your platter and place the roasted carrots on top. Sprinkle the pistachios and pomegranate arils over top and drizzle with hot honey!
The Holiday Carrot Side Worth the Time
Roast these carrots at 425°F for the full 30 minutes. I originally only roasted them for 20 minutes, and it wasn’t enough time. They’re better at 30 minutes because they get caramelized and the sweetness in the carrots really comes out. So DON’T rush them!
Round Out Your Holiday Table
Hosting Thanksgiving? My roundup of gluten free Thanksgiving recipes has drinks, sides, mains, and desserts.
And if you have extra pistachios and pomegranate, I use them on this chilled version of whipped feta dip with hot honey and cottage cheese, too! More of my gluten free side dishes are right here.
More Holiday Recipes
Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Red Wine Gravy
Fall Margarita with Apple Cider & Cinnamon Honey Syrup
Easy Gluten-Free Tiramisu
Hot Honey Roasted Carrots with Whipped Goat Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
For the carrots:
- 1.5 lbs carrots, peeled and halved length-wise if too large. You can leave the tops or remove. I used 8-10 medium-sized carrots.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp hot honey
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
For the whipped goat cheese:
- 10 oz soft goat cheese, or feta if preferred
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp hot honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- pinch sea salt
Toppings:
- Pistachios, chopped
- Pomegranate Arils
- Parsley, chopped
- Drizzle of hot honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Toss the peeled carrots with the olive oil, honey, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and salt.
- Lay them cut-side down in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and caramelized.
- Meanwhile, combine the whipped goat cheese ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until creamy and smooth, but do not over-whip.
- Spread the whipped goat cheese out on a platter or serving dish using a spoon.
- When the carrots are done, place them on top of the whipped goat cheese. Garnish with pistachios, pomegranate seeds, parsley, and a drizzle of hot honey. Enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to use feta instead of goat cheese for this recipe. It is slightly more tangy but a great option if you do not like goat cheese!
- Swaps: regular honey instead of hot honey in all three spots for less heat, or slivered almonds instead of pistachios.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
