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This smoky carrot dip is the perfect way to elevate your favorite appetizers and snacks. It’s an easy but versatile dip that packs a punch of flavor!
This sweet, savory, and smoky carrot dip with just the right kick might be the companion your appetizers and snacks need!
Compared to other carrot dips, this wonderful recipe won’t need you to roast carrots in the oven to achieve the sophisticated blend of flavors in the viral smoky carrot dip.
Yes, this dip is viral, and it’s inspired by the delicious spices and flavors of Moroccan cuisine.
If you’re tired of the same old dip, this fall-ready carrot dip will surely hit the spot!
What Is Carrot Dip?
Looking for a dip that’s beyond “it’s alright”? You’ll love this smoky carrot dip!
It’s an easy and flavorful dip (or spread) that uses tender carrots cooked with caramelized onions and spices.
The carrots are then pureed with hazelnuts, tomato paste, orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, parsley, and more spices.
By caramelizing the onions and tenderizing the carrots with cinnamon and cumin in the same pan, this carrot dip recipe activates the most aromatic and mouthwatering flavors that will make each dunk addictive.
The carrots are the perfect foundation for the warm, rich, and bright flavors that the simple ingredients bring when you blend everything together. 🤤
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Never Boring: This smoky carrot dip does not only taste deep and rich, but it also offers savory, sweet, and warm flavors with a kick. You’ll want to just dig into the bright orange dip with your favorite holiday appetizer or afternoon snack.
- Easy Dip: You don’t need to preheat the oven to achieve the delicious smoky flavor of this carrot dip. After cooking in the pan, just transfer carrots into the food processor with the rest of the ingredients and puree away!
- Use It On Anything: Make everything taste better with this carrot dip recipe. Whether you dip your flatbread or chips on it or spread the carrot dip over a piece of toast, you’ll find every bite irresistible.
What Does Smoky Carrot Dip Taste Like?
Carrots for a dip? Honestly, I wasn’t excited about the idea because I assumed the texture would be off and the result would taste too much like a veggie puree for babies.
But this smoky carrot dip? It’s absolutely crave-worthy!
The spices, herbs, nuts, onions, carrots, and citrus all blend into a sweet, smoky, bold, and savory dip.
We’ve only used red pepper flakes, but I think most people will agree with me that this carrot dip recipe can also easily welcome hotter additions. 🌶️
Overall, the warm spices and bright flavors will remind you of autumn, and you won’t taste a strong “veggie” flavor with this dip!
Is This Carrot Dip Recipe Healthy?
Making your own carrot dip at home is definitely a healthier choice than buying those jars of dip at the grocery. They are probably filled with additives and artificial ingredients!
This carrot dip recipe uses fresh carrots, onions, nuts, citrus, herbs, and spices, so you can feel confident with what’s in it.
As for the star ingredient, the humble carrot is packed with carotenoids that may reduce the risk of diseases. Who would’ve thought we could sneak in the goodness of healthy carrots in a delicious dip for snacking?
What Are The Benefits Of Carrot Dip?
Dips can offer a complex flavor too!
Not only does it taste deep and smoky, but this carrot dip is also sweet, savory, and packed with spices.
The rich, hearty consistency is delicious, and I can imagine using this not just for dipping but also as a topping and spread. It’s an easy and versatile recipe to make your party snack spread more exciting and impress guests in your next holiday feast!
Ingredients For Smoky Carrot Dip
- Carrots – You only need regular carrots for this carrot dip recipe.
- Yellow onion – The natural sweetness of yellow onions, especially after caramelizing, is simply delicious for our smoky carrot dip.
- Ground cinnamon – You can also add various spices to customize your dip!
- Ground cumin – The warm, slightly sweet flavor of cumin goes well with the smoky taste of this carrot dip.
- Hazelnuts – Carrot dips also work with other nuts!
- Orange – Our vibrant orange dip also has the zing of orange. We’ll use its juice and zest for this excellent recipe.
- Tomato paste – If you want your smoky carrot dip extra hot, swap tomato paste with hot chili pepper paste. 🥵
- Olive oil – We’ll use this for sauteing the ingredients. Olive oil is also helpful for adjusting the consistency of the carrot dip.
- Parsley – This carrot dip recipe can easily welcome different herbs. Parsley also adds a nice touch of color, so don’t forget to sprinkle your dip with more chopped parsley leaves before serving.
- Ginger – While I’m personally not a fan of ginger’s unmistakable “spicy” taste, it’s surprisingly enjoyable with this smoky, slightly sweet dip!
- Red pepper flakes – You can always make your dip spicier with more peppers in the mix.
Tools Needed To Prepare Smoky Carrot Dip
- Frying pan for cooking the onions and carrots
- Spatula for stirring the ingredients in the pan
- Knife for slicing the carrot dip ingredients
- Mixing bowls for containing the ingredients
- Food processor for pureeing the carrot dip
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Smoky Carrot Dip
Walnuts
The fats from nuts make this smoky carrot dip richer in terms of taste and texture. If you don’t have hazelnuts, you can also use walnuts in the puree.
Capers
What I love about this carrot dip is you won’t get bored after every dip because of its layers of flavor. But to make it even more interesting, I thought of adding salty, lemony capers.
The result is amazing, especially if you spread this dip over a slice of crusty bread!
Feta cheese
Carrot dips are perfect for parties and gatherings!
To elevate the delicious carrot dip, serve it with some feta cheese on top for an instant crowd-pleasing appetizer. 🤤
How To Make A Carrot Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 lb carrots, sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts
- 1 orange, juiced and zested
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Tools you need:
Instructions:
STEP 1: Gather the ingredients for your smoky carrot dip.
STEP 2: Heat some olive oil in a pan. Cook the chopped onions over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
STEP 3: Add the cinnamon and cumin to the onions and saute for a few minutes. Then, add the carrots to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes or until they caramelize and soften.
STEP 4: Allow the carrots to cool, then transfer them to a food processor with hazelnuts, orange juice, orange zest, tomato paste, olive oil, parsley, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
STEP 5: Puree the ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Serve and enjoy your carrot dip!
What To Serve With Carrot Dips
Of course, this carrot dip is best served with things you can dip in it.
You can’t go wrong with pita chips, naan, or any warm flatbread to accompany your smoky carrot dip. 😋
For appetizers, prepare crackers, baguette slices, crostini, or various veggies for dipping. The dip can also be spread on wraps and sandwiches!
And since this spread is so good, you can confidently serve it to a crowd; why not include it in a charcuterie board?
- Mexican Charcuterie Board – Try this carrot dip with crunchy Mexican faves!
- Brunch Charcuterie Board – Hold a brunch celebration with this board, plus a generous serving of carrot dip!
Tips About Making Carrot Dips
Make the perfect carrot dip with these additional tips in mind:
- Don’t feel like using the pan? Just toss the carrots with olive oil and roast them in the oven for half an hour or until tender! Then, mash the carrots with a fork before sending them to the food processor with the other ingredients.
- Make this carrot dip recipe’s sweet and smoky goodness stand out by using more spices! We already have cumin, so smoked paprika and chili powder will make perfect additions! 😋
- If your carrot dip is too thick for your liking, no worries! A tablespoon or two of virgin olive oil at a time should fix the delicious dip.
How To Store Carrot Dip
- Fridge: This smoky carrot dip should store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I doubt it’ll last that long, though! 😅
- Freezer: Technically, we can freeze carrot dip for longer storage. However, I don’t think the consistency will be appealing after thawing.
How Do You Make Carrot Sticks Taste Better?
The sweetness and crunchiness of carrot sticks make them a great snack alternative, especially if you want something healthier than chips. But to make them taste better that even picky eaters, kids, and veggie haters will want to munch on carrot sticks, consider baking them.
Your carrot sticks will get a delicious caramelized, crispy makeover when you bake them in the oven.
Simply drizzle them with some oil, season them with whatever you like, spread the sticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes in the oven preheated to 428°F.
Or, if you’re looking for something filling, use carrot sticks on rice bowls! But don’t just settle for ordinary rice bowls. Try our shrimp sushi bowl.
Are Carrot Sticks Healthy?
Carrot sticks are healthy, and I think we all know what makes the orange veggies nutritious and beneficial for the body: beta-carotene.
Without getting too scientific, this pigment gets converted into vitamin A. We need this vitamin for our eyes, skin, and even our immune system!
So next time you’re craving something crunchy to munch on, consider carrot sticks or prepare a low-carb snack and partner it with the smoky carrot dip recipe above. 😉
Why Put Carrot Sticks In Water?
Need a hack to ensure your carrot sticks stay crisp in the fridge? Submerge them in water!
Just remember to use filtered water and change it every 3 days or so.
Storing perishable foods like fruits and veggies can be stressful. If you have seasonal fruits like peaches or blackberries, consider turning them into mouthwatering, gift-worthy fruit jams.
- Easy Blackberry Jam No Pectin – This only needs 4 ingredients!
- Best Peach Jalapeno Jam Recipe – For a sweet and spicy jam that tastes gourmet.
FAQ About Carrots And Dips
What tastes good to dip carrots in?
Snacking on carrots? Make the healthy experience enjoyable by dipping carrots in hummus, ranch, spicy mayo, or honey mustard!
What not to mix carrots with?
When it comes to storage, please make sure not to mix carrots and apples together! Carrots can absorb the odor of apples, which might ruin your expected flavor when you use them in the recipe.
Do carrots go with peanut butter?
You can definitely pair carrots with peanut butter, as peanut butter dressing is delicious with carrot salad. Thai peanut butter sauce is also the perfect companion to carrot sticks if you love sweet and salty.
Smoky Carrot Dip
This smoky carrot dip is the perfect way to elevate your favorite appetizers and snacks. It's an easy but versatile dip that packs a punch of flavor!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients for your smoky carrot dip.
- Heat some olive oil in a pan. Cook the chopped onions over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the cinnamon and cumin to the onions and saute for a few minutes. Then, add the carrots to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes or until they caramelize and soften.
- Allow the carrots to cool, then transfer them to a food processor with hazelnuts, orange juice, orange zest, tomato paste, olive oil, parsley, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Puree the ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Serve and enjoy your carrot dip!
Notes
- Instead of cooking the carrots in a pan, you can also roast them with olive oil until tender!
- Want to get a perfectly smoky flavor on your carrot dip? Try combining different spices! Cumin tastes amazing with smoked paprika and chili powder.
- If your smoky carrot dip is too thick for your liking, add a tablespoon of olive oil at a time and blend until you achieve your preferred consistency.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 511Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2187mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 22gSugar: 20gProtein: 10g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.
Conclusion
This smoky carrot dip is definitely a need! 🥕
Forget about store-bought dips with artificial ingredients. Snack time at home can be more exciting with this flavorful veggie dip.
You can also have this dip on the appetizer tray for your next dinner party. For such a sophisticated-tasting delight, you won’t need to do that much.
Simply tenderize the carrots in a pan with spices and caramelized onions, then puree the carrots with oil, spices, herbs, and citrus until spreadable. It’s a dip with a deep flavor.
You can achieve a distinct flavor profile as if you’ve used roasted carrots!
If you love dips and snacks, here are some of our favorite recipes to munch on: