Roasted carrot sandwich with cilantro lime dressing

This roasted carrot sandwich is lemony, fresh and filling. Good luck keeping your hands off the fresh roasted carrots, they are hard to resist. And the cilantro lime dressing is the cherry on top of this metaphorical sundae. If you don't have time to make the sauce, no worries. Just go for some basic lemon hummus and it'll be perfect.

If you've never made roasted carrots, you're missing out! E finished the rest of the carrots on the pan while I was finishing up these shots...looks like I’ll be making roasted carrots more often. They’re soft and a little sweet (in a carrot-y way), while the thyme and lemon add a little something extra and aromatic.

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• Equipment
• Ingredients
• Frequently asked questions
• Roasted carrot hummus sandwich with cilantro lime dressing
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Equipment

There isn't any crazy equipment required for this roasted carrot sandwich.

1. To roast the carrots, you'll need a sheet pan and a silicon mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking
2. To slice the bread, you'll need a cutting board and serrated knife
3. For your sauce, you'll need some kind of small blender (like a Nutribullet) or an immersion blender and a large jar or liquid measuring cup.
4. For your pickled red onions, you'll need a jar with a lid. A bowl with some foil or plastic wrap will suffice in a pinch for a couple days. And a sharp chef's knife to thinly slice your onions.

Not so bad, right?

Ingredients

The ingredients aren't too complicated either. Sandwiches should be simple!

1. Roasted carrots - these babies are the star of this roasted carrot sandwich. Make sure they're nice and tender when you remove from the oven. A fork should easily pierce them, and the flavor should be sweet and a little bit savory. Don't forget the lemon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Seasoning makes a huge difference.
2. Cilantro lime sauce - this plant-based cilantro lime sauce is sweet, and a little bit spicy (shhh...the secret ingredient is tequila). Trust me, you won't want to miss it. If you don't have time to make a sauce, no worries. Slap some hummus on your sandwich and call it a day.
3. Greens - arugula and spinach both work well, but you could go for microgreens too. I'm a big fan of cucumber on this sandwich, the crunch and light flavor pairs nicely with the rich carrots.
4. Pickled red onion - I put pickled red onion on just about everything. It's super easy to make - thinly slice you onion and place into a jar with a lid. Cover with seasoned rice vinegar, and let sit for at least an hour, preferably for 48 hours in the fridge. It's good for at least a month storing in the fridge.
5. Bread - I recommend a fresh loaf of whole wheat bread from a bakery, but a storebought sliced loaf should be fine too. Style points for toasting your bread!

Frequently asked questions

But Eliza...

I don't have (insert ingredient here)...can I make this roasted carrot sandwich? Of course. Use what you have! Though this is a roasted carrot sandwich - try to at least have some carrots, salt, pepper and cooking oil. You can also try this chickpea salad sandwich or my favorite hummus, pesto and avocado sandwich - it's a triple threat!

Should I peel carrots before roasting? While it's not required, I peel my carrots before roasting to remove any dirt and debris and smooth out the texture. If you choose not to peel your carrots, wash and scrub each carrot with a brush to remove any dirt and debris.

How do you roast carrots? Preheat oven to 450 F, then wash and peel carrots. Cut into desired size, and toss with a little cooking oil (such as grapeseed) and lemon juice. Sprinkle in leaves from 2-3 sprigs of thyme, and add a small pinch of both salt and pepper. Roast for 25-35 mins or until easily pierceable with a fork. We're going for the softness of a baked potato.

How long are roasted carrots good for? Properly stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, they'll last for 3-5 days. As a rule of thumb, if it smells funky, throw it out, even if it's within the recommended timeframe. Trust me, it's not worth it.

Should I buy organic carrots? Buy organic produce wherever possible. Given carrots don't have a thick exterior like a lemon or banana, I tend to buy organic carrots.

Does peeling carrots remove pesticides? Unfortunately peeling carrots will not remove all traces of pesticides. Washing and peeling should help, but carrots have porous skin that can absorb some of the pesticide. If you're worried about it, purchase organic carrots - I've never had a problem finding them in the grocery store.

Do I need to slice my carrots before roasting? To ensure your carrots have similar cooking times, it's best if the carrots are uniform in size and thickness. If your carrots are different thickensses, the thinner carrots might burn while your thicker carrots remain raw. If you're using baby-cut carrots, make sure the thickness is similar. You might need to cut some of the thicker carrots in half lengthwise (hotdog style). If you're using regular carrots, you might need to cut into sections, and slice the thicker parts into halves or quarters to match the thinner pieces.

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