Roasted carrots: using up the leftovers
I made this roasted carrot dip with za’atar pita bread to use up my leftover roasted carrots.
It’s a great dip for lunch boxes or to use as a sandwich filling.
It’s also a great dish for parties as it’s quick and easy to prepare in advance. You can serve the dip warm or cold.
What’s more, because there are no eggs or dairy products in the dip, the dip will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
The key is to cook the carrots long enough so that they’re soft and easy to puree, but not so long that they blacken up. You want the dip to maintain that lovely vibrant orange colour.
What is Za’atar?
Za’tar is a Middle Eastern blend of dried herbs, spices and sumac.
Za’atar originates from Palestine although it’s used in cooking in many countries in the Middle East.
Za’atar is in fact the name of a herb (origanum syriaca), which is a member of the oregano family.
The herb can be found across the Middle East. It’s also known as wild thyme, marjoram syriaca, bible hyssop or Lebanese oregano.
The plant has been used since the Ancient Egyptian era for antiseptic and anti-inflammatory healing purposes.
It was believed to make the body stronger and mind more alert.
Each za’atar seasoning recipe varies slightly region to region, and from family to family.
Za’atar serving suggestions
I love the earthy, herby taste of za’atar on toasted pita bread with olive oil and a little sea salt.
Sprinkle it on top of yoghurt, or sliced tomatoes or cucumbers.
Serve it on top of boiled or fried eggs.
You can also use it as a spice rub for meat, chicken or fish.
More dip recipes
If you’re a fan of vegetables in dips, you might like to try these:
edamame dip with lime, coriander and sesame
roasted cashew and celery leaf pesto
Best wishes,
Amanda
PS: If you’ve tried this roasted carrot dip with za’atar pita bread or any other recipe from At Amanda’s Table, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
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Roasted Carrot Dip with Za'atar Pita Bread
Ingredients
Roasted Carrot Dip
- 4 large carrots
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds, to serve
Za'atar Pita Bread
- 4 wholemeal flatbreads
- 4 tbsp za'atar
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Roasted Carrots
- Preheat oven to 200℃ and line a tray with baking paper.
- Wash and cut carrots. Toss in 2 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Arrange the chopped carrots flat on the tray and roast for about 40 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Place the coked carrots in a bowl and blend them with a handheld mixer, together with the tahini and garlic until the mixture is a smooth puree.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more garlic if you wish.
- Serve in a shallow bowl, drizzled with the remaining olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- If not using immediately, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.
Za'atar Pita Bread
- Preheat oven to 180℃.
- Line 3 trays with baking paper and arrange the pita bread on top. You may wish to cut them in half so that they fit on your tray.
- Brush the pita bread with a little olive oil, then sprinkle the za'atar and salt on top.
- Cook the pita bread for about 10 minutes until the bread has darkened a little and crisped up.
- Remove from the oven. When cool enough to hold, break the pita bread into pieces.
- Serve alongside the roasted carrot dip.
The carrot dip sounds perfect, easy , healthy and few ingredients. I wont buy store dips in plastic containers…with additives and seed oils! Thank you Julie
Hi Julie, Thanks for your comments. Do let me know what you think when you try it! Best wishes, Amanda