Honey Roasted Carrots + Smoked Yogurt

We first had the opportunity to experience smoked yogurt on a trip to beautiful Ireland in 2019 and I must say that we were completely unprepared for it. Until then we hadn’t seen anything close to it being used in Canadian restaurants, and we’ve only recently started to come across it here. When we returned, thoughts immediately turned to how to use this new ingredient in a recipe, a this Honey Roasted Carrots with Smoked Yogurt recipe was born.

Although this dish is still all about the roasted carrots, the addition of smoked yogurt along side honey and toasted quinoa offers a perfectly delicious and flavourful pairing that I’m sure anyone will enjoy. One of the best things about it is that it can be presented as a standalone appetizer or tasty side dish.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings: 6

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Global

Calories: 256

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

15-20 small carrots washed + trimmed
1 lime juice + zest
1 lemon juice + zest
1 navel orange juice + zest
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp honey divided
1 tbsp sumac divided
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/4 cup puffed or regular quinoa toasted
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Smoked Yogurt

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp smoked salt

Equipment

large baking sheet
medium mixing bowl
small frying pan
tongs
whisk
juicer
grater
microplane
hand smoker with smoking chips
plastic wrap
measuring cups and spoons

Method

Mise en Place

Assemble equipment. Wash and trim carrots, juice and zest lime and lemon, grate Parmesan, toast quinoa, measure and separate all ingredients.

Cooking + Assembly

Preheat oven to roast at 375 degrees F.
Combine olive oil, lemon and lime juice and zest, sumac, and half of the honey in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until fully combined.
Add prepared carrots to the mixing bowl and fully coat with honey mixture. Transfer the carrots to a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with remaining liquid. Roast for 35 minutes, turning half way through.
Toast quinoa in a small frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Add yogurt and half of the smoked salt to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap or a smoking dome and apply a light smoke. Leave mixture covered for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a non-metal serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Remove carrots from oven and transfer to a serving dish. Top with smoked yogurt, toasted quinoa, remaining smoked salt, and grated Parmesan. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and remaining honey. Serve immediately.

Notes

I consider this recipe “difficult” simply because of the requirement for a specialized tool – in this case a smoke gun. If you don’t have one, similar results can be achieved by adding a few drops of liquid smoke to the yogurt.
If you’re looking to add a smoke gun to your kitchen toolset, I use the Breville “Smoking Gun” and it’s great!
I’ve used a smoked salt here, but a good sea salt or Kosher salt can be substituted.

Honey Roasted Carrots + Smoked Yogurt