Moroccan-Style Spicy Carrot Dip Recipe

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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Spicy, pungent harissa and briny olives balance the sweetness of puréed glazed carrots.

Note: Harissa is a Tunisian spice pasted made from piri-piri peppers. It can be found in cans or bottles in most major supermarkets or specialty grocers.

Recipe Details

Moroccan-Style Spicy Carrot Dip Recipe

Active 10 mins
Total 25 mins
Serves 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into rough chunks

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1 (1-inch) knob ginger, grated on the medium holes of a box grater

  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained

  • 1/4 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped

  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro leaves

  • 2 tablespoons harissa, or more to taste (see note)

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 recipe grilled naan or store-bought flatbread heated on grill or in a dry skillet

Directions

  1. Place carrots in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1/2 an inch. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is a golden blond caramel color, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and immediately add half a cup of water. Transfer carrots and caramel to the bowl of a food processor.

  2. Add cumin, coriander, garlic, ginger, capers, olives, parsley (or cilantro), and harissa. Pulse until the carrots are roughly chopped, 6 to 8 one-second pulses, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary. With processor running, drizzle in most of olive oil, saving a couple tablespoons for garnish. Season to taste with more salt.

  3. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and serve with warm flatbrad.

Special equipment

food processor

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292 Calories
12g Fat
41g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 515mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 81mg 6%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 250mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)