Roasted Carrots with Whipped Ricotta and Chili Butter
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I love this roasted carrot vegetable side dish because the flavors and combination of contrasting textures make it seem complicated when in reality it’s actually quite simple. While I love serving whipped ricotta on bread or as a dip, it’s light enough to perfectly complement vegetables, like roasted ones, without overpowering them. Roasting the carrots draws out their natural sweetness, giving them a slight crisp-tender edge and deep, concentrated flavor. The chili butter adds a warm, spicy kick that cuts through the richness of the creamy ricotta and ties everything together, making it a dish that’s as impressive to serve as it is satisfying to eat. For another simple vegetable side try these honey roasted carrots or roasted cauliflower with tahini.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Carrots – Look for carrots that are all about the same size so that they cook evenly. I choose to skip peeling the carrots and opt to thoroughly scrub them instead. I find using smaller carrots with trimmed tops to be the most aesthetically pleasing for this side dish. I recommend cutting any larger carrots in half lengthwise.
- Butter – To create the chili butter I melt unsalted butter and simmer it with red pepper flakes and a bit of paprika to add a bright red, vibrant color. While you can leave the pepper flakes in the butter I prefer to strain them out.
- Ricotta – This Italian cheese is made from the whey leftover from the production of other cheeses which gives it a grainy texture to start. Whipping ricotta changes the texture of it, making it completely smooth and velvety rather than grainy.
- Maple syrup – A little bit of maple syrup is added to the whipped ricotta to add a touch of sweetness to offset the spice of the butter.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Swaps and substitutions
- The whipped ricotta can be swapped with another creamy ingredient like mascarpone. You can also use full fat Greek yogurt.
- If you prefer you can peel the carrots with a vegetable peeler rather than scrubbing them.
- This recipe also tastes great with other vegetables like roasted broccolini or cauliflower.
- If using baby carrots, cut the cooking time down to 20 minutes.
- For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- I garnish the carrots with a few of the leaves from the carrot tops but you can garnish with a bit of parsley if desired.
How to Make Roasted Carrots with Whipped Ricotta and Chili Butter
Step by step photos:
Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cut any large carrots in half lengthwise if needed. Arrange carrots in a single layer on a sheet pan and toss in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast the carrots until tender and slightly browned, about 25 minutes.
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the pepper and paprika and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the butter is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Remove and strain the butter through a fine mesh strainer. Set the butter aside until ready to use.
Add the ricotta and maple syrup to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment (or a mixing bowl and whisk by hand) and pulse until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
Use a spatula to spread the ricotta on a serving dish and top with the roasted carrots. Drizzle the chili butter over the top and garnish with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm.
How to prep this recipe in advance
To cut down on prep work, especially if making this recipe for Thanksgiving, I recommend making the butter and whipped ricotta ahead of time. The butter can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container and melted again just before serving to drizzle over the top.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Roasting at 400°F (200ºC) brings out the carrots’ natural sugars, resulting in sweet, caramelized edges that beautifully complement the creamy whipped ricotta.
Yes! Scrubbing them well is enough, especially with smaller carrots. Just trim the tops and halve larger carrots for even cooking and a pretty presentation.
Chili butter, made by simmering butter with red pepper flakes and paprika, adds warm, spicy richness and a vibrant color that ties the sweet and creamy elements together
Whipped ricotta transforms the cheese into a luxuriously smooth and velvety base, perfect for balancing the warmth of the carrots without overpowering them.
Yes! You can easily swap ricotta with mascarpone or full-fat Greek yogurt, and butter can be replaced to suit dietary needs or flavor twists.
Definitely! The combo works wonderfully with roasted broccolini or cauliflower for a similar sweet-crunchy-creamy effect.
You can make the chili butter and whipped ricotta in advance and refrigerate both. Reheat just before serving to maximize efficiency.
If using baby carrots, reduce roasting time slightly to around 20 minutes—they cook faster due to their size.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this roasted carrots recipe, give these roasted carrots recipes a try:
Made this dish? Be sure to rate the recipe and drop a comment below! Your feedback means everything (and helps others find it too)!
Roasted Carrots with Whipped Ricotta and Chili Butter
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Ingredients:
- 2 bunches carrots, tops trimmed and cleaned
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cut any large carrots in half lengthwise if needed. Arrange carrots in a single layer on a sheet pan and toss in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast the carrots until tender and slightly browned, about 25 minutes.
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the pepper and paprika and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the butter is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Remove and strain the butter through a fine mesh strainer. Set the butter aside until ready to use.
- Add the ricotta and maple syrup to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment (or a mixing bowl and whisk by hand) and pulse until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
- Use a spatula to spread the ricotta on a serving dish and top with the roasted carrots. Drizzle the chili butter over the top and garnish with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Nutrition:
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These carrots are decadent! And SO easy to make! I have served them solo at a pot luck and as the only side to my first attempt at Beef Wellington and everyone raved in both cases ❤️
So happy to hear that!! Thank you Blythe!! Oh I love beef Wellington! Sounds like a winning combination!
These were a favorite at Thanksgiving and very easy to make. Highly recommend!
I broke the unspoken rule and made a NEW recipe on Thanksgiving! So glad it was ROASTED CARROTS WITH WHIPPED RICOTTA AND CHILI BUTTER! The recipe was super easy and had very few ingredient I easily had on hand. Also, the timing for roasting the carrots was perfect. While the turkey rested the carrots roasted! I wish I had followed the suggestion to strain the chili butter. Next time I will. Such a crowd pleaser/new tradition made!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed Kate! Thanks for sharing!! Love when a new recipe works out well!!
Tried this tonight. Easy & simply delicious!
So happy to hear it Stacey! Thank you for sharing!
This is so good! I used 1/2 c of cottage cheese and 1/2 cup of feta as a substitute for ricotta (because I didn’t have any) and it was so good, that that’s how I make it every time now. This is a great sides recipe to serve to dinner guests!
Ohh that is such a great note for the cottage cheese and feta! I can’t wait to give that combo a try, it sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
These are delicious. I top them with some pistachios for crunch. I will make these time and time again!
Thank you for sharing Tracey! Love the addition of pistachios – can’t wait to try that!
How many carrots in two “bunches”…what is a “ bunch”…?
Great question! A ‘bunch’ of carrots usually refers to the way they’re sold with the greens still attached — typically about 6 medium carrots per bunch. So for this recipe, you’ll want roughly 12 carrots total, depending on their size. I like to cut any larger carrots in half lengthwise.
These carrots are a freaking hit in my household. Once you know how to make them, you won’t be roasting carrots any other way. They are so easy to whip up – pun intended 😉 I love the balance of flavors – you can definitely kick up the heat if that’s your style. You’ll be licking the plate after this one!
I am so happy to hear you found the recipe easy to follow and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!!