This Silky Spiced Carrot Spread Outsmarts Pâté and Steals the Show
Silkier than liver pate and effortless to make, this roasted-carrot spread is the bright, budget-friendly upgrade your appetizers have been waiting for.
If the words carrot spread make you think of diet food, park that image. This roasted carrot pâté lands silkier than classic liver spread, tastes bright and toasty, and comes together with pantry spices. It is fully plant-based, loves a cocktail hour, and disappears fast on a plate of warm toast.
Ingredients (8 servings)
- Large carrots — 6–7 (about 1.5 kg)
- Large yellow onions — 2 (about 400 g)
- Garlic — 5 cloves (about 25 g)
- Almond flour — 50 g
- Vegetable oil — 50 ml, plus extra for roasting
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp
- Coriander seeds — 1/2 tsp
- Ground turmeric — 1/2 tsp
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper — to taste
How to make it
Heat the oven to 200°C. Quarter the onions so they roast evenly without collapsing into mush.
Set the carrots, onions, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan. Drizzle with a little oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss to coat. Wrap each carrot individually in foil so it steams and softens end to end. Wrap the onions and garlic together in two large foil packets. Slide everything into the oven and roast for 45 minutes.
Cool the vegetables until they are comfortable to handle. Finely chop them with a knife. A food processor or meat grinder works if you pulse gently — keep small, tender bits for texture rather than turning it into a smooth purée.
Make a quick spiced oil: warm 50 ml oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cumin and coriander seeds and let them bloom for about 2 minutes, just until fragrant. Add the turmeric, then take the pan off the heat.
Blend the spices directly in the warm oil with an immersion blender to break up the seeds and release their flavor fully. Season this aromatic oil with salt and black pepper.
Pour the spiced oil over the chopped vegetables and mix until everything looks glossy and evenly coated. Add the almond flour and fold again so it binds into a spreadable pâté. Chill before serving for the best set and flavor.
How to serve
Spoon onto hot toast, crisp crackers, or fresh bread. Finish with a shower of chopped herbs. It feels festive on a party board and just as right on a Tuesday lunch plate.