10 Delicious Ways To Enjoy The Best Tasting Carrots

One of the most common questions I get from customers, friends, family—basically anyone who ever tries our carrots—is WHY do these carrots taste so good?

The truth is our carrots just taste better, and even more so in the winter.

It is counter-intuitive, but the starches present at harvest convert into sugars over the course of the storage season.

And by March, we say “Wow! These carrots taste amazing!”

In fact I know this to be true because many of our CSA members tell us that we’ve “ruined grocery store carrots for them after being Winter CSA members.”

Our farm’s soil just seems to love growing carrots.

That's why they are our signature crop.  (And my favorite vegetable!)

The idea of organic farming is that the quality and health of the soil helps to determine the quality and taste of the vegetables grown in it.

About 85 percent of the United States carrot crop is grown in and around Bakersfield, California. And based on people’s reviews of carrots from the grocery store, their soil doesn’t love carrots like Ripley Farm’s does.

Maybe you have noticed a difference in taste between garden fresh and vegetables from the grocery store?

10 Delicious Ways To Enjoy The Best Tasting Carrots

This time of year is when the carrots taste at their absolute peak, so if you are building up your supply from the CSA or if you just want to get more of this beta carotene-rich golden sweetness into your life, this blog post is for you!  

I'm sharing with you our favorite fun 10 ideas to use more of them!  

#1  Roasted

This is our CSA members' favorite way to enjoy our farm's fresh carrots. Slice or keep them whole if baby sized and toss with salt and pepper as your most basic preparation, or optionally add garlic, dill or honey to change it up.  Roast on a baking sheet at 400 degrees until tender.  So, so, so sweet!

What to do with leftover roasted veggies?

1. You can freeze them after you roast them too.
2. Or puree them and use them as a soup base, as one CSA member does.  Mmmm!
3. Or make Roasted Carrot and Tomato Soup, found under 'Carrots' in our Vegetable Gallery.  (You can use frozen or canned tomatoes for this!)

#2  Shredded

Peel and shred carrots using a grater or if you're doing a lot, in the food processor.   Put them into a lidded container in the fridge to have on hand and use as needed. Honestly this is a great way to use carrots at our house. I find that when I have them shredded and ready to go I add to them SO many things!  Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Add to tacos.
2. Add to salads.
3. Or add them to slaw!  Use in combination with cabbage, or alone…this is a great way to use those flavorful gems. Make a slaw ahead of time and it will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge.  The Lemony Coleslaw found under 'Cabbage' is my latest obsession!

#3  Cut up with dip

Peel and cut up your carrots into sticks, ready for eating, and store them in the fridge in a lidded container. 

I know at least one CSA member with kids who does this and her kids can just go and get carrot sticks whenever they need a snack.  Good idea, right?  Pair it up with a dip idea below, and I can guarantee you that your family will be eating more veggies!

1. Make a homemade dip.  Here is my tutorial on how to do it with recipe examples.  I usually make a simple one and keep it in the fridge for quick snacking. 
2. Or even simpler, dip your precut carrot sticks into peanut butter or other nut butter.  Mmmm!  Surprisingly good, this get's snapped up quickly at our house.

#4  Fritters/veggie pancakes

This is a great way to use up extra veggies you may have in your fridge.  You can use carrots alone or in combination with other veggies including, zucchini, beets, potatoes, kohlrabi, onions, cabbage, etc. etc. etc. for a great tasting veggie pancake. Here are exmaples of our family's favorites:

1. Try Kohlrabi (and Carrot) Fritters, found under 'Kohlrabi'.
2. Or make Vegetable Pancakes, our family's favorite, found under 'Cabbage'.  Definitely make the sauce, too.

#5  Juiced

I will admit, this requires special equipment, and I often shy away from recommending recipes that do, but this one merits a mention.  Carrot juice made with our sweet carrots is simply amazingly rich and if you already own a juicer, you have to try it!  Juicing is a great way to get lots of nutrients from carrots without all the chewing! 

And this is the month to do it!  Farmer Gene bags up bulk bags of our seconds carrots, perfect for juicing enthusiasts.  If this speaks to you, check out how to order them here.

#6  With grains

This is great option because you can enjoy now or later. Carrot muffins and bread freeze well, so if you don’t eat it — throw it in the freezer! 

1. Think carrot muffins,
2. carrot bread,
3. carrot cake, 
4. or even oatmeal as in this recipe that a CSA member shared this week in our CSA's private Facebook group. 

#7  Hummus

Yes! A great way to increase your veggie consumption... Dip more veggies in more veggies!  Hummus is so easy to make, don't be mystified and feel you need to buy it!

1. Try this Carrot Hummus recipe found under 'Carrots'.
2. Or simply buy/make a hummus and dip your carrot sticks into it!  

#8  Freeze to enjoy later

If you're overloaded with carrots, the freezer can be a good choice.  For freezing, you've got a couple of options:

1. Blanch and freeze:  Carrots can be cooked in boiling water for a few minutes, then put into an ice bath to cool and then thrown into a freezer bag for storage. Keep in your freezer for the next 8-12 months! Then pull them out for a simple and fast buttered carrot side dish with honey and parsley.
2. Blanch, puree and freeze:  Blanch and puree those carrots and you can use them for a simple “mashed carrot” dish with some butter and salt. Or use them as a first food for baby and pack them into an ice cube tray.  It makes homemade baby food so easy!

#9  Pickled

Yes, you can pickle carrots just like cucumbers and cabbage.  You can pickle them alone or add them to your sauerkraut of kimchi!  Here are our favorite ways to ferment and quick pickle carrots:

1. Curried Carrot Sticks (Lacto-feremented) found under 'Carrots'
2. Ginger Carrots (Lacto-fermented) found under 'Carrots'
3. Korean Cabbage Pickle (Kimchi) found under 'Cabbage'
4. Or simply make refrigerator pickles aka quick pickles using this tutorial blog post.  

These are all easy and yummy ways to use carrots.  You'll be surprised at how fast they go... (!)

#10  Soup

Ahh, those of you who know me well, know that I just love soup.  Its my favorite food.  And carrots are my favorite veggie... So of course I had to save the best for last!!! 

So with your carrots, make carrot soup!  It's so easy, delicious, and a great way to use up extra carrots and/or get lots more veggies into your diet!  You can even freeze your homemade soup for later!  

It's so hard to pick, but here are a few of our family's favorite carrot soup recipes:

1. Carrot Cilantro Soup found under 'Carrots'
2. Carrot Ginger Soup found under 'Carrots'
3. Curried Carrot Soup found under 'Carrots'
4. Or even just throw them into a basic vegetable soup in combo with other winter veggies like potatoes, turnips, onions, garlic, cabbage, etc.  Can't go wrong with garden fresh flavor!

And that's it!  How about that?!  Makes me want to go get cooking some more carrots! 

What is your favorite way to use up delicious carrots?? 

Comment below and let me know if you're favorite way to use carrots is not listed here!