46 Recipes for Carrot and Carrot Greens (AKA Carrot Tops)

This summer, I’ve been volunteering most Saturday mornings at Sustainable Nantucket’s Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market. Some weeks they have me taking photos of the purveyors while other times I play bouncer, making sure everyone enters and exits the market where they’re supposed to (and wears a mask, of course)! After my shift, I shop, and the one item I can’t seem to get enough of lately is beautiful bunches of carrots with their frilly leaves intact. They are gorgeous … not to mention, delicious. And clearly as you’ll see in this roundup of 46 Carrot and Carrot Greens recipes, I’m not the only one obsessed with carrots.

Carrots are crunchy and slightly sweet and they’re versatile, making their way into everything from kid-friendly muffins and sophisticated baked oatmeal to unusual sauteed carrot greens. And they are nutrition superstars. One medium carrot has about 25 calories, 6 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber. Carrots are rich in vitamin  as well as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, which get converted in the body to make even more vitamin A. Carrots also contain potassium, vitamins C and K, calcium, and phosphorus. And the carrot tops (AKA greens, AKA leaves) have a similar nutritional profile to carrots; they are rich in vitamin A, C, K, and potassium.

Don’t toss those greens. Reduce food waste by using the whole carrots and their leafy tops. Carrot tops can be used in soups, salads, and pesto, and you can also saute them. I’ve got a bunch of recipes below, so keep on reading!

A word about rainbow carrots:
Rainbow carrots get their color from different antioxidant compounds, so the health benefits vary by color. Orange carrots are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant good for eye health and vision; purple carrots contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and immune support; yellow carrots contain lutein, which is also good for eye health; and red-colored carrots have lycopene, which may help to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

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Carrots are available year round nationwide, and their seasonality varies by region. Here in New England, we find locally-grown carrots as early as April, but they are at their peak in the spring and summer months.

Raise your hand if you’re also obsessed with this humble vegetable?

Beverages

Carrot Juice from Shahzadi at Desi-licious RD (shown above)

Carrot Ginger Turmeric Mimosa from Ginger at Champagne Nutrition

Oatmeal

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats from Sharon at The Plant-Powered Dietitian (shown above)

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal from Chelsey at Chelsey Amer Nutrition

Tropical Carrot Cake Oatmeal from Laura at Being Nutritious

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats from Kara Lydon, RD

Carrot Cake Oatmeal from Jenna at Manitoba Milling Co.

Bites, Muffins, Waffles, Cookies, and Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Energy Bites from Sarah at Bucket List Tummy (shown above)

Morning Glory Veggie Muffins from Jenna at Make Healthy Easy

Soft & Fluffy Banana Carrot Muffins from Colleen at Colleen Christensen Nutrition

Carrot Cake Muffins from Jenny at My Cape Cod Kitchen (shown above)

Dairy-Free Carrot Cake Waffles from Maria at Halsa Nutrition

Carrot Spice Cupcakes from Sharon at The Plant-Powered Dietitian (shown above)

Oatmeal Toddler Cookies from Josten at Muscle and Manna

Roasted Carrots

Extra Gingery Roasted Rainbow Carrots from Emily at Sinful Nutrition (shown above)

Roasted Beets & Carrots with Creamy Garlic Dill Sauce from Laura at Being Nutritious

Ginger Maple Mustard & Herb Roasted Carrots from Andrea at Beautiful Eats & Things

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto from Stacie at The Real Food RDs (shown above)

Cumin behavior from Lisa at Sound Bites Nutrition

Sweet and Spicy Turmeric Roasted Carrots from Leanne Ray, RDN

Roasted Orange Ginger Carrots from Sharon at The Plant-Powered Dietitian (shown above)

Roasted Carrots from Heather Mangieri, RDN

Carrot Tops (AKA carrot greens)

Sauteed Carrot Greens from Kristina at Fork in the Road (shown above)

Carrot Top Pesto from Chrissy at Snacking in Sneakers

Italian Pesto from Laura at My Family Fork

Nutty Carrot Top Pesto from Liz at Liz’s Healthy Table (shown above)

Soups

Carrot Ginger Soup from Julie at The Gourmet RD (shown above)

Turmeric, Ginger and Roasted Carrot Soup from Brittany at Your Choice Nutrition

Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup by Kristine at Veg Girl RD

The BEST Pressure Cooker Vegetable Soup from Laurel at Laurel Ann Nutrition

Spicy Cauliflower Soup with Carrots from Amy at Amy Gorin Nutrition

Salads

Simple Shaved Carrot and Fennel Salad from Lizzie at It’s a Veg World After All (shown above)

Carrot, Chickpea & Raisin Salad from Julie at The Gourmet RD

Balsamic Carrot Salad from Judy at LiveBest

Rainbow Vegetable Slaw Salad from Heather Mangieri, RDN

Easy Vinegar Coleslaw from Laura at Being Nutritious

Hummus and Dips

Roasted Carrots and Ranch Hummus from Jenna at Make Healthy Easy (shown above)

Red Lentil and Carrot Hummus from Lindsey at Tasty Balance Nutrition

Harissa-Roasted Carrot and Bean Dip from Liz at Liz’s Healthy Table (shown above)

Dinner Entrees

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie from Rebecca at Rebecca Bitzer and Associates

Roasted Chicken with Fennel, Carrots, & Dried Plums from Jessica Levinson, RD

Fries and Fritters

Easy Air Fryer Carrot Fries from Mary Ellen at Milk and Honey Nutrition (shown above)

Crispy Oven Fries from Laura at Being Nutritious

Carrot Hummus Fritters from Brittany at Your Choice Nutrition

Parmesan Carrot ‘Fries’ from Jennifer at Jennifer Hunt Nutrition

Zucchini Kohlrabi Carrot Fritters with Herb Yogurt Sauce from Kara Lydon, RD

Tell me about your favorite carrot recipes.