This roasted harissa-maple carrot puree combines the best flavors–sweet, spicy, creamy, and smoky–thanks to harissa, maple syrup, and mascarpone cheese.
This roasted harissa-maple carrot puree is so easy to prepare and tastes so rich. You can pair it with most anything. Try it with pork chops or with roast chicken. You could even serve it with a poached fish, like cod.
This carrot puree is easy, like, super duper easy. All you’ll do is roast carrots in the oven until tender. After that, toss everything in a food processor and pulse until creamy. Yes, this harissa-maple carrot puree is THAT simple!
Riffs and Substitutions:
Do you want to customize this puree? Go right ahead! Instead of carrots, try it with parsnips or beets. You can replace maple syrup with honey or brown sugar too. If you don’t have mascarpone, use sour cream, créme fraîche, or even ricotta cheese. Either way, you’re going to love this sweet, spicy, smoky puree!
Roasted Harissa-Maple Carrot Puree
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 carrots (about 1½ to 2 pounds; scrubbed, peeled, tops trimmed)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
Instructions
Roast the carrots:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Place the carrots on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Use your hands to coat the carrots evenly in the oil. Season lightly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Blend the purée:
- Once tender, carefully transfer the carrots to a food processor along with ¼ cup mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon harissa paste, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until very smooth, scraping down the sides and pulsing again as needed. Taste and add more salt if needed.
To serve:
- Transfer the purée to a serving bowl and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Enjoy!
