Sticky Miso Carrots with Herby Hummus

This stunning vegan centrepiece combines sticky miso carrots with a bright green herby hummus and quick-pickled radishes. It truly is the perfect combination of flavours and textures. The carrots pack a sweet, umami punch. The hummus brings both freshness and creaminess. And the pickled radishes add some much needed zing.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Ingredient Breakdown
• The Sweet-Savoury Balance: Miso and Carrots
• Herby Hummus: Freshness Meets Creaminess
• Tahini: The Unsung Hero of Hummus
• Serving Suggestions and Variations
• Final Thoughts

Introduction

This vibrant, vegan dish showcases a perfect balance of flavours and textures. Sweet, sticky miso-glazed carrots meet creamy, herbaceous hummus, with quick-pickled radishes adding the ideal zing to cut through the richness. Whether served as a main or an impressive side, this Sticky Miso Carrots recipe will elevate any meal with its bold contrasts and fresh ingredients.

Ingredient Breakdown

• Chantenay Carrots: These small, sweet carrots roast beautifully, becoming tender inside with a caramelised, sticky finish. Their natural sweetness pairs perfectly with the umami-rich miso glaze.
• White Miso Paste: A mild, savoury paste made from fermented soybeans. It adds depth and a touch of umami to the carrot glaze, balancing the sweetness of the agave nectar.
• Agave Nectar: A sweetener that helps the carrots caramelise in the oven, complementing the miso with a touch of natural sweetness.
• Radishes: Thinly sliced and pickled in a quick vinegar solution, these radishes bring a crisp, refreshing contrast to the richness of the dish.
• White Wine Vinegar: Used for quick-pickling the radishes, adding sharpness and brightness to the final dish.
• Sugar: A small amount balances the acidity in the pickling liquid, ensuring the radishes are tangy but not too harsh.
• Chickpeas: The base for the herby hummus, bringing creaminess and body. Use good-quality chickpeas for the smoothest result.
• Baby Spinach: Adds a subtle earthiness and a lovely green hue to the hummus, blending seamlessly with the herbs.
• Fresh Herbs: A mix of coriander, flat-leaf parsley, and chives adds a fresh, vibrant flavour to the hummus, complementing the carrots and radishes.
• Tahini: A crucial ingredient for the hummus. It provides creaminess and a nutty flavour.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: Brightens the hummus, cutting through its richness with a zesty hit.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used in both the hummus and to roast the carrots.
• Ice-Cold Water: A little trick for getting that perfect hummus texture—smooth and creamy without adding extra oil.

The Sweet-Savoury Balance: Miso and Carrots

Miso is a powerhouse ingredient when it comes to adding depth and complexity to otherwise simple dishes. In this Sticky Miso Carrots recipe, white miso is the star of the glaze, combining with agave nectar to create a sticky, golden coating that clings to the roasted carrots.

Chantenay carrots are ideal here because of their naturally sweet, delicate flavour. Roasting them enhances their sweetness, and the miso glaze brings a lovely savoury contrast. The glaze also helps caramelise the carrots, creating crispy edges while keeping the inside tender. The result is carrots that are far more than just a side dish—they become the centrepiece of the plate.

Herby Hummus: Freshness Meets Creaminess

The hummus in this recipe isn’t your standard fare. Adding spinach and fresh herbs lifts the flavour and gives it a vibrant green hue that contrasts beautifully with the sticky miso carrots. Using spinach in hummus is a great way to sneak in some extra greens without overwhelming the dish. The herbs—coriander, parsley, and chives—bring a brightness and freshness that complements the earthy chickpeas and nutty tahini.

The texture of the hummus is key. The combination of ice-cold water and quality tahini results in a creamy, smooth spread that doesn’t feel too heavy. While supermarket brands can be thick, clumpy, and even bitter, a good tahini will be smooth, balanced, and slightly nutty. This hummus provides the perfect creamy base for the carrots, acting almost like a sauce to balance out their intense flavour.

Tahini: The Unsung Hero of Hummus

It’s worth taking a moment to highlight the importance of good-quality tahini. Too often, store-bought hummus can be gritty, thick, and lacking in flavour. The issue usually lies with the tahini. Poor-quality tahini is often overly bitter, clumpy, and hard to work with. For this Sticky Miso Carrots dish, it’s essential to use smooth, pourable tahini, like those from Baracke, Al Nakhil, Al Taj, and Belazu. These brands produce tahini that is well-balanced and creamy, making all the difference in both texture and flavour.

If you’ve never worked with good tahini before, you’ll notice an immediate difference. It transforms hummus from something heavy into something light and almost fluffy, while still delivering that signature nutty richness.

The Role of Pickled Radishes: Adding Zing

Quick-pickling radishes is a simple but effective way to add a burst of flavour to the sticky miso carrots. Radishes are naturally peppery and crisp, but when sliced thin and soaked in a mix of white wine vinegar and sugar, they take on a tangy, almost sweet flavour. The acidity of the pickled radishes cuts through the richness of both the carrots and the hummus, adding a much-needed zing to the plate.

Pickling also softens the texture of the radishes, though they retain enough crunch to bring a textural contrast. It’s these layers of texture and flavour—caramelised, creamy, and crunchy—that make this dish so special.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

These Sticky Miso Carrots with Herby Hummus are perfect served as a vibrant side dish alongside something simple, like grilled meat or fish – like perhaps my Simple Lemon Chicken or Garlic and Chilli Butter Salmon. For an extra bit of crunch, you could sprinkle over some toasted sesame seeds or roasted chickpeas before serving.

To make it even more of a centrepiece, you could add a grain like freekeh or quinoa. This would turn this dish into Sticky Miso Carrots with Herby Hummus into a main. The carrots, hummus, and pickled radishes would pair beautifully with the nutty flavour of grains, and the whole dish could be served warm or at room temperature.

Another option is to serve the hummus as a dip alongside crusty bread or flatbreads, with the carrots and radishes arranged on top. This turns it into a more informal sharing dish, perfect for gatherings or picnics.

Final Thoughts

These sticky miso carrots with herby hummus and pickled radishes is a dish that surprises and delights with its contrasts. The sweet, umami-packed carrots, the creamy yet fresh hummus, and the tangy, crisp radishes work in harmony, creating a dish that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious.

This is the kind of recipe that’s impressive enough for guests but easy enough to make on a weekday evening. It’s proof that simple ingredients, when treated right, can create something truly special. So, whether you’re serving it as part of a larger meal or enjoying it on its own, this dish is sure to impress.