Lightly charred grilled carrots topped with tangy basil vinaigrette and crunchy almonds are a great way to up your summer side dish game. 

Summer is basically made for grilled vegetables. We pretty much live off a rotation of grilled asparagus, zucchini and summer squash marinated in balsamic vinaigrette, and grilled corn on the cob.

I started dreaming about what other, less popular vegetables, could be grilled and landed on carrots. Roast carrots are amazing, so why not grill them? It turns out they take on that same smoky sweet flavor and get perfectly tender. You can leave it at that, but I took it a step further and drizzled these grilled carrots with a zippy fresh basil vinaigrette to give it the feel of a more composed side dish.

I’ll be honest and confess that we ate these on the side of burgers, but they’d also be great with a grilled steak or my favorite  Moroccan Spiced Lamb. You could also serve them over a bed of couscous or quinoa for an easy vegetarian meal  (give them a nice sprinkle of feta for even more flavor).

How to grill carrots

Grilling carrots is really easy, so I’m surprised they aren’t more popular.

Start by scrubbing a small bunch of carrots – there’s no need to peel them. (Don’t worry about getting fancy and using multi-colored carrots like I did; the orange ones tasted the best anyway. Promise.)

Light your grill to low heat and lay the carrots on the grates crosswise so they don’t fall through. Grill them for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them 2 or 3 times as they cook so each side gets charred. The carrots are done when they’re fork-tender.

The basil vinaigrette recipe below is a great way to use up basil from your herb garden, and it has a really nice bright flavor. If you don’t have access to fresh basil, you can use this pesto vinaigrette instead.

Grilled Carrots with Basil Vinaigrette

Yield: 4

Cook Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 small bunch carrots (about 8)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (optional)

For the Vinaigrette

• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Lightly brush the carrots with olive oil. Grill over low heat, turning occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until tender and lightly charred.

While the carrots cook, prepare the vinaigrette. Add the shallot, garlic, basil, and vinegar to your blender. Blend on high, slowly drizzling in the oil, for about 45 seconds or until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, drizzle the carrots with vinaigrette. If desired, sprinkle with almonds.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving Calories 169 Total Fat 15g Saturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 250mg Fiber 2g Sugar 4g Protein 1g