Despite their relatively long shelf life, we still throw away about 96,000 tonnes of carrots every year in the UK*, which equates to £100m worth of waste. But it doesn’t have to be that way – they’re so cheap and versatile, it’s well worth finding out how you can enjoy them with our top tips and tasty carrot recipes. *Source: WRAP
Keep carrots in a perforated bag in the fridge. To give them an extra-long shelf life, wrap them in wet kitchen paper first. If you don’t need many, consider buying them loose so you’re not left with half a bag going limp at the bottom of the fridge. Chop fresh carrots into crudités and enjoy with herby houmous or, for a simple roast side dish, toss them with garlic and herbs and bake until tender.
Unless they’re very old, carrots can just be scrubbed rather than peeled. There are plenty of nutrients in the skin, so if you do peel them, try to remove as little as possible. If your carrots do go limp or develop a white blush, trim off the ends and soak them in a bowl of iced water before using to rehydrate and crisp them up again. You can then roast them to include in a warm couscous or rice salad – try this roasted carrot and grain salad recipe – ideal as a nutritious, filling lunch.
Upgrade your morning juice with vibrant carrots for an easy way to get more fruit and veg into your day. Try them with tropical pineapple and mint or, if you like a little more spice, whizz up this carrot cake smoothie with warming ginger.
Transform leftover carrot into beautiful burgers, a surprisingly satisfying veggie dinner that everyone will love. Grate and pair with courgette, halloumi and spring onion for carrot burgers with vibrant, fresh flavour, or mould into burger patties with crumbly feta and bake to perfection. For a totally vegan feast, these peanut butter burgers with zingy lime are a guaranteed winner.
If your carrots have gone soft, don’t throw them away! Soft raw carrots are great for blending into a comforting soup. Keep it classic with carrot and coriander, or turn up the heat with fiery ginger and turmeric. For a speedy soup that’s great for lunch, roast carrots, onion, chickpeas and garlic in oil with thyme and seasoning until the chickpeas are crisp and the rest are soft. Transfer to a pan, reserving a handful of chickpeas, and add enough stock to just cover. Blitz until smooth; top with the crispy chickpeas to serve.
Carrots make a great addition to both sweet and savoury bakes. From classic carrot cake to cinnamon-spiced muffins, there’s so many ways to create sweet treats with surplus carrots. If you’re feeling adventurous, why not have a go at this tasty courgette and carrot bread, which is a great way of getting kids eating more veg. For an afternoon snack, these carrot cake oat bars will definitely hit the spot.
Got leftover cooked carrots from your Sunday roast? Turn them into a delicious carrot mash with tarragon, perfect for serving with hearty mustard lamb chops or topping a cottage pie. For a meaty twist, fry bacon until crisp, then roughly chop and set aside. Boil potatoes until soft, then mash with leftover cooked carrots, butter, milk and some seasoning. Stir in Dijon mustard, the bacon pieces and roughly chopped parsley to serve.
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