Dappled with hues of starburst orange and muted greens, this roasted carrots and fennel puree looks as good as it tastes. Roasted fennel brings out a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the earthy goodness from the roasted carrots.
This roasted carrots and fennel puree recipe is: Gluten Free, Paleo, Primal, Low Carb and Wheat Belly friendly.
Roasted Carrots and Fennel Puree Recipe
The color from this recipe really is amazing. It is speckled with bright orange from the roasted carrots and drab green from the roasted fennel. When you add the sprig of fresh fennel frond to the top, it just pops on the table. I’m always in the corner of “taste is what matters” vs. “you eat with your eyes” but in this case, we get to have our cake and eat it too.
Yes, not only does this little side dish look fantastic, it is just layered with flavor. You’ll find the nutty goodness from the caramelized fennel melts in your mouth. It is paired perfectly with the earthy sweetness which comes from the simple process of roasting carrots. The thyme balances the sweetness with its herbaceous floral notes while simultaneously the flavor is rounded out with a touch of coconut milk. There will never be leftovers from this simple side dish.
There’s no dairy in this dish at all. You can add in butter if you want (not sure why, but people love buttery carrots too!) but stick with the coconut milk rather than switching to cream. Coconut milk adds a subtle creamy coconut flavor which really rounds out this recipe. You can used canned or boxed coconut milk which is typically located in the baking aisle of the grocery store near the condensed milk. Please don’t confuse coconut milk with coconut water- they are completely different!
QUICK COOKING TIP: I roast the carrots and fennel together in the oven. They caramelize at just about the same time, which is really nice. I’ve tried roasting broccoli and cauliflower on the same pan only to find that my broccoli is done way ahead of the cauliflower. You don’t have to keep the carrots and fennel separated as I have done in the picture. Go ahead and mix them up together, along with the thyme sprigs, and get them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Be prepared for your kitchen to smell incredible too!
Ok- let’s get to this roasted carrots and fennel puree…
The carrots and fennel are ready to get roasted in the oven. Roast the fresh thyme sprigs right along with them!
The roasted carrots and fennel have been stirred throughout cooking. Note the thyme has released most of its leaves.
- 8-10 Carrots peeled and roll cut
- 1 Fennel Bulb trimmed, cored and sliced
- 6-7 Sprigs Thyme
- 4 TBSP Olive Oil divided
- 1/2 Cup Beef Stock
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
- Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a bowl, add in the carrots, half of the thyme sprigs, half of the olive oil, a good pinch of salt and six or seven cranks of pepper. Stir to coat all the carrots with the oil and spices. Pour onto the lined baking sheet in a single layer. Repeat for the Fennel.
- Roast in the oven for 1 hour or until caramelized. Remove from the oven and discard all the thyme stems.
- Add to a food processor or use an immersion blender. Roughly blend first, then add in the beef stock and coconut milk. If the mixture is too thick, add in a bit more beef stock.
- To really make the flavor pop on this dish, add it to a non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally for five minutes taking care not to burn the puree. This really adds a lot of dimension to the dish!
- Taste, adjust your seasonings, taste again and serve hot!
Final thoughts on the Roasted Carrots and Fennel Puree recipe:
There are a couple things about this delicious side dish you should keep in mind. The first that comes to mind is that you can make this several days ahead and it will keep wonderfully in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply place in a non-stick pan and mix for several minutes over medium heat until warmed. If you want to warm it in the oven, I would add some kind of cooking fat (either bacon fat or butter) to the top and cover tightly with foil so that it doesn’t lose too much moisture.
This recipe was originally made with my Boneless Beef Chuck Roast which has a sweet, flourless onion gravy. The beef with the roasted carrots and fennel puree went together like eggs and bacon. Just perfect. You could also pair this side dish with Flat Iron Seared Steak or Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken.
I’m always here to help too- if you have questions or comments, be sure to post them up!
These took a while to make. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they were incredible. Will make again.
Hey Rob:
It’s a bit time consuming, but seeing my kids’ faces while eating it makes it worth every minute spent in the kitchen.
Thanks for sharing.
Happy eating!
Scott