Roasted Carrot and Pepper Tapenade

Who says you can’t have a great tapenade in the middle of winter? Well, you can and this recipe is perfect for chasing away those winter blues.  This tapenade is bright and fresh and screams summer, especially when served with crisp, raw vegetables.  It’s a nice departure from the hearty winter stews and meat dishes that we’ve been eating for the last couple of months. 

In this recipe, I use vegetables that are available, affordable and taste good even though it’s the dead of winter. Sorry tomatoes and basil, you don’t make the cut this time of year.  Instead, I use a combination of carrots and red, yellow or orange bell peppers. They turn beautifully sweet when roasted and are a nice balance against the salt and acidity of the red wine vinegar.  

To start, pre-heat your oven to 400 deg F. Next wash, de-seed and quarter two bell peppers (use yellow, orange or red bell peppers). Wash and chop two large carrots into small (half inch-sized) pieces. Place vegetables on a sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix the vegetables with your hands to ensure they are evenly coated in the oil and salt. Roast the vegetables in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until the peppers are charred and the carrots are soft. Halfway through the roasting process, give the vegetables a quick stir so they brown well on both sides. Once the vegetables are done, set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

Next, grab your trusty food processor or blender and process ⅓ cup of raw almonds until chopped finely.  Add the cooled roasted vegetables, along with ⅓ cup of packed cilantro, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and a ¼ cup of olive oil. Purée until smooth. Enjoy with raw vegetables, tortilla chips or as a sandwich spread. This tapenade will keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Carrot and Pepper Tapenade

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Ingredients

• 2 yellow, orange or red bell peppers, de-seeded and quartered
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ½ inch discs
• 1 tbsp olive oil plus ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• ⅓ cup raw almonds
• ⅓ cup cilantro
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Pre-heat over to 400°F.
• Wash and de-seed bell peppers. Wash, peel and chop carrots into ½ inch discs. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast for 18-20 minutes or until vegetables are charred and soft. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• In a food processor, chop almonds until fine. Add cooled vegetables, cilantro, red wine vinegar, salt and remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
• Serve with raw vegetables, tortilla chips, or as a spread on sandwiches and enjoy!