Curried Carrots in Tandoori Sauce
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We’re dressing up the humble carrot with these curried carrots in tandoori sauce! Tender grilled carrots are tossed in a creamy spiced yogurt sauce with slivered almonds, raisins, and cilantro. It’s an easy and super flavorful side dish and it’s ready in just 40 minutes!
These curried carrots in tandoori sauce are bold, flavorful, and anything but boring. I grill the carrots until they’re tender and lightly charred, then toss them in a creamy yogurt-based tandoori sauce that’s packed with warming spices. The result is a side dish that feels exciting enough for a party but easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
The sauce starts with plain Greek yogurt, brightened with lemon juice and a touch of honey for balance, then layered with freshly grated ginger and garlic. A blend of coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, chili powder, and sea salt gives it that unmistakable tandoori flavor—savory, aromatic, and just a little spicy. Once the carrots are coated, I finish them with slivered almonds for crunch, plump raisins for sweetness, and plenty of fresh cilantro to bring everything together.
It’s a combination that wins over even carrot skeptics. The carrots are easy to prepare, the sauce comes together quickly, and leftovers (if there are any) are just as good the next day. I often double the tandoori sauce and use it as a salad dressing, dip, or sandwich spread—it’s that good.
What is tandoori?
Tandoori refers to both a method of cooking (in a tandoor, or clay oven) and a curry-like spice blend. In this recipe, I make a tandoori yogurt sauce using ginger, garlic, turmeric, sweet paprika, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and curry powder.
How to cook curried carrots in a pan
We like to make this recipe on our BBQ outside during the summer or on a grill pan during the winter. You could also use an indoor grill.
To make the carrots in a pan, cook them with a little oil over medium heat until they are crisp-tender. Easy, peasy!
What to serve with curried carrots
Curried carrots in tandoori sauce are delicious and versatile! It’s a side dish that pairs naturally with other Indian dishes, but works well with many mains and makes a wonderful addition to a holiday table, too.
Indian dishes that pair well with curried carrots
Recipe FAQs
Can I make the tandoori sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! To save time, you can make the tandoori sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store it in a covered container in your fridge and pull it out when you’re ready to use it.
How long do leftovers keep in the fridge?
Store any leftover curried carrots in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It actually tastes great cold right out of the fridge!
Is tandoori spicy?
Tandoori has many warm notes but is typically not spicy. I use curry powder and chili powder in this recipe, which both vary quite a bit in their heat level. To play it safe, taste both your curry powder and chili powder, then adjust the amounts to your desired spiciness.
Curried Carrots with Tandoori Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Tandoori Sauce
- ¼ cup yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: coriander, sweet paprika, and salt
- ⅛ teaspoon EACH: cumin, turmeric, curry powder, and chili powder
- 1 clove garlic (very finely minced)
Grilled Carrots
- 1 lb carrots
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium heat and oil the grill. (See notes for making this recipe in a pan.) Mix all the tandoori sauce ingredients together in a large bowl then set it aside on your counter while you prep the rest of the recipe.¼ cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger, ¼ teaspoon EACH: coriander, sweet paprika, and salt, ⅛ teaspoon EACH: cumin, turmeric, curry powder, and chili powder, 1 clove garlic
- Cut the carrots so they are about 2 ½ inches long and ¾ inch thick and toss them with oil. Grill the carrots for 10 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender and have several grill marks on them.1 lb carrots, 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Place grilled carrots into the bowl with the tandoori sauce then add the almonds, raisins, and cilantro. Mix well then serve right away.¼ cup slivered almonds, ¼ cup raisins, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
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I love how simple the ingredients are, but these carrots are PACKED with flavor. Delicious
I used my homemade Shawarma Spice Mix so it all came together pretty quickly. served with roasted spatchcock chicken, and beets with their greens sautéed with bit of red wine vinegar & pickled peppers. tastes came together really well. Ginger, Honey and Garlic with Carrots always “the thing”, but with the addition of yogurt, raisins, and almond slivers… a meal in itself, truthfully.
I put these on the bbq tonight to serve next to some curry spiced bbq chicken. They were the perfect side!
Hi, is the tandoori sauce divided? How much do I need to toss the carrots and how much should I be mixing in at the end?
No just use the tandoori sauce that is leftover in the bowl after you toss the carrots in it. 🙂