Carrots take center stage in this inviting roasted carrot tart with whipped ricotta. A sweet layer of whipped ricotta on a buttery crust with thyme roasted carrots on top is the perfect way to highlight the bounty of the farmers market. It’s a vibrant main dish that’s easy to prepare and impressive to serve.
When I visit my local farmers market, the thing that speaks to me almost immediately is color. I love a pop of color in anything and everything–shoes, pillows, flowers, and most importantly, food. We eat with our eyes first, and for me that is so often about color that screams out to me.
So when I’m planning a romantic farmers market inspired meal, the first thing I’m grabbing at the market is usually the most colorful. In this case, it was these gorgeous many-hued carrots that practically called my name. I love the beauty and variety of shades here. And using different colored carrots in a beautiful tart feels immediately rustic and whimsical.
This roasted carrot tart is truly delicious as the roasting process brings out all the sweetness of these veggies. I am not a huge fan of rolling pie dough, so I use a shortcut here with store-made dough. If you love to roll, be my guest! After pre-baking the pie dough, I fill it with a sweet whipped ricotta layer that has just a hint of lemon. Then arrange the roasted carrots on top and bake! I like to garnish with some toasted walnuts and a drizzle of honey to bring this all together.
My beautiful tart is meant to be shared. I love to serve it at the table with a simple salad. I designed this tart as part of my Romantic Farmers Market Dinner Menu, which highlights the gorgeous produce I bought at the farmers market this week and is entirely vegetarian. That menu also includes a cucumber basil-forward signature cocktail and the most delicious blueberry lemon thyme crumble. All together, it’s a romantic and delicious meal to share with loved ones.
Try my carrot tart as part of this menu, or for any Spring and Summer hosting! It’s so gorgeous that it brings a little magic to any gathering.
Roasted Carrot Tart with Whipped Ricotta and Toasted Pecan
Ingredients
Method
- Start by roasting the carrots: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread the peeled carrots on a prepared baking sheet. Spread olive oil on top of the carrots. Then top with thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss them all together to evenly coat then spread the carrots out in an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized.
- Turn the oven down to 375ºF.
- Press the pie crust in a 9" pie pan. Trim the edges if necessary and crimp. Prick the bottom with a fork. Fill with parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Then remove the weights and bake another 5-7 minutes until lightly golden.
- In a food processor, whip the ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until light and creamy.
- Spread the whipped ricotta evenly over the baked pie crust. Arrange the roasted carrots on top. Have fun with this–arrange them in a specific way for an elegant look, or just pile them on for a beautiful rustic look. Don't overthink it. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes to warm.
- Remove from the oven and finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of toasted, chopped pecans. Cool slightly and serve.
Hosting Notes for Effortless Entertaining
- The tart is meant to be rustic, so don’t strive for perfection here. For the crust, feel free to make as beautiful or as simple as you like! My pan was a bit deep dish, so I just kept the edges straight.
- This goes for the carrot arrangement as well. I followed my instincts to make a pretty pattern. Just see how the carrots lay out and have fun with it.
- When roasting the carrots, make sure they’re fork tender–otherwise, the tart will be difficult to slice.
- I like toasted pecans on this one, but pistachios, walnuts, or pine nuts would be crunchy and perfect here too.
- The tart can be made entirely in advance. I like to serve it warm or room temperature, so pull it from the fridge in advance of serving and warm gently in the oven.
- There is a romantic rustic quality to this, particularly when served in the pie dish at the table.
- A drizzle of honey is a sweet garnish for this one.
A Dish Meant to Be Shared
My simple and delicious carrot tart was designed as part of my Romantic Farmer’s Market Dinner, which focuses on the bounty from the farmers market. It’s entirely vegetarian and so so delicious!
This tart would also make a lovely accompaniment to any Spring gathering. I think it would be particularly gorgeous served at brunch–try it with my Brunch for the First Signs of Spring. I could also see this as an addition to my Bright Early Spring Dinner Party Menu, which has the most delicious salmon and roasted grapefruit.
Or serve it with my Simple Arugula Salad (as I do at the Farmer’s Market Dinner), and add in a decadent dessert! Try my Raspberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake or my Strawberry Basil Crostata for a delicious lunch menu of your own.
