The Best! Crunchy Parmesan Carrots with Salsa Verde

Talk about reaching for a carrot. Good grief these things are great – like, SO so delicious. These Crunchy Parmesan Carrots (I call them spiced Frico Carrots, because that’s really what they are) are my take on the viral TikTok parmesan carrots, and I’m very excited to share them with you. Carrots are generously spiced and coated in a combo of grated parmesan and shredded fontina cheese (my favorite cheese to cook with … see this casserole and this chicken dish for proof). Then, into the oven they go to magically morph into what are probably the best carrots I’ve ever made. The incredible Italian salsa verde sets the whole thing off, making for a truly unforgettable dish.

Okay so. A “frico” if you’ve never had or made one, is simply a cracker of sorts, made from nothing more than grated or shredded parmesan cheese. I love them, but I think that’s true for pretty much everyone who’s ever had one. I use them in my Fried Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Crispy Cheddar, swapping cheddar in for the parmesan. I also use them in my Best Roasted Broccoli with Crispy Parmesan and Pine Nuts.

Why We Love These Crunchy Parmesan Carrots (yes, like the TikTok carrots)

In my new book Southern Lights, (ahem, was just released two weeks ago, ah!), I use fricos to mimic fried chicken skin in a tasty “frico chicken” recipe that I love. Also! I shared this Two-Ingredient Parmesan Baked Zucchini and it uses a similar method as today’s carrots. So anyway, using grated or shredded cheese in different ways is a very easy way to create texture and wonderful flavor in so many things. Today? It’s all carrots.

Furthermore and not for nothing, this recipe has a pretty big “wow” factor for being so simple to make. Bu just adding in one easy step (the parmesan dunking), you really do level up the basic roasted carrot in a hurry. It’s so satisfying, you know?

Also, this method can be applied to more than just a carrot, as I mentioned before. It’s fantastic with Brussels Sprouts and artichokes, and I’ve got my eyes on doing something similar with beets and radishes. Or, maybe everything, everywhere, all at once and we can call it a Frico Misto. Okay, yes. That’s going to happen at some point.

Crunchy Parmesan Carrots: What’s in the spice blend?

I made up a little spice blend for these carrots that gives them a decidedly Italian feel, what with the dried Mediterranean herbs, olive oil, and garlic. The paprika isn’t so Italian, but it helps develop some nice color and crust on the carrots, so it needs to be there. I like to keep salt out of my spice blends (usually), so I can go in and season everything with salt at the end, after I’ve already tossed in the magical spice blend.

Just know that you can absolutely tweak these spices as you see fit. Using smoked paprika would be cool – oh, and smoked cheddar instead of fontina! That’d build up a nice smoky dish that I now feel like I need to try (note to self).

• paprika
• garlic powder (it won’t burn like fresh garlic would)
• dried Italian herbs

Why are the TikTok Parmesan Carrots so popular?

It’s the texture for me. And I’d assume that’s the case for most anyone who’d tried a version of these crunchy parmesan carrots. Carrots are, incidentally, just about my favorite veggie to work with, as they’re wildly versatile. See my Sticky Hot Honey Buttered Carrots, or my Balsamic Pasta with Tangled Carrots for evidence of this truth. So, I personally think they’re great but a lot of people don’t share my carrot enthusiasm. I think to a lot pf people, carrots are just okay. Medium good. A real take ’em or leave ’em sort of food.

But I can just about guarantee that you won’t want to leave these carrots. No not ever. They’re crunchy and salty and deeply flavorful.

What makes these crunchy parmesan carrots different than the viral version?

I usually can’t help myself when it comes to tinkering with popular recipes. I like to understand what it is about them that makes them so “viral” and then see which parts I can play around with. Here are a few things I did to stretch the base recipe a bit, making it my exact perfect thing

1. I like to keep my crunchy parmesan carrots big and long here, rather than cutting them up. This maintains their whole shape for a dramatic presentation. They’re like a fork-and-knife sort of carrot situation, which is cool so far as carrots can be.
2. I went for a more Italian vibe here, nixing the cumin in the viral recipe for a blend of dried herbs and garlic, and adding a fantastic Italian style dipping sauce.
3. I use a blend of two cheeses for two reasons. Firstly, the grated parmesan creates that crispy crust and it lends a salty bite to things. Secondly, fontina (again, my favorite cheese) gets a little more cozy and melty under those carrots. It expands a bit, creating true fricos under the carrots and connecting them in a way that it utterly delightful. That said, you could swap in white cheddar if you like … save a few bucks maybe.
4. Salsa verde! These carrots don’t need a sauce, but man does it all go together beautifully.

What You’ll Need to Make these Crunchy Parmesan Carrots

One of the most delicious ways to enjoy carrots EVER, these roast up in dramatic long strips, coated in a flavorful spice blend and tons of shredded parmesan and fontina cheese – creating a dramatic crust that makes for a truly memorable side dish or a unique, unexpected appetizer. 

INGREDIENTS

• 16 ounces carrots, halved lengthwise (no need to peel)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian or Mediterranean seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• 6 ounces grated parmesan cheese
• 4 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (you can sub a white cheddar)

For the salsa verde

• The leaves from ½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 6 or 7 leaves of fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 2 anchovies or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
• Salt and pepper

*If your carrots came with leafy green tops – use those here!

How to make these Spiced Italian Frico Carrots

These crunchy parmesan carrots are very simple to make and go a little something like: split carrots lengthwise and toss in oil and spices. Coat the cut side in cheese and roast up on a bed of yet more cheese. It’s all so very GREAT and one of the better things to happen to carrots.

Crunchy Parmesan Carrots DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
2. Working in a large baking dish or sheet pan, toss the carrots with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and some salt and pepper to taste. You can adjust these seasonings to suit your taste, just get them nice and coated. 
3. Sprinkle a layer of the shredded fontina all over a large sheet pan. Put the grated parmesan on a plate. Dip/coat the cut side of each carrot in the grated parmesan and lay them all side by side on top of the shredded fontina, you want them almost touching.
4. Roast the carrots until golden brown and the cheese is melty and visibly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow them to cool for several minutes before transferring them to a serving plate/platter, as the cheese will firm and crisp up as it cools. Serve with the salsa verde for drizzling or dipping. 

For the Salsa Verde

Combine the parsley, basil, capers, anchovies, vinegar, garlic, and olive oil in a blender, and season with salt and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth, adding more oil if needed to get things moving. Transfer to a small bowl to serve.

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