It took me a long time to get behind cooked carrots. As a child I was crazy about raw carrots and was livid that anyone would ever mistreat my favorite vegetable by applying heat to them. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties and a friend made a lovely cumin dressed cooked carrot salad that I viewed cooking carrots as anything other than an abomination. And then in culinary school, I moved from tolerating them to appreciating them, becoming aware of how vital they are to mirepoix, the basis for most French dishes. Now I love cooked carrots, in stews and braises, and in salads, especially when warmly spiced and roasted until just softened.

In this recipe, we roast the carrots alongside radishes, another vegetable I loathed as a child. I imagine I was not alone in this, as raw radishes often taste sharp, peppery and astringent.  But roasted radishes lose their caustic bite and develop a milder taste. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in the radishes, resulting in a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and a softer texture, making them a delicious and unexpected addition to dishes.

Once the carrots and radishes are tossed in their spice blend and roasted, this salad comes together very quickly. Just toss those spiced beauties with cooked quinoa, mint, almonds and a very easy Miso Tahini Dressing. If you’re lukewarm on cooked carrots or radishes like I was, I wholeheartedly believe this salad will change your mind!