Spicy Carrots
Spicy Carrots offer a sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy flavor profile with crunchy textures, perfect as a refreshing side dish for family meals or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook carrots until tender-crisp.
- Drain the cooked carrots.
- Add sliced onion and bell pepper to the carrots.
- Heat tomato soup, sugar, vinegar, salad oil, Lea & Perrins, prepared mustard, salt, and black pepper together until hot.
- Pour the hot mixture over the carrot, onion, and bell pepper mixture.
- Cool the mixture and store it covered in the refrigerator.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature on a bed of lettuce.
Tips & Substitutions
To enhance the flavor, consider adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat. If you prefer a sweeter profile, you can substitute half of the vinegar with apple cider vinegar. For a healthier twist, swap the salad oil with a light olive oil or use less sugar to suit your taste. This recipe can also be adjusted to include other vegetables like zucchini or corn.
Serving Suggestions
This Spicy Carrots dish is perfect as a side for grilled meats or as a zesty topping for tacos. It pairs beautifully with California Peach-Mint Salsa for a refreshing contrast. For a complete meal, serve it alongside a green salad or with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Storage & Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The flavors will deepen as it sits. To serve, you can enjoy it cold directly from the fridge or let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor experience.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
Each serving of Spicy Carrots contains roughly 489 calories, with 8g protein, 72g carbohydrates, and 21g fat. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber (51% of the Daily Value), iron (37% of the Daily Value), and vitamin C (26% of the Daily Value), and a good source of protein. Note that it is relatively high in sodium, at 526mg per serving (23% of the Daily Value).
Estimated from ingredients & per-serving nutrition — verify against package labels for allergies or strict diets.
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe vegan?
Yes, this recipe can easily be made vegan by ensuring that your tomato soup is dairy-free. Additionally, you can replace the salad oil with a plant-based oil if desired.
How spicy is this recipe?
The spiciness can be adjusted based on your preference. The recipe as written provides a mild heat, but you can increase the amount of black pepper or add crushed red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
Can I freeze the Spicy Carrots?
While it is possible to freeze the dish, the texture of the vegetables may change upon thawing. It's best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated, but if you must freeze, use a freezer-safe container and consume within a month.
Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary with brand, portion and preparation — see our methodology. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or dietary advice (disclaimer).