your seasonal vegetable fix is here – with this rainbow roasted carrot with citrus marinated fennel + arugula recipe

I am a sucker for different color vegetables: orange cauliflower! white asparagus! purple brussels sprouts! black kale!

While it may seem like a novelty to some, for me, it adds a fresh new element to a vegetable I’ve cooked hundreds of times. And while all vegetables tend to be available year round these days, their colorful counterparts are usually available only when in season.

And out of all the vibrant hued produce available, rainbow carrots are my favorite.

They don’t taste any differently, put I can guarantee they’ll add a little pep to your plate.

If you don’t regularly cook with carrots with the tops attached (regardless of their color), I encourage you to try it out, as they have a sweeter and more pronounced ‘carroty’ taste. I chop off most of the greens (you can save them to make a pesto or put into smoothies), wash them really well, and I just peel off where the green attaches to the carrot to remove any stuck on dirt.

This recipe may seem a little fancy, but it takes all of 25-30 minutes (depending on how fast you are at washing/chopped carrots). It’s great served fresh when the carrots are warm from the oven and the fennel is crisp and cool on top. But also feel free to make ahead of time and serve room temperature – the flavors will get a chance to blend together better.

While the carrots roast, thinly slice the fennel (you can find the hand slicer I use here to make this step super simple) and marinate it with the citrus juice, salt, and a bit of oil. I used blood orange for fennel shown in the picture, which is why it has a little bit of a pink tone.

When the carrots are finished, add the arugula right to the pan, and top with the prepared fennel.

It’s a dish sure to brighten up your midweek meals – or to be the star of a special occasion meal.