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Home » Recipes » Grilled Carrots with Lemon and Thyme (Vegan + GF)

Grilled Carrots with Lemon and Thyme (Vegan + GF)

Aug 4, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 2 Comments

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Looking for a plant-based BBQ recipe that's a bit different? Try these grilled carrots with lemon and thyme. Sweet, smoky, and surprisingly tasty, they're a great addition to your summer vegan sides or appetisers.

Grilled Carrots on BBQ

Barbecuing carrots may sound like the most vegan thing ever, but I refuse to apologise for it. You really shouldn't knock them til' you've tried them.

They won't change your life. They won't replace your favourite meal. But they will add an interesting twist to your next barbecue.

If you're looking for more meat-free grilling ideas, check out these recipes for teriyaki aubergine (eggplant), tofu steaks, and grilled king oyster mushrooms.

I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

Marinated Carrots on Grill

Are grilled carrots good?

Grilled carrots have a depth of flavour and sweetness that you simply don't get when eating them raw. The lemon and thyme notes from the marinade in this recipe give them another subtle twist.

Some light charring also adds a nice smokiness and crispness to the outside of the grilled carrots – just be careful not to overdo it.

Are grilled carrots healthy?

Carrots, Lemon, Thyme, Olive Oil

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. They are also a good source of several B vitamins, as well as vitamin K and potassium.

The fat in this recipe comes from the extra-virgin olive oil, which you could swap for another oil or leave out altogether. Just be aware that the carrots are more likely to burn on the grill without the oil.

Marinating the carrots

In a large freezer bag or bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Peel the carrots and remove the ends. Cut each carrot lengthways into approx. 4 slices, around ½ cm thick. For larger carrots, cut these in half first before slicing lengthways.

Carrots Marinating in Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and Thyme

Add the sliced carrots to the marinade bag/bowl. Take a minute to coat the carrots evenly in the mix (a freezer bag makes it easy to move everything around). Leave to sit for around 1 hour on the work surface or in the fridge.

If using a bag, remember to wash it out and reuse in future!

Grilling on the barbecue

Preheat the barbecue/grill to a medium heat (not too hot or else the carrots will quickly burn). Add the carrot slices and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side, doing this in batches if necessary.

Before flipping over, brush lightly with some of the marinade.

The cooking time will vary slightly depending on how hot your barbecue/grill is and how soft you want the carrots to be. For a little bit of bite in the middle, 5 minutes on each side should be plenty.

Once the carrots have turned golden-yellow with a few light char marks, remove from the heat. Drizzle over some of the leftover marinade and serve.

Grilled Carrots on BBQ

Frying in a griddle pan

Heat the griddle pan on low/medium heat. Add the carrot slices and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side, doing this in batches if necessary. Before flipping over, brush lightly with some of the marinade.

Once the carrots have turned golden-yellow with a few light char marks, remove from the heat. Drizzle over some of the leftover marinade and serve.

Roasting in the oven

This recipe is all about getting carrots on the grill, but you could also just roast them in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F), then add the carrots to a roasting tin and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender. You may prefer to cut the carrots into larger chunks rather than slices, in which case you'll need to increase the cooking time accordingly.

Serving suggestions

Grilled Carrots on Plate with Salad

These grilled carrots are a nice little addition to any larger barbecue meal. I like to drizzle over what's left of the lemon and thyme oil marinade, but you could also garnish with fresh herbs such as coriander or parsley.

Other serving suggestions include:

  • Crispy baked potato wedges
  • Quinoa salad
  • Vegan scalloped potatoes (dauphinoise)
  • Cous cous
  • Easy roasted cauliflower

Recipe FAQ

Do I have to marinate the carrots?

It's not essential, but I'd recommend at least brushing them with oil before cooking.

How long will the carrots keep in the fridge?

If you have leftover grilled carrots, these will keep in the fridge for up to a week (but will be better the sooner you eat them).

Can I freeze them?

While you can certainly freeze the carrots, I'd recommend throwing them into a soup or stew instead.

Variations and tips

  • Slicing the carrots: If you're struggling to cut the carrots without them moving around, start by cutting a thin slice on one side then place the flat side down on the chopping board. 
  • Thyme: If using dried thyme, replace the tablespoon of fresh leaves with one teaspoon of dried. 
  • Other herbs: You could use other woody herbs such as rosemary, or softer herbs such as coriander, parsley, or dill. If using softer herbs, sprinkle these over at the end instead of adding to the marinade.
  • Olive oil: You could swap this for another oil or leave it out altogether – just be aware that the carrots are more likely to burn on the grill without the oil.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

  • Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
  • Grilled King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
  • Teriyaki Grilled Aubergine
  • Rainbow Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
  • Courgette and Carrot Salad with Peanut Dressing
  • Easy Hummus Recipe
  • Vegan Rice Paper Rolls
  • Carrot and Ginger Soup

You can also check out my full list of vegan BBQ recipes.

Grilled Carrots on BBQ

Grilled Carrots with Lemon and Thyme (Vegan + GF)

The Pesky Vegan
These grilled carrots with lemon and thyme are sweet, smoky, and surprisingly tasty. A great vegan side dish for any barbecue.
5 from 1 vote
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Marinating Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Course BBQ, Side, Side Dish
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 6
Calories 38 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 4 large carrots
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
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Instructions
 

Marinade

  • In a large freezer bag or bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Peel the carrots and remove the ends. Cut each carrot lengthways into approx. 4 slices, around ½ cm thick. For larger carrots, cut these in half first before slicing lengthways.
  • Add the sliced carrots to the marinade bag/bowl. Take a minute to coat the carrots evenly in the mix (a freezer bag makes it easy to move everything around). Leave to sit for around 1 hour on the work surface or in the fridge.

BBQ/grill

  • Preheat the barbecue/grill to a medium heat (not too hot or else the carrots will quickly burn). Add the carrot slices and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side, doing this in batches if necessary. Before flipping over, brush lightly with some of the marinade.
  • The cooking time will vary slightly depending on how hot your barbecue/grill is and how soft you want the carrots to be. For a little bit of bite in the middle, 5 minutes on each side should be plenty. Once the carrots have turned golden-yellow with a few light char marks, remove from the heat. Drizzle over some of the leftover marinade and serve.

Griddle pan

  • Heat the griddle pan on low/medium heat. Add the carrot slices and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side, doing this in batches if necessary. Before flipping over, brush lightly with some of the marinade. Once the carrots have turned golden-yellow with a few light char marks, remove from the heat. Drizzle over some of the leftover marinade and serve.
Rate this recipe 👇

Notes

Marinade: I like to give the carrots up to an hour in the marinade, as it lets the olive oil and lemon juice soak in before cooking. If you don't want to marinate the carrots, I'd recommend at least brushing them with some oil before cooking. 
Slicing the carrots: If you're struggling to cut the carrots without them moving around, start by cutting a thin slice on one side then place the flat side down on the chopping board. 
Thyme: For one tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme leaves, you'll need anywhere from 5-10 sprigs depending on the size. If using dried, the recommended ratio is approx. 3:1 (so replace the tablespoon with one teaspoon of dried). 
Other herbs: You could use other woody herbs such as rosemary, or softer herbs such as coriander, parsley, or dill. If using softer herbs, sprinkle these over at the end instead of adding to the marinade.
Reuse your freezer bag: If using a freezer bag for the marinade, remember to wash it out and reuse in future. We keep one at home that we wash and reuse every time we cook something like this. Note that acidic ingredients may weaken the bag over time, but you should be able to get at least a few uses out of it.
Oven-roast: This recipe is all about getting carrots on the grill, but you could also just roast them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F), then add the carrots to a roasting tin and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender. You may prefer to cut the carrots into larger chunks rather than slices, in which case you'll need to increase the cooking time accordingly.
Olive oil: You could swap this for another oil or leave it out altogether – just be aware that the carrots are more likely to burn on the grill without the oil.
Storage: The grilled carrots will keep in the fridge for up to a week (but will be better the sooner you eat them). While you can certainly freeze the carrots, I'd recommend throwing them into a soup or stew instead.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
  • Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
  • Grilled King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
  • Teriyaki Grilled Aubergine
  • Rainbow Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
  • Courgette and Carrot Salad with Peanut Dressing
  • Easy Hummus Recipe
  • Vegan Rice Paper Rolls
  • Crispy Baked Falafel
 
The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of four servings (one whole carrot per portion as a side dish).

Nutrition

Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 28mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 6849IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Facts
Grilled Carrots with Lemon and Thyme (Vegan + GF)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 38 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Sodium 28mg1%
Potassium 137mg4%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 6849IU137%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 18mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword vegan barbecue, vegan carrot recipe, vegan foods for grilling
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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Comments

  1. Vicky

    October 04, 2020 at 1:37 pm

    5 stars
    What a great idea! Surprisingly delicious addition to the bbq.

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      October 05, 2020 at 9:08 am

      Agreed!

      Reply

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I'm Alistair and I'm The Pesky Vegan. I create new recipes every single week – always vegan, usually gluten-free.

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