11 Sweet Potato and Carrot Recipes That Put Roots First

Sweet potato and carrot recipes lean on two roots that cook at the same pace, so they soften and brown together without much fuss. Sweet potato adds body and caramel edge, while carrot keeps things bright. The versions below take that base in different directions: soups, a curry, fritters, a casserole, and a raw slaw.

Start with Classic Sweet Potato Carrot Soup for a gentle weeknight bowl, go for Spicy Sweet Potato Carrot Curry when you want heat, and reach for Savory Sweet Potato Carrot Hash at breakfast. Sweet Potato Carrot Casserole with Oat Crumble covers big meals, and Crunchy Sweet Potato Carrot Slaw works for no-cook days.

Which Sweet Potato and Carrot Recipes Should You Make?

Classic Sweet Potato Carrot Soup

This is the version you make when you want a pot of soup that tastes like pure root vegetable, with no cream and no extra sweetness beyond the vegetables themselves. It freezes well, so a double batch is never a bad idea.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed: 700 g (1 1/2 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and sliced: 450 g (1 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 1 medium
• Garlic cloves, smashed: 2
• Vegetable stock: 1 litre (4 cups)
• Fresh thyme leaves: 1 tsp
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 minutes, until you see it turn glossy and soft, then stir in the 2 garlic cloves and 1 tsp thyme.

Step 2: Add the 700 g sweet potatoes and 450 g carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, turning once or twice, until the edges pick up a little color and you can smell the roots sweeten.

Step 3: Pour in the 1 litre stock, then add 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until a knife slides through a carrot without resistance when you test it.

Step 4: Turn off the heat. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, and you can add a splash of water if it looks too thick.

Step 5: Stir in the 1 tbsp lemon juice and taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot with a little olive oil on top, if you like.

Spicy Sweet Potato Carrot Curry

This one leans on coconut milk and a warm paste you bloom in the pot first, so the heat lands in the back of your throat instead of sitting on top. I keep the sauce slightly thick rather than brothy.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks: 800 g (1 3/4 lb)
• Carrots, sliced into half-moons: 450 g (1 lb)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Fresh ginger, grated: 1 tbsp
• Thai red curry paste: 3 tbsp
• Full-fat coconut milk: 2 cans (800 ml)
• Vegetable stock: 250 ml (1 cup)
• Lime juice: 2 tbsp
• Neutral oil: 2 tbsp
• Fine salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the 3 tbsp curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until you smell the paste deepen and the oil turns red.

Step 2: Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated ginger. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds, then add the 800 g sweet potatoes and 450 g carrots; you want each piece coated before the liquid goes in.

Step 3: Pour in the 2 cans coconut milk and 250 ml stock. Add 1 tsp salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes give easily to the tip of your knife.

Step 4: Mash a few sweet potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce, and leave the lid off for the last 5 minutes if you want it slightly sticky.

Step 5: Stir in the 2 tbsp lime juice and taste for salt. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with extra lime on the side if you have it.

Crispy Sweet Potato Carrot Fritters

Make these when you want a salty, crisp edge around a soft center. Don’t skip squeezing the grated vegetables dry, or the fritters will steam in the pan instead of browning.

Ingredients (makes 12 fritters)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and grated: 450 g (1 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and grated: 300 g (2/3 lb)
• Yellow onion, grated: 1/2 medium
• Garlic powder: 1 tsp
• Ground cumin: 1/2 tsp
• Eggs, beaten: 2 large
• All-purpose flour: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil, for frying: 120 ml (1/2 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Stir the 450 g grated sweet potatoes, 300 g carrots, and grated onion in a large bowl with 1 tsp salt. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then you can squeeze it by handfuls until the liquid releases and the shreds feel fairly dry.

Step 2: Return the squeezed vegetables to a clean bowl. Add the 2 beaten eggs, 60 g flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then stir until you have a thick batter that holds together when pinched.

Step 3: Heat the 120 ml oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Drop 2 tbsp mounds into the pan and flatten gently; you should hear a low sizzle, and after 3 minutes the bottoms will look browned.

Step 4: Flip each fritter with a wide spatula and cook 3 more minutes, until the second side is crisp and the center feels set when you press it.

Step 5: Drain the fritters on a rack or paper towel for a minute. Serve them hot while the edges are still crisp, and you can let everyone salt their own at the table.

Garlic Sweet Potato Carrot Mash

This is a softer, sweeter mash than plain potato, and a whole head of roasted garlic folded through at the end makes it feel far more interesting than the short work involved. I like it alongside roasted chicken or under a piece of fish.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed: 900 g (2 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and chopped: 350 g (3/4 lb)
• Garlic head, whole: 1
• Unsalted butter: 4 tbsp (60 g)
• Whole milk, warmed: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Fine salt: 1 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Fresh chives, chopped: 2 tbsp
• Olive oil: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 200C (400F). Slice the top off the garlic head, set it on foil, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, and wrap tightly; roast for 30 minutes while you cook the roots.

Step 2: Put the 900 g sweet potatoes and 350 g carrots in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 1 tsp of the salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes, until both roots fall apart when you prod them with a fork.

Step 3: Drain the vegetables and return them to the hot pot for a minute so the steam escapes; you want them dry, not watery. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the pot.

Step 4: Add the 4 tbsp butter and 120 ml warm milk, then mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and taste; you can adjust the seasoning here.

Step 5: Fold in the 2 tbsp chives and heap the mash into a serving bowl. Serve hot with an extra pat of butter on top if you like.

Roasted Sweet Potato Carrot Sheet Pan

This is the one for a crisp-edged tray of vegetables with almost no babysitting. The red onion and lemon slices turn jammy in the oven, and the smoky spice settles into all those little browned corners.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 2 cm cubes: 700 g (1 1/2 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces: 450 g (1 lb)
• Red onion, cut into wedges: 1 medium
• Lemon, thinly sliced: 1 small
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Ground cumin: 1/2 tsp
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven to 220C (425F) and slide your largest rimmed baking tray onto the middle rack to preheat. You want the pan hot before the vegetables hit it.

Step 2: In a large bowl, toss the 700 g sweet potatoes, 450 g carrots, and red onion wedges with 3 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and toss again until you see every piece glisten.

Step 3: Carefully pull the hot tray out and tip the vegetables onto it in one layer. Scatter the lemon slices across the top, then roast for 20 minutes, until you see deep browning on the undersides.

Step 4: Flip the vegetables with a metal spatula and roast 10 more minutes, checking that the carrots yield when you squeeze one with the edge of the spatula.

Step 5: Scatter the 2 tbsp parsley over the hot tray and serve straight from the pan while the edges are still crisp, and you can squeeze a roasted lemon slice over the top.

Silky Roasted Sweet Potato Carrot Bisque

Roasting the roots before they hit the pot gives this bisque a deeper, almost toffee-like sweetness. Coconut milk keeps the texture rich, and a little ginger keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy.

Ingredients (makes 4 cups)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and halved: 600 g (1 1/4 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise: 400 g (3/4 lb)
• Yellow onion, quartered: 1 medium
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Fresh ginger, peeled and chopped: 1 tbsp
• Garlic cloves, smashed: 2
• Vegetable stock: 750 ml (3 cups)
• Full-fat coconut milk: 250 ml (1 cup)
• Fine salt: 1 1/4 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 220C (425F) and line a tray. Put the 600 g sweet potatoes, 400 g carrots, and onion quarters on it, toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; roast for 25 minutes until the edges turn deep brown.

Step 2: Scrape the roasted vegetables into a pot over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp ginger and 2 garlic cloves, stir for 1 minute until you smell the ginger bloom.

Step 3: Pour in the 750 ml stock and 250 ml coconut milk plus the remaining 3/4 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, partially covered, so the flavors can settle, and you can use a spoon to skim any foam.

Step 4: Blend the bisque with a regular or immersion blender until completely smooth, in batches if you need to. You can pass it through a sieve if you want an extra silky finish.

Step 5: Taste the soup and adjust salt while it is still warm. Ladle into cups or bowls and serve with a crack of black pepper on top, if that is all you want.

Sweet Potato Carrot Lentil Stew

This is the pot you make when you want a thick, sturdy stew that only gets better after a day in the fridge. The red lentils break down and give everything body without any flour or starch.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed: 700 g (1 1/2 lb)
• Carrots, diced: 450 g (1 lb)
• Red lentils, rinsed: 300 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Canned diced tomatoes: 1 can (400 g / 14 oz)
• Vegetable stock: 1.2 litres (5 cups)
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin and smoked paprika: 2 tsp and 1 tsp
• Fine salt: 1 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add the chopped onion and cook for 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until you see the onion turn soft and golden at the edges.

Step 2: Stir in the 3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Let the spices toast for 30 seconds, and you will smell the change before any liquid goes in.

Step 3: Add the 700 g sweet potatoes, 450 g carrots, 300 g red lentils, and the can of tomatoes with their juices. Stir everything together, then pour in the 1.2 litres stock and 1 1/2 tsp salt, making sure you scrape up any spice stuck to the bottom.

Step 4: Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the lentils have broken down and the roots are tender when you pierce them.

Step 5: If the stew looks too thick for your taste, stir in a little hot water; if it is thin, let it bubble uncovered for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust the salt while it cooks down.

Step 6: Ladle the stew into deep bowls and serve hot while the steam is still rising, and you can top each bowl with a little extra paprika if you like.

Sweet Potato Carrot Casserole with Oat Crumble

This is the holiday-style casserole that still tastes like vegetables rather than dessert. The oat and pecan topping keeps everything savory and crisp, and the mashed base holds its shape on a crowded plate.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped: 900 g (2 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and chopped: 450 g (1 lb)
• Yellow onion, finely chopped: 1 medium
• Unsalted butter, melted: 80 g (1/3 cup)
• Rolled oats: 80 g (3/4 cup)
• Pecans, roughly chopped: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Fresh thyme leaves: 1 tbsp
• Fine salt: 1 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable stock: 120 ml (1/2 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven to 190C (375F) and butter a 2 litre baking dish with a little of the 80 g butter. You want the dish ready before the vegetables cool down, so the crumble can go straight on.

Step 2: Put the 900 g sweet potatoes, 450 g carrots, and chopped onion in a large pot. Cover with cold water, add 1 tsp of the salt, and bring to a boil; cook for 12 minutes until you can slide a knife through a carrot without effort.

Step 3: Drain the vegetables and return them to the pot. Add the 120 ml stock, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp thyme, then mash roughly so you keep some texture.

Step 4: Scoop the mash into the baking dish and level the top. In a separate bowl, mix the 80 g oats, 60 g pecans, and remaining melted butter until you see the butter coat every crumb.

Step 5: Sprinkle the oat mixture over the mash in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, until the topping is golden and you can hear a faint sizzle at the edges.

Step 6: Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes so the topping firms up, then spoon it onto plates and serve warm. You can add a little more thyme if the whole dish needs a lift.

Savory Sweet Potato Carrot Hash

This hash is all about crisp edges, and the trick is to leave the vegetables alone in the pan for longer than feels natural. You want browning, not a stir-fry.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 cm dice: 600 g (1 1/4 lb)
• Carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1 cm dice: 300 g (2/3 lb)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 medium
• Red bell pepper, diced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 2
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Ground coriander: 1/2 tsp
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in your largest skillet over medium-high. Add the 600 g sweet potatoes in a single layer and cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes; you want the undersides to take on a deep brown crust.

Step 2: Push the sweet potatoes to one side, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, and drop in the 300 g carrots and diced onion. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring only twice, until the carrots are browned in spots and you can smell the onion sweeten.

Step 3: Stir in the diced red pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let everything cook for 3 more minutes, until you see the pepper soften around the edges.

Step 4: Press the hash down with the back of your spatula and leave it alone for 2 minutes so a crust forms on the bottom. You may need to scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, but they carry flavor.

Step 5: Pile the hash onto plates and serve hot while the edges are still crackling, and you can crack extra black pepper over each plate.

Spiced Sweet Potato Carrot Muffins

These muffins get their moisture from grated roots, so they stay soft for days and work as an easy breakfast or a lunchbox snack. The warm spice mix is just enough to make them feel autumnal without turning them into cake.

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)

• Whole wheat flour: 240 g (2 cups)
• Rolled oats: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger: 2 tsp, 1 1/2 tsp, and 1/2 tsp
• Fine salt: 1/2 tsp
• Sweet potato, peeled and grated: 200 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Carrot, peeled and grated: 150 g (1 cup)
• Eggs: 2 large
• Maple syrup: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Neutral oil: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Milk: 120 ml (1/2 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 190C (375F) and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. You want everything measured out before you combine the wet and dry, because the batter thickens as it sits.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the 240 g flour, 60 g oats, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, and 1/2 tsp salt. Make a well in the center so you can pour the wet mixture in next.

Step 3: In another bowl, beat the 2 eggs with 120 ml maple syrup, 80 ml oil, and 120 ml milk until smooth. Stir in the 200 g grated sweet potato and 150 g grated carrot, then add the wet mix to the dry; you can stop when no flour pockets remain.

Step 4: Divide the batter among the 12 cups, filling each about three-quarters full. You can use two spoons to keep the thick batter from dripping down the sides.

Step 5: Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs, and you can see the tops spring back when pressed.

Step 6: Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them out to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, and you can freeze half the batch for later.

Crunchy Sweet Potato Carrot Slaw

This one skips the cooking altogether and leans on a lime and mustard dressing that stays sharp enough to balance the root sweetness. It gets better as it sits, so make it a little ahead if you can.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks: 400 g (3/4 lb)
• Carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks: 300 g (2/3 lb)
• Red cabbage, thinly sliced: 200 g (2 cups)
• Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped: 1/2 cup
• Lime juice: 3 tbsp
• Dijon mustard: 1 tbsp
• Honey: 1 tbsp
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk the 3 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper until you have a thick dressing that clings to the back of a spoon.

Step 2: Add the 400 g sweet potato matchsticks, 300 g carrot matchsticks, and 200 g sliced cabbage. Toss with your hands or two forks until the dressing coats every strand and you see the cabbage turn a little glossy.

Step 3: Let the slaw sit for 15 minutes before you serve it, tossing once halfway, so the root matchsticks can absorb the dressing and lose their raw starchiness.

Step 4: Fold in the 1/2 cup cilantro right before serving, then pile the slaw into a wide bowl and serve cool; you can add a little more lime juice if the salad needs it.

The one step that matters most across all these recipes is cutting the roots to a similar size. Even cooking depends on it, whether you are roasting, simmering, or mashing, so take the extra minute with your knife before the heat goes on.

Pick the version that fits your night, gather your sweet potatoes and carrots, and get one of these on the table while the kitchen still smells like the best part of dinner.