17 Recipes To Use Up a Bag of Carrots

Go sweet or savory this spring.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Updated April 25, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
4-ingredient honey-glazed carrots in a skillet

Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

Carrot cake and Easter are a classic combination, but what happens to leftover carrots that don't get used up for the cake? Yes, you can always cut them into sticks and serve them with dip, but there are lots more sweet and savory uses for this versatile orange vegetable. Here are 17 of my favorite things to make with carrots this season (including even more carrot cake—why not!).

  • Easy Carrot Soup

    A bowl of carrot soup with some bread ready to eat

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "I usually serve this soup as a soup-and-salad situation with crackers, toast dippers, or bread and butter. You could also serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches, like classic tomato soup." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • 10-Minute Herbed Carrots

    Overhead shot of a white shallow bowl with julienned carrots tossed in herbs and a wooden serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Recipes like this one are perfect for showcasing the most tender and sweet vegetables of the season. When you see a particularly beautiful bunch of carrots at the farmers market or grocery store, definitely try them this way!" —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Orange Blossom Carrot Salad

    Orange Blossom Carrot Salad

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This salad really benefits from an overnight chill in the fridge, don't skip it!" —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Carrot-Ginger Dressing

    jar of carrot ginger dressing

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "You’ll want to taste the carrots, ginger, and soy but not the oil in the dressing, so make sure to use a neutral tasting one If you don’t have grapeseed oil, avocado or vegetable oil will work." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 17 below

  • Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Personalize these cupcakes by adding some raisins (rehydrate in some water before mixing them into the batter) or a half cup of toasted shredded coconut." —Garrett McCord, Recipe Developer

  • Stovetop Honey-Glazed Carrots

    4-ingredient honey-glazed carrots in a skillet

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    "Feel free to play around with different seasonings here. Instead of the za’atar, you can use an equal amount of ground cumin or coriander, or a mix of both. Ras el hanout would also work wonderfully here." —Alexandra Shytsman, Recipe Developer

  • Grilled Carrot Dogs

    Grilled Carrot Dogs with BBQ Mustard Paste

    Simply Recipes / Mike Lang

    "While these carrot dogs are great for a party, they are just as suited for a weekday lunch. In fact, I’m probably more likely to have carrots on hand than hot dogs." —Mike Lang, Recipe Developer

  • Classic Carrot Salad With Apples, Raisins, and Mayo

    Classic Carrot Salad in a bowl with wooden serving spoons.

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    "My Mom made carrot salad basically the same way for her catering business. She sometimes added shredded coconut and a bottle cap or two of rum extract to the dressing. It was always good and the coconut brought out the nutty flavor of the carrots." —Carol, Simply Recipes Reader

    Continue to 9 of 17 below

  • Easy Carrot Cake Loaf

    carrot cake loaf on a platter with some sliced pieces splayed onto the platter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "For this recipe, you'll want to grate carrots fresh at home using the coarse side of a box grater or a food processor. Save those prepackaged shredded carrots for salads. They're shredded too thick and are much drier, which translates to a dry cake with still-crunchy carrots." —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Carrot Soufflé

    A close up of a spoon portioning out some carrot souffle

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "I adapted it using a day old baguette in place of crackers, supplemented my cheddar with some smoked cheese, and used cumin instead of cayenne. Still worked great and tasted amazing!" —Emily, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Classic Glazed Carrots

    Overhead view of a serving bowl of glazed carrots.

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    "Make sure to cut carrots into uniform sized pieces so each piece cooks evenly." —Simply Recipes Editors

  • Zucchini Carrot Bread

    Slices of Zucchini Carrot Bread on Round Wood Board Surrounded by a Kitchen Towel and a Small Bowl of Coconut Flakes

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

    "Zucchini is a watery vegetable, so it’s important to remove that excess water before adding to the bread batter. You can do this by wringing the grated zucchini out over the sink with your hands (I recommend doing small batches that fit in the palm of your hand) or by wrapping the zucchini in a clean dish towel or a nut milk bag." —Simply Recipes Contributor Brianne Ross

    Continue to 13 of 17 below

  • A Great Carrot Salad

    A bowl of carrot salad on a coffee table, alongside hummus with cucumbers and pita and a glass of wine

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "Serve this salad with any number of things—a bowl of hummus, a pot of rice, and a pile of greens for a delicious vegan meal, or alongside grilled sausages and mashed potatoes for something a bit heartier." —Julia Turshen, Recipe Developer

  • Moroccan Grated Carrot and Beet Salad

    A bright blue bowl of grated moroccan beet and carrot salad

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Here's my take on the Moroccan classic, a raw shredded carrot and beet salad seasoned with cinnamon, paprika, and cumin, honey, lemon, and mint. Lovely and light as a side to chicken, turkey, or lamb." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Apple Carrot Cupcakes

    Apple Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This recipe yield about 2 dozen cupcakes, so if you do not want that many tempting you, you can bake it as written and share them, freeze them, or cut the recipe in half." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Carrot Ginger Soup

    A bowl of carrot ginger soup

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We use chicken stock in this recipe, but you can easily use vegetable stock for a vegetarian option." —Elise Bauer, Founder

    Continue to 17 of 17 below

  • Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon (Do Chua)

    Vietnamese Carrot Daikon Pickles Do Chua

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "The pickles are traditionally served on Vietnamese bánh mi sandwiches. They're a little like bread and butter pickles, though crispier, not as sweet, and with a slight radish taste from the daikon." —Elise Bauer, Founder

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