13 Ways to Deal with Carrot Overload

Rainbow carrots have so many nutrients and antioxidants.

I can’t believe I’m actually typing this…

Is it possible to have too many of Farmer Kurt’s carrots?

Are you starting to feel carrot overwhelm?

In years past, our CSA has never seemed to grow enough carrots to satisfy demand. This season, Kurt was sure to plant enough so that we could provide carrots just about every week of the main season.

And now, it seems like we’re swimming in them!

I mean… it’s almost TOO MUCH.

And I can’t believe I’m saying that, because I mean… these are our crack carrots! Our famous crack carrots that people line up for at the farmer’s market. The same carrots that used to sell out in 45 minutes.

And I know I’m going to miss them in 3 months when I’m starving for fresh farm produce. So I feel this incredible pressure to DO something with them now and not let them go to waste.

Are you tracking with me?

So for all of you who (like me) are starting to struggle to find ways to get rid of these golden beauties this season, this blogpost is for you.

So here are 13 ways to use those famous crack carrots this season, including suggestions from our very own CSA members!

Roast.

This seems to be our groups favorite way to enjoy crack carrots. Use simple salt and pepper, or add some garlic, dill or honey to change it up. You can freeze them after you roast them too.

Shredded.

Shred carrots in the food processor to add to tacos, salads and more. Shred them to have on hand and use as needed. Honesty this is how I use most my carrots. I find that when I have them shredded and ready to go I add to them SO many things!

Slaw.

Use in combination with cabbage, or alone…this is a great way to use those flavorful gems. Make a slaw ahead of time and it will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge.

Fritters.

This is a great exit strategy for SO many veggies, using carrots alone or in combination with others. Add zucchini, beets, potatoes, kohlrabi, onions and more for a great tasting veggie pancake. Check out the Academy for a tutorial on a basic fritter. 

Juice them!

Farmer Kurt bags up bulk bags of our crack carrots. We had so many this year, that were able to sell them at 50% off for 2 weeks.

If you’ve got a juice this is a great way to get the nutrients from carrots without all the chewing! They start to disappear fast though, so make sure to enjoy the same day that you juice them.

Muffins or bread.

This is great option because you can enjoy now or later. Carrot muffins and bread freeze well, so if you don’t eat it —  throw it in the freezer!

Hummus.

Yes! Dip more veggies in more veggies! Check out the Academy for our simple hummus formula under Exit Strategies. Then feel free to freeze this one as well!

Blanch and freeze to enjoy this winter.

Carrots can be cooked in boiling water for a few minutes, then put into an ice bath to cool and then thrown into a freezer bag for storage. Keep in your freezer for the next 8-12 months! Then pull them out for a simple buttered carrot side dish with honey and parsley in January.

Freezer bag meal!

Our carrots are so addicting, we started calling them “crack” carrots. The name stuck and a brand was born.

Check out the Freezing Vegetables section of The Slfarms Membership Academy for a simple video on how to make freezer vegetable soup. We like to add some raw ground turkey, raw carrots, raw onions, minced garlic, canned tomatoes and raw shredded cabbage to a freezer safe bag and freeze. Throw in the crockpot this winter with some diced tomatoes and broth, done! Good for 6-8 months in the freezer.

Ferment.

Yes, you can ferment carrots just like cucumbers and cabbage. Head over to the Academy and look in the Exit Strategy courses for Fermentation 101 for some basic videos on the overall process. You can add shredded carrots to your fermented cabbage, or check out THIS LINK for a simple fermented carrot stick recipe.

Make carrot soup and freeze for later!

Make your favorite carrot soup and freeze in a mason jar or freezer safe bag for up to 12 months! Carrot soup freezes really well, you’ll be happy you did this over those cold months!

Refrigerator Pickle.

Following our formula for refrigerator pickles, just add a brine of 1 cup sugar to 1 cup cider vinegar and a teaspoon of salt per pint jar. Throw in some other random veggies to boot (be creative… turnips, radishes, corn, garlic, tomatoes). Add some spices of choice (mustard seed, peppercorns, celery seed) and in two days you’ll have a delicious condiment that you can add to other dishes or just eat as a side. And thanks to the vinegar, it will store for at least 6 months in your fridge. Watch our video inside the Academy for a demo.

Puree and freeze.

Blanch and puree those carrots and you can use them for a simple “mashed carrot” dish with some butter and salt this winter. Think “baby food” as you make these gems in an ice cube tray. Trust me… so many great ways to add carrot cubes into your meals (smoothies, spaghetti sauce, soup, hummus…)

Whatever you do… don’t compost those carrots!

Find a way to save them for the winter. Let me know if you’ve found another easy way to use up this bounty. Email me at slfarms2@gmail.com.

Join the Academy

And if you’re interested in learning how to access all these videos in the Academy, you can go here to learn more. The Academy comes free with a paid CSA membership. But you can also just join the Academy alone for a monthly or annual subscription.