Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Carrots
- 800 g carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt
Encacahuatado (Peanut Sauce)
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 2 dried guajillo chilies
- 150 g roasted unsalted peanuts
- 400 ml vegetable broth
- 100 g white onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 5 g ground cumin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 ml neutral oil
Spinach Bed
- 300 g fresh spinach, washed
- 10 ml olive oil
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 286 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1364 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1349 mg
- Calcium
- 185 mg
- Iron
- 4.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 102 mg
- Phosphorus
- 146 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 3272 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 37 mg
- Vitamin E
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 395 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 2.6 mg
- Folate
- 189 mcg
- Water
- 273 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried Ancho and Guajillo chilies for 30-60 seconds per side until fragrant but not black. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 15 minutes.
Toss carrots with 30ml olive oil and 5g salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
While carrots roast and chilies soak, heat 15ml neutral oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion, garlic, and cinnamon stick until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove cinnamon stick.
Drain the chilies (discard soaking water). In a blender, combine the softened chilies, sautéed onion mixture, peanuts, vegetable broth, and apple cider vinegar. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Pour the sauce back into the saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes to thicken and marry the flavors. Season with salt to taste. If too thick, add a splash more broth or water.
Just before serving, heat 10ml olive oil in the skillet. Add fresh spinach and a pinch of salt. Toss quickly over medium-high heat until just wilted (about 1-2 minutes).
Spread the wilted spinach on a platter. Arrange roasted carrots on top. Generously ladle the hot peanut sauce over the carrots. Garnish with chopped peanuts or cilantro if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Discard the chili soaking water as it can be bitter; use fresh vegetable broth for the liquid base to ensure a clean flavor profile.
- The sauce (Encacahuatado) is traditional to central Mexico and should have a consistency similar to heavy cream—thick enough to cling to the carrots but fluid enough to pour.
- For extra depth, you can roast the garlic and onion in the oven alongside the carrots instead of sautéing them.
- If you cannot find Ancho or Guajillo chilies, a blend of dried New Mexico chilies or Pasilla chilies can work, though the flavor nuances will shift.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store sauce and vegetables separately if possible to maintain texture.
Freezer: 3 months — Sauce freezes perfectly; fresh carrots and spinach do not freeze well after cooking.
Reheating: Gently warm sauce on stovetop, thinning with water if needed. Reheat carrots in oven.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes bitter
Cause: Chilies were toasted too long and burned
Fix: Add a teaspoon of sugar or agave syrup and a squeeze of lime to mask the bitterness
Prevention: Toast chilies only until fragrant; do not let them turn black
Sauce is grainy
Cause: Blender not powerful enough or blended too briefly
Fix: Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve
Prevention: Use a high-speed blender or soak nuts beforehand
Cultural Context
This dish is inspired by 'Encacahuatado', a traditional Mexican mole made primarily from peanuts ('cacahuates') and dried chilies. While often served with chicken or pork, the rich, nutty profile pairs exceptionally well with the natural sweetness of roasted root vegetables, highlighting the plant-based versatility of Mexican cuisine.
