Shredded Carrots with Homemade BBQ Sauce! If you love pulled BBQ then you're going to love this healthy and delicious recipe.
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Hi there! Thanks for visiting us, we’re so happy you’re here. If you’re looking for Southern inspired vegan comfort food recipes, you’ve come to the right place.
We love vegan comfort food and we’re really good at making it. Take a tour through our site and you’ll find all of the recipes that scream, stretchy pants required!
The good news, they’re all plant-based recipes, so you don’t need to feel guilty eating them. Now sit back, relax, and eat happy. 🙂
Also, in case you didn't know, we're published cookbook authors. We've written two vegan cookbooks that will help you make amazing vegan BBQ (you don't even need a grill) and everyday meals, from breakfast to dessert.
Click on the titles to check them out. GREAT VEGAN BBQ WITHOUT A GRILL
and THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK
.
A VEGAN BARBECUE RECIPE THAT MEAT EATERS WILL LOVE
Pulled BBQ carrots. You think I’m kidding? I’m not. But before we start talking about this DELICIOUS recipe, let’s dish.
January first was my fifth vegan anniversary! That decision has been life changing.
I feel great, I’ve saved so many animals, Alex and I founded Veganosity, We've written two cookbooks and I've run two marathons, I’ve met an amazing group of vegan blogger friends, and this little blog is thriving.
All of that because I made the conscious choice to go vegan. Life is good! Pun totally intended. 😉
How Many Animals Does a Vegan Save Each Year?
According to Animal Equality, “Over 56 billion farmed animals are killed every year by humans. More than 3,000 animals die every second in slaughterhouses around the world.” 56 BILLION!
In two years Alex and I have saved approximately 800 animals combined. Just a speck when you look at the astronomical number of animals killed every second, but I bet those 800 animals are grateful.
ADOPT DON'T SHOP
We're also pro-adoption when it comes to adding a furry friend to the family. There are so many beautiful animals sitting in cages right now just waiting to be loved. Please adopt.
WHY THIS BBQ CARROT RECIPE WORKS
Y'all, won't believe how incredibly chewy roasted shredded carrots are. When you cook a whole carrot for too long it can get mushy, but when you shred them and roast them, they get a little crispy on the edges and super chewy.
This is what makes them the perfect vegetable for making pulled vegan barbecue.
We also add some shredded onion to the pan when we roast the carrots because it adds a great flavor.
Y'all, you just don’t know how fabulous carrots are until you turn them into chewy, meaty, slightly spicy, pulled BBQ deliciousness.
WHERE THE INSPIRATION CAME FROM
I thought of the idea of making pulled BBQ carrots during a visit to The Wonderland Express exhibit at The Chicago Botanic Garden.
There was a spirits and wine tasting at the event and I needed to eat. Unfortunately, and true to the Standard American Diet, everything had meat, cheese, or cream in it.
They had a beef sandwich with slaw on the menu, so I got creative and asked if I could have a slaw sandwich, which gave me the idea to create a pulled BBQ veggie recipe.
Carrots seemed like the obvious vegetable because they shred easily, they’re the color of BBQ sauce—more or less—and they have a sweetness that would rock with the spicy sauce.
HOW TO MAKE BBQ PULLED CARROTS
This is sooooo good. And it’s easy to make. If you have a food processor it’s even easier.
STEP ONE
Make the Carrots and Onions.
- Shred four or five large carrots and thinly slice a large red onion.
- Spread evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle the tiniest amount of olive oil on them, toss to coat.
- Cover the pan with foil, and roast for approximately thirty minutes. Make sure you shake the carrots and onions in the pan every ten minutes so they roast evenly.
- Take the foil off during the last 10 minutes so the edges get crispy.
- Put them in the pan of BBQ sauce and simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the carrots and onions are roasting—it smells so good—make the BBQ sauce. Or, if you’re feeling lazy you can use a vegan sauce, such as Amy’s or Stubbs.
- Once the carrots and onions are roasted to a soft texture and are slightly caramelized, you can put them in a medium sauce pan with a cup of barbecue sauce and simmer for ten minutes.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE
Our sauce is the best! We rarely make those kinds of statements, and we're making an exception this time.
Our readers love it, our friends and family love it, and we love it. Enough said. 🙂
STEP ONE
Add the BBQ sauce ingredients to the blender and blend until fully combined.
STEP TWO
Put the sauce in a pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and let it cook for about 15 minutes.
HOW SHOULD I SERVE WITH VEGANOSITY PULLED BBQ CARROTS?
We're so glad you asked. Here is a list of some of our favorite side dishes to serve with this vegan BBQ sandwich.
Vegan Southern-Style Creamy Potato Salad
Greg's Lemon & Dill Potato Salad
Smoky Baked Beans from our cookbook, Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill
Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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Pulled BBQ Carrots
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 Oven
- 1 stove
Ingredients
- 5 large carrots – peeled and shredded
- 1 large red onion – peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon of olive oil
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
For the BBQ sauce:
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 3 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of dark molasses
- ¼ cup of brown sugar See Note
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper see note in instructions
- ¼ teaspoon of white pepper
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- 1 pepper from a small can of peppers in adobo sauce – remove the seeds the pepper is optional, this will make the sauce extra spicy, if you use it, make sure to remove the seeds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 385°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper you can line it with lightly oiled aluminum foil or lightly grease the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking.
- Shred the carrots with the shredder attachment of your food processor or with a box or hand held grater.
- Thinly slice the onion.
- Put the carrots and onion in the baking pan and drizzle the olive oil over them. Toss well to coat and then spread them evenly in the pan. Sprinkle ground sea salt and ground pepper evenly over the top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for twenty minutes (shake the pan every ten minutes to ensure even roasting), remove the foil and roast for ten more minutes. The carrots and onions should be nice and soft, and lightly caramelized.
- NOTE: If you are sensitive to spicy food blend the BBQ sauce without the cayenne pepper first, then add it slowly until you find the heat that's good for you. Also, if you don't tolerate spicy food, skip the pepper in adobo sauce
- While the carrots and onions are roasting, put the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until fully combined and smooth. Pour into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for twenty minutes, stir occasionally to avoid scorching the sauce.
- Add the roasted carrots and onions to the sauce and stir well to coat. Simmer for fifteen minutes.
- Enjoy!
Joy says
Yum! Tried this one and I love it! Definitely recommended.
Alexandra Colacito says
I've been making this for about five years now, one of the first vegan recipes I tried. It's a favorite of my husband, who I think loves the adobo flavor. If you are thinking about substituting pre-made/jarred/store-bought BBQ sauce, do NOT! This particular BBQ sauce recipe is what makes this so good. I will say though that a sandwich of carrots is not very filling, so be prepared to make some side dishes, like potato salad, or veggie hotdogs.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you for the kind review, Alexandra! We truly appreciate it, and we're happy it's one of your husband's favorites. 🙂
Dani says
This recipe is everything. Easy. Delicious. I can't get enough. Thank you!! ❤
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Dani! We're so happy you're enjoying it and appreciate that you took the time to let us know. 🙂
Michelle says
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I can’t believe how much it actually taste like pulled pork. I have been vegan for almost 3 years and this is the first time i found a recipe that mimics meat. Thank you so much!!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Michelle! Thank you so much, you're welcome. 🙂 We're so happy you like it.
julie croft says
I made this just now, for the second time. I absolutely love it. I became vegan a couple of months ago, but I made it when I was an omni first and loved it then too. Thanks 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Hi Julie! Thank you so much, we're so happy you're enjoying the recipe. 🙂
Natalie says
I made this for dinner tonight and my family's plates were spotless by the end; we enjoyed every last crumb! I love how tangy the bbq sauce was. I did add extra lime and used water + tomato paste (as I had it on hand) instead of tomato sauce. To complete the sandwich I made a honey lime coleslaw with cranberries to go on top and paired it all with a roasted pepper and carrot soup. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Natalie! Thank you so much for the kind comment, we're so happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe. That slaw sounds delicious! 🙂
anna says
thanks for sharing your recipe
Linda Meyer says
You're welcome, it's our pleasure!
Susan Quesada says
Hello, I just stumbled upon this recipe. Looks incredible. I'm excited to try it with the carrots I've made BBQ sandwiches before with jackfruit and didn't care for it that much. Anyway, if I used bagged shredded carrots (always looking for shortcuts :)how many ounces woul I need?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Susan, It depends on how many servings you want to make and how large the servings will be. The BBQ sauce will serve approximately 4 servings, so two 10 oz bags would make 4 good size sandwiches. I hope this helps. 🙂
Nathan says
Hi. I'm curious. Did you use young jackfruit? Or fully ripened? Jackfruit is one of my favorite fruits after living in Thailand. But, once ripe, it is not suitable for cooking. I'm making an unwarranted assumption that you live in the US. I'm not sure if young jackfruit are available there.
Linda & Alex says
Hi Nathan, for this recipe we used carrots and onion, not jackfruit. We do have a pulled BBQ jackfruit recipe on the site. For that we use young green jackfruit from a can. As you stated, ripe jackfruit isn't suitable for cooking. Thanks for your question. 🙂
Louise Rollins says
I keep a stash of 2-serving bags of this recipe in my freezer at all times. It's our absolute favorite meal! I follow the recipe as-is and freeze in small ziploc bags that I reuse each time (one day they will be true reusables). Easy to defrost either throughout the day on the counter, or in a pot with the lid on and low heat if I'm in a rush. Pulled pork was my favorite food before opting out of meat, and this recipe truly hits the spot perfectly!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Louise! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. This makes us so happy to hear. It's definitely a family favorite here, too. 🙂
Allie says
I think I’m going to try this with red lentils added in with the carrots for a protein boost. Thank you for sharing!
Linda Meyer says
Sounds good! You're welcome. 🙂
Nancy says
This is the most awesome delicious recipe! I make it all the time. When I am cutting back on bread, I simply put it in a salad and add some vegan feta cheese! I made a double batch to take to our “ladies” getaway this weekend! Thanks!
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hey Nancy, Thank you so much for the comment! We love that you love the recipe so much! Such a great idea to add them to a salad with vegan feta by the way. We can't wait to give that a try. Hope you had an awesome ladies weekend!
Karrie says
Just made this after finding it and I am in LOVE with this. So simple and full of that BBQ flavour. I can’t wait to make this for friends. Thank you for this recipe
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Karrie! We're so happy you like the recipe, it's one of our favorites, too.
Katharina says
Greetings from Germany! I've tried it today and we all love it. It tastes so awesome. Definitely not the last recipe we try from this page
Linda Meyer says
Hi Katharina! Thank you so much, we're so happy that you all enjoyed them. Thank you for the sweet comment.