Not just orange, but also purple, white, red, and black: carrots offer a rainbow of different shades and varieties, all perfect for nibbling and using in the kitchen to create tasty and colorful sweet and savory dishes. From cream soups to salads, from delicious side dishes to original desserts, this versatile and much-loved vegetable can give dishes truly irresistible textures and flavors.
Fragrant, super crunchy and deliciously sweet, carrots are the roots of a spontaneous herbaceous plant, Daucus carota, belonging to the Umbelliferae family (Apiaceae), the same as fennel, celery and parsley, so called because the inflorescences recall, precisely, the shape of an umbrella.
A true elixir of well-being and beauty, carrots are also a precious source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are rich in beta-carotene, a carotenoid precursor of vitamin A, with exceptional antioxidant properties and anti-cancer action, and in vitamins C, E, and lycopene, which are beneficial for eye and skin health and for counteracting the damage caused by free radicals.
The quintessential healthy snack, used in any slimming diet for their satiating power and low calorie content, they are grown all over the world, available in many shapes and colors depending on their origin: from the orange ones, the most classic and familiar, to the purple ones, the ancestors from which all the others seem to descend, up to the local excellences.
Want to learn more? Here's a guide to identifying carrot varieties, along with some tips for using them in the kitchen.
1. Orange Carrots
This is the best-known, most loved, and most widespread type of carrot. Among the most common varieties is the "Nantes" carrot, characterized by straight, cylindrical roots, between 12 and 18 centimeters long, with a slightly rounded tip. With sweet flesh and a crunchy texture, they originate from the Nantes region of France, where they were developed in 1850. Particularly prized for fresh consumption, they lend themselves to a variety of preparations: roasted, steamed, boiled, baked, and used as a base for sautéed dishes, stews, and soups.
An excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium, orange vegetables are richer in beta-carotene, a carotenoid with strong antioxidant properties: just 100 grams provides double your daily requirement. An excellent source of fiber, they are also a valuable ally in cases of constipation and bloating.
Another variety, this time made in USA, is the "Danvers", developed in Massachusetts around 1871; medium in length and with a tapered tip, it has an excellent flavor and keeps well. Used primarily in the processing and production of juices, it also lends itself very well to roasting, stewing, or making a cream. For pan- frying, prefer the "Imperator", with its thinner roots, more fibrous texture, and even more pronounced sweetness.
Steamed or eaten raw as a light and healthy snack, baby carrots are harvested before they are fully ripe and are known for their sweet flavor and super crunchy texture.
2. Purple Carrots
Of Asian origin, this is one of the first varieties of carrots. In ancient times—and surprisingly, we might add—carrots were this color, but also yellow and black. Starting in the 16th century, Dutch farmers, to pay homage to King William of Orange, deliberately created the characteristic orange color through various crossbreeding. Among the best-known varieties is the "Cosmic Purple," with its bright purple skin and yellow-orange flesh.
Sweet, but with a slightly spicy hint, it was developed in the United States in 2005 and is excellent especially in fresh salads, also for its irresistible and refined nuance, and in roasting: once cooked, in fact, it maintains a very pleasant crunchy consistency.
With a darker purple color that extends to the center, "Deep Purple" apples are excellent for making juices and concentrates: rich in anthocyanins, the plant pigments responsible for the characteristic purple hue, they are powerful natural antioxidants. They are also suitable for eating raw, as a snack to satiate the appetite and satisfy the palate, and for making delicious multicolored chips.
3. White Carrots
Not to be confused with turnips, a root vegetable belonging to the large cruciferous family, the same as cabbage, broccoli, and Savoy cabbage, white carrots are distinguished by their ivory-white or creamy color and a sweet, yet more delicate flavor than their "sisters." "White Satin" and "Lunar White" are the two main varieties: coreless and with a fragrant texture, they lend themselves to a thousand different culinary uses.
Perfect eaten raw, with dips, in salads, or to make the famous coleslaw, they can be steamed, sautéed, roasted—even better when paired with orange or purple carrots, or other tubers like potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, and beetroot—and used in soups, creams, and creamy soups for a bright, elegant appearance. Nutritionally, they are equally rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, but lacking in beta-carotene, the carotenoid responsible for the characteristic orange color.
4. Yellow Carrots
Bright yellow in color, this variety is characterized by a sweet flavor, but milder and more delicate than the classic orange variety. With a slightly earthy aftertaste and a firm, pleasantly crunchy texture, it can be eaten both raw and cooked. It is particularly suitable for pickling, brining, but also for roasting in the oven or pan-frying, braising, and pureeing.
Nutritionally, it contains high levels of lutein and xanthophylls, carotenoids with a strong antioxidant effect, and a lower amount of beta-carotene than the orange variety; an excellent source of fiber, it is perfect for those who have problems with intestinal regularity and abdominal bloating: in these cases, it is always better to prefer it sautéed, baked or steamed.
5. Red Carrots
Deep red or burgundy in color, red carrots are characterized by a distinctly sweet, slightly spicy flavor and a firm, crunchy texture. This ancient Asian variety is best suited for cooking, with roasting, steaming, and boiling being the most suitable. Excellent for pickling, in the Middle East it is also used to make sweet preserves and jams.
Rich in lutein and lycopene, substances with high antioxidant power, useful in the prevention of various chronic diseases, they are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E and fibre, which is found especially in the outer part of the tuber: for this reason it is recommended to wash them well and enjoy them whole, without peeling them.
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