Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Feta

These roasted rainbow carrots are as delicious as they look! The perfect recipe when beautiful bunches of fresh carrots are available from the garden or farmers’ markets. Of course, you can also make them with any orange carrots or even peeled little carrots without tops. Let the feta and greens make them divine.

Also Read: Quick & Easy Feta Flatbread Appetizers, Beet Salad with Feta and Roasted Carrots with Hot Pepper Jelly

The first time I made this recipe was when I pulled these carrots from my garden. I needed to thin out the carrots and this is what I got! I was thrilled to have these tender, colourful carrots and wanted a recipe that would make them the star of the show, not just some regular, everyday side dish.

Half an hour later and I was munching on this delicious platter of roasted carrots with balsamic vinegar and Chaeban feta.  Since then, I’ve served it on several occasions, each time to rave reviews. I know you’ll get rave reviews too!

My Love Affair with Feta

I confess, I didn’t always enjoyed feta as much as I do now that I’ve discovered Chaeban Artisan feta. I find typical grocery store feta too tangy and overpowering. For the longest time, I only used feta for recipes that absolutely need it, like spanakopita and Greek salad. That was true until about a year ago when Joseph Chaeban, the Master Cheesemaker at Chaeban Artisan, asked me to try some of his new feta. I was blown away – it was everything I could have asked for. Chaeban feta has just the right balance of salty and tangy flavour, not overpowering at all.

Today, I use Chaeban’s soft creamy feta or firm feta A LOT! Yes, this is a paid partnership, but I wouldn’t promote a product that I don’t love and use regularly. For this recipe I used the Firm Feta because it’s slightly easier to crumble, but you can definitely use the Soft Feta too. Use whichever one you have in the fridge!

I’m not the only one who’s fallen in love with Chaeban Feta. From the comments I get, lots of you have too! If you haven’t tried it yet, I have good news – soon Chaeban cheese will be available in grocery stores throughout Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Whoo Hoo!! Keep your eye on the the Retailers section of Chaeban Artisan website to discover where you can get Chaeban cheese.

Pro Tip: For longest shelf life, best flavour and consistent texture, always buy feta in brine. Feta in brine will last about 4 weeks once opened while dry feta without brine will only last 5-6 days.

Recipe for Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Feta

What is Feta Brine and Can You Use It?

In previous posts, I’ve shared how feta is made, how to store it, how long it lasts and how to freeze it. Now, let’s talk about the brine that surrounds the feta. What is it and what can you do with it?

What is Feta Brine?

Feta brine is salted water that is used to hold finished feta so that it keeps its peak texture, taste and shelf life. It prevents the feta from drying out and keeps the flavour locked in.

If you ever spill or don’t have enough brine to completely cover your feta, you can make your own brine. Simply dissolve 1 tsp kosher salt in 1 cup water. Make as much as you need to cover your feta in a sealed container and keep in the fridge. If you wish, you can use less salt, but the feta won’t last as long.

Over time, especially once you begin to use feta, you’ll notice that the brine becomes a little cloudy with bits of white and become more acidic. That’s normal, it’s just soaking up the flavour and creaminess of the feta. This may get more pronounced as you use your feta and little bits break off.  That’s the way it should look.

How to Tell if Feta Has Gone Bad

If your brine looks thick or slimy, smells sour or off and has an odd colour, it’s gone bad. It’s best to toss the brine and feta at this point. Another indicator is if the feta itself has a funny taste, colour, odor or any spots of mold. Feta is considered a soft cheese, so if there’s mold, toss it all out – unlike hard cheese, you can’t just cut around it since the mold grows long unseen tendrils/roots that spread quickly in soft cheese.

How to Use Feta Brine

That brine may look a little cloudy with tiny bits of feta, but it has built in flavour and is ready for you to use. Here are some ideas to try:

• Use it as a… brine! Brining or marinating whole chickens or other meats in salty liquid is all the rage – hello feta brine! You can also marinade chicken pieces, kabobs, vegetables or whatever!
• Thin out dips and spreads with it. It works great in our Favourite Sour Cream and Dill Dip.
• Add it to soups or broth for added flavour.
• Use it instead of milk for mashing potatoes.
• Cook whole grains, pasta, rice or beans with it by replacing some of the water with brine. Start with replacing 1/4 of the amount of water you use and don’t forget to reduce the amount of salt you add.
• Replace some of the water in bread recipes. Again, start with a small amount and gradually increase if you like the results.
• Add to salad dressings and skip the salt.

A little hesitant to try? That’s okay, it can seem strange to use something you’ve been pouring down the drain for years. Try just a tablespoon here or there to start getting used to the idea. Then let me know what you think. In the meantime, just enjoy the feta in recipes like this!

More Recipes Featuring Feta

I’m telling you, I use Chaeban feta a lot! Check out some of these other recipes where feta adds that special touch.

Easy Shakshuka for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad

Quick & Easy Feta Flatbread Appetizers

Wheatberry & Chickpea Greek Salad

Grilled Chicken Salad with Summer Fruit 

Roasted Beet Salad with Feta and Dill

Green Bean, Tomato, Basil and Feta Salad

Citrus Salad with Orange Vinaigrette and Feta

Whole Grain Pomegranate Salad

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Mediterranean Tomato and Chickpea Pasta Salad

This recipe was written in paid partnership with Chaeban Artisan. As always, opinions are my own and a sincere reflection of life in my home.

I’d love to know how you and your dinner guests enjoy these carrots.  Leave a comment or, if you make this recipe, share a photo on Instagram and tag @getgettys and @ChaebanArtisan so we can see it and like it!

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.