I love to figure out what different types of carrots taste like and how I can use them in cooking. In case you share my passion and also have a taste for carrots, you have come to the right destination. Here, you will get everything you need to know about carrots.
Take a seat and read through this article! It will tell you about the amazing features of dozens of carrot varieties, as well as the delicious recipes you can make with them. Let’s learn the tastiest way to improve your eyesight!
Carrots – One Of The Most Loved Vegetables
Perhaps I don’t have to say much about the popularity of carrots. They are so tasty, nutritious, and versatile. Nowadays, it is hard to find any household without some carrots in the kitchen. They are used in plenty of sweet and savory dishes, such as soups, salads, stews, and cakes.
As you probably know, carrots have tons of health benefits. The most well-known one is that they can keep your eyes healthy thanks to the high amount ofbeta-carotene, a substance that can be converted to vitamin A.
In addition, they can promote your heart health and reduce the risk of cancer. With a high amount of vitamin K, vitamin C, and calcium, carrots can improve your immune system and protect your bones.
45 Different Varieties Of Carrots To Buy Today
Let’s turn to the main topic. I am going to provide you with information about the 6 main types of carrots and their subvarieties. Each has very distinctive features that may surprise you.
4 Types Of Danvers Carrots You Must Know
Compared to other varieties, Danvers carrots are easier to grow. They can grow well in heavy soil. They often have a deep orange color and a tapered shape. When mature, they have a fibrous texture. Now let me show you the 4 most common types.
1. Yellowstone
Yellowstone carrots are often added to salads thanks to their crispy texture and the typical sweetness of common carrots. You can cook them or enjoy them raw. They have a yellow hue that resembles lemons. This type of carrot can reach 9 inches in length after 70 days.
2. Danvers 126
The Danvers 126 cultivar is highly productive and has a relatively sweeter taste than other varieties. It was invented in Danvers, Massachusetts, in the 19th century. Though this one has an excellent shelf life, you still need to pay attention to the spoilage symptoms of carrots to ensure safety.
It is adaptive to heavy soils and other types of soils. Another positive trait is its tendency not to easily crack and split. It can reach 6-7 inches after 75 days of growing.
3. Danvers Half-Long
Similar to the previous variety, Danvers Half-Long carrots can withstand poor soil conditions, such as heavy or clay soils.
They are usually collected in 75 days and about 6-8 inches in length. The roots have a sweet and crispy taste so you can enjoy them fresh or canned. They also have an attractive deep orange color and smooth texture.
Let’s learn how to harvest Danvers Half-Long carrots with this tutorial.
4. Solar Yellow
These gorgeous pale yellow carrots have a delicately sweet and juicy taste and a crunchy texture. They are about 7 inches in length and are ready to harvest after 60 days. The best time to grow them is when the weather is cool.
17 Types Of Nantes Carrots To Have In Your Kitchen
Nantes carrots are an heirloom variety that originated in France. They are not produced for commercial purposes but are very popular among home growers. Their distinctive sweet taste is ideal for both cooking and raw consumption.
5. Cosmic Purple
While common carrots have orange skin, Cosmic Purple carrots stand out with a beautiful purple color on the outside and a beautiful orange hue inside.
They taste sweet and peppery, which is ideal for adding to salads and relish trays. You can also cook or roast them. The root of this variety can grow up to 7 inches long and normally matures after 73 days after planting.
Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of Cosmic purple carrots.
6. Mokum
Mokum is considered tastier than other varieties. It has an appealing look with a bright orange color and a straight and slender shape. This type of carrot matures rather quickly, about 54 days after planting and with a length of 6-8 inches.
Its beautiful appearance and deliciousness make it perfect for gourmet dishes. You can get a high amount of beta carotene from its flesh.
7. Baltimore
Baltimore is a medium-sized variety with a length of at most 6 inches. It takes 65 days to mature. Its bright orange flesh boasts a pleasantly sweet taste and crispy texture, which is exactly what you would expect from carrots. You can cook it, eat it raw, or make juice from it.
8. Napa
This variety is normally up to 8 inches in length and has a deep orange hue. The plants can endure heavy soil. Growers often harvest the roots in 75 days. They have a sweet taste and crispy texture.
9. Purple Sun
Purple Sun carrots have a very deep purple color that looks like beets. They have a delicious sweet taste and crispy texture. Their generous number of antioxidants is another attractive point. Juicing and roasting them is the best way to enjoy them and their excellent health benefits.
This variety needs 90 days to mature and can reach 9 inches in length.
10. Romance
This gorgeous variety has the typical bright orange color of carrots. It is about 6 inches long and normally collected after 75 days of the plantation. Its sweet flavor and crunchy texture make it ideal for enjoying raw.
Look at this fresh and beautiful garden of Romance carrots!
11. Merida
If you are looking for an extra-sweet variety, I am sure that Merida carrots will satisfy you.. However, they are quite delicate. You have to mulch the plants with straw or similar materials in case you plant it in an area with low temperature.
Make sure you plant them in the period between September and October. People harvest the carrots after 80 days when they reach the length of 6-7 inches
12. Purple Dragon
Have you ever seen any type of carrots that is purple? If you haven’t, Purple Dragon carrots will open your mind. They have a purple exterior and a typical orange interior. They have a sweet taste with some spicy, herbal, and earthy notes.
With such a delicious flavor, Purple Dragon carrots are perfect for eating raw and cooking. You can steam, blanch, roast, and saute them. Adding them into sauces, salads, and meatloaf is also a great idea. Their beautiful color will make your dishes more attractive.
Mature Purple Dragon carrots are about 7-8 inches long. They can be harvested after 60-70 days.
Before you grow Purple Dragon carrots, learn the harvesting technique.
13. Bolero
Another sweet variety is Bolero carrots. Their sweetness remains even after a long period of storage. Also, they are very crunchy and have the common bright orange color and cylindrical shape.
You can use Bolero carrots in most recipes. Making a delicious dish to enjoy along with brisket is a great idea. They can be picked 75 days after plantation. When fully grown, they can reach at most 10 inches long.
14. Nelson
Nelson carrots are a fast-growing variety that can be harvested in less than 2 months. This type of carrot can live well in heavy soil and reach 7 inches in length when mature. They have a typical bright orange color and sweet taste of common carrots.
15. White Satin
White Satin is the sweetest of all carrot varieties.
As the name suggests, this type of carrot has a lovely white color. But that is not the only thing that makes White Satin carrots special.
They have a sweet and juicy taste and a crispy texture. Your kids will surely fall for them because they are the sweetest variety. You can roast White Satin carrots or add them to your favorite salads. They can grow to 8 inches long and are often harvested in 75 days.
16. Touchon
If you want to eat carrots raw, I highly recommend trying Touchon carrots. Their sweet and tender taste and super crunchy texture will make you addicted to them. You can also add them to soups, stews, glazed, and roasted dishes.
Touchon carrots need 70 days to mature fully and reach the size of 6 inches. However, you can collect them whenever you want. You will always get that delicious sweet taste.
17. Parano
This Nantes variety matures very quickly. You will get a bunch of 6- or 7-inch-long roots after planting them for approximately 65 days. You can eat raw Nantes carrots or use them in a variety of recipes. Making delicious juice from them is also a great idea.
18. Rodelika
Some types of carrots can be harvested all year round. And Rodelika is one of them. The plants are also very productive. They produce plenty of sweet, crunchy, and 6-inches long after 75 days. Eating them raw is the best way to enjoy them.
19. Nectar
Nectar is a productive and high-quality variety. It has a sweet, juicy, and tender taste and an excellent shelf life. You will be surprised when you know how much time you can keep carrots.
This variety can grow up to 7 inches in length and is ready for harvest after 72 days. For this variety, you can feel free to freeze the roots and use them for culinary purposes, such as making juice.
20. Yaya
Yaya carrots share some similarities with Nelson carrots, such as the bright orange color and deliciously sweet taste. However, their sweetness is a little inferior. However, these carrots are still juicy, crispy, and tender.
It is best to plant them in the fall. They can be harvested in 60 days after reaching 12 inches in length. You can use them to make sweet treats such as Maple Carrot Cake.
21. Scarlet
This variety matures between 65 and 75 days. It has a sweet and crispy taste as well as a reddish-orange color. You can store the roots or use them to make juice. They can grow to 6-8 inches in length and live well in most soil conditions.
Harvesting Scarlet carrots will be easier with this instruction.
7 Types Of Chantenay Carrots That Will Blow Your Taste Bud
Chantenay carrots have a distinctive appearance. They are short, conical in shape, and about 4-5 inches long. Let’s learn about their different varieties.
22. Oxheart
This variety has the shape of a heart. It is usually 5-6 inches in length. What is unique about Oxheart carrots is that they are adaptive to sandy and heavy soils. They also have an excellent storage time. People usually harvest this sweet variety 3 months after plantation.
More interesting information about Oxheart carrots is right here.
23. Kuroda
This hybrid variety originated in Asia in the 1950s. It is easy to grow and can be harvested in 75-80 days. The roots come out sweet, crunchy, and juicy. They are so smooth that they are best enjoyed as a snack or used for making juice.
Regarding the size, Kuroda carrots can reach 8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter. Each root can be ½ pound in weight. They have a bright orange color and a cylindrical shape.
24. Royal Chantenay
Royal Chantenay carrots have a delightfully sweet taste. They are larger than the previous ones with a size of 5-6 inches. They live well in heavy soil. Growers often collect the roots in 70 days. You can feel free to store them because their excellent sweetness won’t fade away.
25. Caracas
You will find Caracas carrots in many gourmet grocery stores because they look incredibly beautiful with a deep orange color. Their sweet taste is also very delicate. They are quite small, uniform, and adorable-looking, just about 4 inches long. 57 days are needed for this crop.
26. Red-Cored
Can you guess how this variety got its name? If you say that is because of its typical orange smooth skin and reddish-orange flesh, that’s right. These beautiful carrots are about 7 inches long and mature in 70 days. They can stay sweet for a long time after harvest.
Why not check out how people harvest Red-cored carrots?
27. Hercules
Hercules has the typical appearance of other Chantenay varieties with a broad–shouldered shape. It can also withstand poor soils such as clay or rocky soil. People often pick the roots 65 days after they plant the seeds. Their rich, sweet taste can last for days in the fridge.
28. Short‘n Sweet
The name already said everything about this variety. Its roots are short (about 4 inches) and filled with a tastily sweet flavor that can motivate veggie haters to have more greens. In addition, they are very easy to grow and only take 68 days to fully mature.
7 Types Of Imperator Carrots That Are Incredibly Tasty
Imperator carrots have the classic bright orange color and long shape of carrots. They are also very sweet and tasty, which makes them perfect for eating raw. Let’s find out how many of them are there!
29. Candysnax
One of the best carrot varieties to enjoy raw is Candysnax carrots. They are slender and have a deep orange color. Notably, they can grow up to 12 inches in length.
Their combo of sugary taste and crunchy, snappy, and velvety texture are simply out of this world. They are normally harvested in 65 days.
30. Sugarsnax 54
Sugarsnax 54 carrots are a top variety coming from Germany with a rich, sweet, and tender taste. They don’t lose their taste after cooking, so feel free to enjoy them raw or well-done.
What I love about this type of carrot is that it is highly nutritious and overflowing with beta-carotene. The roots are slender and have a deep orange color. They are about 9 inches long and are harvested in 68 days.
31. Purple Haze
Purple haze carrots have a stunning appearance. The deep purple peel covers the bright orange core. Not only do they look beautiful, but they also have an amazing sweet taste that is perfect for eating raw and cooking.
I love to use them to make a side dish of lasagna. You should try it too! This carrot variety can grow up to 8 inches long. People often gather the roots 70 days after plantation.
The delicate taste of Purple Haze will amaze you.
32. Red Samurai
Red Samurai is a Japanese variety with a bold, sweet taste. It is quite large, with a maximum size of 11 inches after 75 days. As the name suggests, these carrots have an attractive bright red color on the outside and a beautiful pink hue on the inside. They are tapered in shape.
Steaming them is a great idea to fully experience their delicious taste. You can also add grated Red Samurai carrots to soups, stews, and many other dishes for a vibrant touch of color.
33. Autumn King
Autumn King is one of the largest varieties of carrots with a size of 10-12 inches. When mature, it has a deep orange or red color. Its shoulders are quite wide.
The tasty roots are ready to harvest after 70 days. This variety is more popular in Europe. It has a sweet taste and an excellent storing ability.
34. Atomic Red
As the name indicates, Atomic Red carrots have a tapered shape and a red color. This ruby hue won’t fade away after cooking, so you can add the carrots to casseroles, sauces, or juices to make their appearance more colorful.
These carrots are sweet and ready to pick after 70 days if you grow them. They can reach a length of 12 inches.
Growing Atomic Red carrots will be much easier with this guide.
35. Nutri-Red
The most notable characteristic of this variety is incorporated in the name. It is red and very nutritious. More specifically, it contains a high amount of lycopene, a substance that is good for your eyes. Its size is about 9 inches in length, and its growing time is more or less 75 days.
In terms of uses, Nutri-Red carrots are better cooked than eaten raw. One reason is that their red color will become deeper in that state. The sweet taste and tender texture is another cause. You can make stews and other delicious dishes with it.
3 Types Of Mini Carrots That Are Cute And Delicious
Who doesn’t love mini things? If large carrots already make you bored, why not try the little ones? Here are the 3 most delicious varieties that I have chosen for you. Check them out!
36. Romeo
While other varieties are at least 6 inches long, Romeo carrots are only about 1-2 inches. They have an orange color and a beet-like shape. Their sweet and rich flavor and crunchy texture are super yummy. Try eating them right in the garden! You don’t even have to peel them.
Don’t miss the best technique to grow Romeo carrots.
37. Babette
Babette carrots are a French variety that normally comes in the length of 4 inches. However, they can grow longer than that. Their tips are blunt and their skin is very smooth. The whole roots have a cylindrical shape. They can be collected after 70 days.
They have a deep orange color and a tasty sweet flavor that is perfect for eating raw and cooking.
38. Mignon
Compared to other mini carrots varieties, Mignon carrots are a little bit larger. They are normally about 5 inches in length. This sweet and crispy variety is kids’ favorite, especially when cooked or enjoyed as a snack. Its growing season lasts about 84 days.
7 Other Carrot Varieties That Will Amaze You
There are many other types of carrots that boast wonderful characteristics. You may have heard of some of them, but the following section will be the first time that you find out about the rest.
39. Manpukuji
I am sure that you won’t see any carrots longer than Manpukuji carrots. This ancient Japanese variety can grow up to 36 inches long. Isn’t that impressive? The more time you keep it in the soil, the longer it will grow. Its roots aren’t wide but very slender.
Regarding the taste, this variety is very sweet, especially when harvested after the fall frost. It also has the typical bright orange color.
If you need more information about Manpukuji carrots, here it is.
40. Black Nebula
Black Nebula carrots are one of the most nutritious ones out there. They are packed with a lot of vitamin C and anthocyanins. Its extremely deep purple hue often makes people misunderstand that it is black, hence the name.
These carrots have a bitter-sweet taste that reminds you of wild berries. They are also earthy,mild, and crunchy. You can eat them raw, cook them, or turn them into canned products. They need 75 days to mature and can grow to 7-8 inches.
This canned Black Nebula carrots recipe will help you enjoy their best taste.
41. Purplesnax
Those who enjoy eating carrots raw will find Purplesnax carrots a great choice. They are a large variety with a length of approximately 9 inches. They often mature in 70-75 days. Underneath the purple peel is the orange flesh that is super sweet, mellow, and crunchy.
42. Little Fingers
Little finger carrots are very suitable to plant in small home gardens.
If you are seeking a small type of carrots that can be grown in a small space and produce a bountiful crop, I recommend Little Finger carrots. Although small, they have a very intensely sweet taste and crispy texture.
Due to their small size, they usually take a short time to mature. You will get delicious 4 inches-long roots in just 55 days. Don’t hesitate to enjoy a whole Little Fingers carrot in one go!
Learn the technique to harvest Little Finger carrots now!
43. Purple 68
Purple 68 carrots have a very deep purple hue. Notably, thanks to the high antioxidant content, they are highly nutritious. You can use them for eating fresh, juicing, and cooking with a mild sweet taste and firm texture. This variety can reach 8-10 inches after 75 days of plantation.
44. Rainbow
Have you ever seen any carrot plant that produces roots of different colors? That variety is called “Rainbow carrots.” They can be yellow, orange, coral, white, and salmon. They are about 9 inches long and take 75-110 days to mature.
Their beautiful appearance and sweet, tender taste will make your dishes more appealing. Roasting is the most popular way to cook them.
Roasted rainbow carrots will be the most colorful dish you have ever made.
45. Giants of Colmar
As the name suggests, this variety is very large. It can grow up to 12 inches in length. The roots have a broad and hefty shape and taste incredibly sweet. People often eat them fresh to enjoy their tender and succulent flesh. They are ripe to harvest in75 days.
4 Carrot Recipes For Healthy And Tasty Meals
It’s time to learn what you can do with carrots. I am sure that you have cooked a lot of dishes with this kind of veggie, so I will introduce you to the best ones to make your experience with carrots more remarkable.
1. Roasted Rainbow Carrots
If you are longing for a delicious and beautiful dish to serve your guest, I suggest that you make roasted rainbow carrots. It is quick, simple, and super tasty. The sweetness of carrots blends well with the salt, creating a flavorful treat that will please the crowd.
2. Carrot Soups
A nutritious soup is a must-have recipe on your list, such as one cooked with carrots. With this recipe, you will also get the warmth of ginger and the tanginess of apple cider vinegar besides the sweetness of carrots.
3. Carrot Souffle
A dessert made from carrots is undoubtedly amazing. Carrot souffle is my favorite sweet treat because it is so rich, sweet, and fluffy. You can either savor it as a dessert or serve it as a side with savory dishes, such as beef and chicken.
4. Carrot Juice
When it comes to summer drinks, I find that cool and sweet carrot juice is one of the tastiest and most refreshing ones. The best thing is that you can add any of your favorite fruit to it, such as apples, oranges, and ginger.
Give Carrots A Generous Space In Your Fridge
As you already know, carrots are a very delicious and nutritious root vegetable. They are also very versatile. You can make plenty of dishes with them. So why don’t you buy plenty of your favorite varieties so that they are always available in your fridge?
Which is the most tasting carrot variety? The answer varies from reader to reader, but feel free to tell me in the comment section. Try as many of them as you can, and finally, you will find your go-to variety. Before you leave this post, don’t forget to click the “share” button to support me.
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