Did you know that dozens of different types of carrots are out there? That might sound silly since carrots are such a common veggie. But carrot varieties can vary quite a bit from one to the next.
They differ in size, shape, color, taste, and nutritional content, so it’s essential to get familiar with your options when picking the perfect carrot for your dish.
Here are some of the most common carrots you need to know about.
Hercules Carrot
The first on our list of different types of carrots is the Hercules carrot. A favorite among competitive eaters,
Meanwhile, Hercules carrots are thick and long, averaging about 18 inches in length. They’re also quite sweet, making them a good choice for juicing or eating raw.
Caracas Carrot
These different carrots are long and thin, with a deep orange color. They’re popular in Venezuela and known for their sweetness. They’re often used in salads or as a garnish.
Rainbow Carrot
Believe it or not, there are more than just orange carrots! There are rainbow carrots. These beautiful vegetables come in various colors: yellow, white, purple, and red. Each color carrot has its unique flavor that can add a pop of flavor to any dish.
Nantes Carrot
The Nantes carrot is a variety that is commonly found in grocery stores. It is named after the city of Nantes in France. It is one of the different carrots characterized by its cylindrical shape and deep orange color.
Also, the Nantes carrot is known for its sweetness and crisp texture.
Centenary Carrot
This heirloom carrot was developed in Canada in the early 1900s to celebrate the country’s centenary. It’s a long, thin carrot with smooth, bright orange skin. The flesh is sweet and crunchy, making it ideal for eating raw or using in salads.
Imperator
The Imperator carrot is one of the most popular different types of carrots. It is long and tapered and can grow up to 18 inches in length.
Also, this type of carrot is often used in baby food and juicing, as it has high water content and a sweet flavor.
Yaya Carrot
One of the different types of carrots is orange in color and has a mildly sweet taste. They are popular in Africa and the Middle East.
Also, they are used as livestock feed for rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, and other small animals. In some places, they can be found year-round in markets; other sites sell them only seasonally during certain times.
Meanwhile, sugar lovers might enjoy these carrots because they’re sweeter than most.
Purplesnax Carrot
These carrots are long and thin, with a deep purple exterior and a white interior. They’re crisp and sweet, making them perfect for snacking or adding to salads. Plus, they’re packed with antioxidants and vitamins A and C.
Babette Carrot
A French heirloom carrot, these are long and thin with a bright orange color. They’re sweet and crisp, making them great for raw eating and cooking. These different carrots have such a mild flavor that they work well in mixed vegetable dishes.
Green Curly Carrot
These are also different types of carrots. Medium-sized carrots don’t need peeling because they have less bitterness than other varieties.
Although this variety is primarily used in the UK, it can be found at some farmer’s markets in the US. Scarlet Nantes is a type of carrot Similar to green curly carrots. This variety has less bitterness and needs no peeling because it’s small enough for easy cutting.
Romeo Carrot
A bright orange carrot is named after its shape, similar to a turnip. Romeo carrots are extra sweet and often used in baby food or as a garnish.
Baltimore Carrot
A type of carrot that is popular in the Baltimore area. These different carrots are known for their sweetness and ability to be used in many other dishes.
Baltimore carrots are often used in soups and stews and are a crucial ingredient in many traditional Baltimore recipes.
Bolero Carrot
A Bolero carrot is a short, thick, and blunt-ended carrot popular in Europe. This type of carrot is typically orange but can also be found in white, yellow, and red. Meanwhile, Bolero carrots are great for roasting or steaming and can be used in various dishes.
Mokum Carrot
These carrots are named for their city of origin, Mokum, in the Netherlands. They’re long and thin, with a deep orange color and a sweet flavor.
They’re often used in baby food, as they’re easy to puree. So, if you want something less sweet than other types of carrots, this is your best bet.
Red Carrot
Red carrots have bright colors ranging from light pink to dark purple. The colors come from anthocyanins and beta-carotene pigments that provide an antioxidant punch.
Merida Carrot
A popular type of carrot in Mexico, Merida carrots are thin and long, with a deep orange color. They have a sweet flavor and are often used in soups and stews.
Cosmic Purple Carrot
These different carrots are deep purple and have a slightly sweeter flavor than traditional orange carrots. They’re perfect for roasting or adding to salads for a pop of color.
Napa Carrot
Napa carrots are long and white, with a tapered shape, a member of the daikon family. They’re grown in temperate climates and have a slightly sweet flavor. Napa carrots are different carrots often used in Asian cuisine, either pickled or stir-fried.
Napoli Carrot
A popular type of carrot in Europe, the Napoli carrot is long and thin with a deep orange color. They have a slightly sweet flavor and are often used in salads or garnish.
Touchon Carrot
A touchon carrot is a variety of small and round carrots with a deep orange color. They are often used in salads or garnish and have a mild flavor. The name touchon comes from the French word for garnish.
Atomic Red Carrot
These different types of carrots are a deep red color and have a slightly spicy flavor. They’re great for roasting or eating raw, and they’re also beautiful as a garnish.
Romeo Carrot
With their deep orange color, Romeo carrots are one of the most popular different types of carrots. They’re named after the Italian city of Verona and are often used in salads or as a garnish. Romeo carrots are also a good source of Vitamin A and beta-carotene.
Purple Dragon Carrot
These types of carrots are a deep purple color and have a sweet, slightly spicy flavor. They’re perfect for roasting or using in stir-fries.
Rodelika Carrot
A different type of carrot that is often overlooked, the Rodelika carrot is an excellent option for those who want something a little different. This carrot is long and thin, with a bright orange color. It has a sweet flavor and is often used in salads or as a garnish.
Romance Carrots
What could be more romantic than a carrot? This type of carrot is usually given as a gift on Valentine’s Day and is said to have aphrodisiac qualities.
Romance carrots are long and thin, with a deep red color. They are sweet and crunchy, with a slightly spicy flavor.
Scarlet Carrot
The scarlet carrot is next on our list of the different types of carrots. This carrot is characterized by its deep red color and sweet flavor.
In addition, Scarlet carrots are believed to have originated in Turkey and were brought to Europe in the 16th century. Today, they are widely available in grocery stores and farmer’s markets.
White Satin Carrot
The White Satin carrot is a hybrid that was developed in the Netherlands in the 1970s. It’s known for its long, slender shape and smooth, white skin.
These carrots are crisp and sweet, making them ideal for snacking or adding to salads.
Autumn King Carrot
The Autumn King is a deeply orange carrot hybrid of the Early Horn and Scarlet Nantes varieties.
It was developed in the United Kingdom in the late 1800s and is one of the most popular different types of carrots in Europe.
This variety is known for its sweetness, crispness, and storage ability.
Candysnax Carrot
A favorite among kids and adults alike, Candysnax carrots are short and stumpy, with a deep orange color. They’re delightful, making them perfect for snacking or using in recipes where you want a touch of sweetness.
Nutri-Red Carrot
Combining traditional red and orange carrots, these carrots get their color from lycopene and beta-carotene. They’re slightly sweeter than other carrots and are often used in juices.
Purple Haze Carrot
These carrots are a deep purple color and have a slightly sweet flavor. They’re great for roasting or eating raw and are also pretty enough to use as a garnish.
Marianna’s Garden Carrot
These are regular white carrots, but they taste like grapefruit!
Diamond Lanes’ Champion Dark Orange Carrot
These aren’t just any old orange carrots. They’re an iconic California variety that’s sweeter than most other carrots!
Red Samurai Carrot
These carrots are a type of heirloom carrot that is popular in Japan. The roots are long and thin and have a bright red color. They are often used in stir-fries and other Asian dishes.
Royal Chantenay Carrot
A favorite among French chefs, these different types of carrots are long and thin with a deep orange color. They have a sweet, nutty flavor and are often used in stews and soups.
Red-cored Carrot
Most people are familiar with the classic orange carrot, but did you know this root vegetable has several different types of carrots?
For example, red-cored carrots are a variety their reddish center characterizes. These carrots are often sweeter than their orange counterparts and make a great addition to any dish.
Yellowstone Carrot
The Yellowstone carrot is one of the different prevalent types of carrot. It is long and thin and has a deep orange color.
However, it is named after Yellowstone National Park, where it was first grown. This type of carrot is often used in salads or as a garnish.
Conclusion
While only a handful of different types of carrots are widely available, each has its unique flavor and texture that can enhance any dish.
From the honey carrot’s sweetness to the rainbow carrot’s crispness, there is a perfect type of carrot for every recipe.
So next time you’re in the grocery store, try a new kind of carrot and see how it transforms your favorite dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most popular carrot is the orange carrot. People love orange carrots because they are sweet and have high sugar content. However, many other types of carrots are just as delicious.
While all different types of carrots are technically sweet, some are sweeter than others. One of the most precious types of carrots is the Nantes carrot. Meanwhile, the sweetness of a carrot is determined by the amount of sugar it contains. The higher the sugar content, the sweeter the carrot will taste. This variety is often used in desserts because of its natural sweetness.
There are more than 300 types of carrots. That’s a lot of different carrots!
