The lowly carrot is getting a side dish makeover, and as it turns out, it doesn't take much to spruce up these orange beauties. With just a few simple ingredients, you'll have an elegant and delicious Roasted Carrots side dish on the table in no time. Plus, they are super versatile and go great with any protein.
This is a 100 % foolproof recipe that literally anyone can make! The sweet to savory ratio in this dish is absolute perfection and the carrots turn out tender and delicious every time. The simplicity makes it a great option for a healthy weeknight side, but they're pretty enough to work great for holidays and even dinner parties.
Around here we are all about keeping things simple and scrumptious. No hard-to-find ingredients and no complicated prep. If this sounds like something you can get behind, we have plenty more for you to try! Our House Salad, Roasted Okra, and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes are a great place to start.
HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT CARROT
In recipe development, we used standard-sized carrots, but you can certainly use baby carrots when making Roasted Carrots if desired. Speaking of which, did you know that baby carrots are not their own carrot species? Baby carrots are just carved out of regular ol' carrots. Mind blown.
When it comes to picking out your carrots, fresh is always best. So how do you determine if a carrot is fresh? Well, one great way to go about getting your hands on some fresh carrots is to visit your local farmers market. The carrots you'll find at the farmer's market have typically been harvested within days of selling.
If you need to get in and out of the grocery store quickly, you can also determine the quality of a carrot based on looks alone! Look for even coloring and watch out for water-logged bags of carrots. You definitely don't want to go home with one of those.
If you find carrots with green tops attached, make sure the greens look healthy and vibrant, not wilted and discolored.
PREPPING YOUR CARROTS
When it comes to peeling your carrots, you have options! If you detest the vegetable peeler, you can certainly leave the peel of the carrot on. Your Roasted Carrots will taste a bit earthier and a touch more savory. If you decide not to peel your carrots, you will most definitely want to scrub them before carrying on with the rest of the prep.
If you are going for a nice clean look, and a bright, sweet carrot flavor profile, rinse your carrots well and pat them dry before peeling.
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED CARROTS
After you've got your carrots peeled (or not peeled), it's time to bring in the cutlery. Remove the stem end of the carrot, and cut your carrots into three-quarter-inch to 1-inch pieces. Transfer your carrot pieces to a large, rimmed sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil.
Drizzle the carrots with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until they are evenly coated.
One of my favorite tips when it comes to roasting vegetables (or roasting anything, for that matter) is to make sure that everybody isn't crammed together on the baking sheet. As vegetables heat up in the oven, they release moisture. If the vegetables are touching as moisture releases, they will steam rather than roast. In the case of carrots specifically, this could result in watery Roasted Carrots. No, thanks.
When we cook carrots at high temperatures, sugars are released, which allows edges to caramelize a bit, which is superbly delicious.
Bottom line? For your carrots to roast properly, they should be in a single layer on the sheet pan and there should be a bit of space in between each carrot.
Transfer them to a preheated oven to bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the carrots for about 25 minutes, removing them from the oven about halfway through the cook time and giving them a toss using a spatula. Tossing the carrots in the middle of the cook time will help them to cook through evenly.
Nobody likes mushy carrots, so if your oven cooks hot, consider checking the carrots a few minutes before the 25-minute mark. You will know your carrots are done as soon as you can easily poke them with the tines of a fork.
Pull your Roasted Carrots from the oven, sprinkle them with fresh chopped parsley, serve, and enjoy!
LOOKING FOR HONEY-ROASTED CARROTS?
In this recipe, the natural sweetness of the carrots is enhanced by roasting and perfectly balanced with savory seasonings and fresh chopped parsley. However, if you're looking to take your carrots to a new level of decadence, try adding honey.
Here's how you do it: rather than getting straight to business with the carrots, oil, and seasoning directly in the sheet pan, you're going to do a little pre-mixing!
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, your salt, and pepper to a small bowl, and whisk until combined. Then, you'll place your carrots on the baking sheet as directed above, pour the honey mixture over the carrots, and toss to combine. Then, all you have to do is bake as directed, and boom! You've got a perfectly delicious Honey-Roasted Carrots recipe.
6 MORE VEGGIE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon
- Blistered Tomatoes
- Purple Hull Peas
- Collard Greens
- Veggie Bake
- Fried Squash
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound carrots
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the carrots, if desired, rinse and dry. Transfer to a work surface and cut into ¾-1" pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and have ready a rimmed sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Places carrots on the pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss until evenly combined.
- Bake for 25 minutes, tossing the carrots with a spatula about halfway through the cook time.
- Allow to cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Leave a Reply