Roasted Carrots
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Make incredibly flavorful oven roasted carrots with parsley and thyme in just 35 minutes. This recipe is easy to make with only 6 ingredients, and pairs perfectly with everything from weeknight meals, to holiday dinners!
Table of contents
Cooked carrots used to not be my favorite veggie side dish. That is, until I asked for my friend and former culinary instructor, Chef Kristin, for some tips.
I was introduced to Kristin through family friends and immediately fell in love with her line of culinary workwear, Chef K Gear. She’s designed the cutest and most functional aprons, jumpsuits and overalls for chefs. And they’re also perfect for those of us that like to live in the kitchen!
In addition to being an incredible designer, Kristin has years of experience as an executive chef and culinary instructor, and her love of food runs deep. This is why I knew that we would immediately be friends!
We were recently chatting about our favorite fall vegetables, and she was talking about how much she loved roasted carrots. Of course, I asked for all of her best tips so that I could share them with you all!
Today, I’m not only sharing a roasted carrot recipe, but also all of the tips and tricks you need to make perfect oven roasted carrots anytime of the year. From purchasing the carrots, to seasoning them, to roasting them just a little longer for the perfect char, you’ll definitely want to bookmark this post, so you can come back to it anytime you’re cooking with carrots!
Ingredients
- Carrots – when purchasing carrots, make sure their color is bright and that they are firm with no splits or cracks. By fall, carrots are getting “mature”, but they shouldn’t be too soft. Typically, fall carrots are much larger than their spring counterparts due to being in the ground for much longer. As a result, they have more interesting flavors and character than a tender sweet spring carrot. This makes them ideal for roasting to bring out the deep mellow sweetness.
- Extra virgin olive oil – or another neutral flavored oil, like vegetable, canola or avocado oil.
- Dried thyme – with it’s peppery-sweet earthy flavors, thyme is the perfect herb to pair with sweet roasted carrots.
- Salt + black pepper – to season the carrots.
- Fresh parsley – to finish the dish with a bright, fresh flavor and color.
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place peeled carrots in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush the seasoned olive oil evenly over the carrots on all sides.
- Place in a preheated 425°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots just start to blacken.
- Remove from the oven and immediately top with fresh chopped parsley.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Try roasting the carrots until they’re slightly charred on the outside. Just leave them to roast a little longer than usual, until you see the black blisters starting to appear. Let the aroma guide you and help you decide when it’s time to take them out of the oven. Flirting with the line between burnt and purposefully charred will bring a deeper, more robust smoky taste to the carrots.
- Try to purchase carrots that are similar in size. This means they’ll cook evenly.
- If your carrots come out of the oven hard, that means they need to cook longer. If your carrots are extra thick, you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time. The carrots should be fork-tender, and slightly charred at the ends when they come out of the oven.
- Cut the stems off, or leave them on, this is up to you. For an easy weeknight meal, you’ll probably want to cut the stems off before roasting the carrots. For a beautifully presented holiday side dish, you might want to leave them stems on the carrots for roasting.
- You can make this recipe with cut carrots, or baby carrots. After peeling the carrots, cut them into 2 inch sections, or use baby carrots. Toss them with the seasoned olive oil, then arrange them in an even layer on a sheet pan to roast. Cut carrots, or baby carrots will roast in less time than whole carrots. It will only take 20-25 minutes to roast.
- This recipe is naturally dairy free, gluten free and vegan. It’s also whole30 approved, making it the perfect side dish to serve for anyone, no matter the dietary restrictions.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a holiday meal. As written, this recipe is made with 2 pounds of carrots, which is a perfect side dish for 6 people. Double the recipe for 10-12 people, or triple the recipe for 15-18 people.
How to store and reheat
Store leftover carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The leftovers can be eaten cold, or heated up in the microwave, or in the oven.
To reheat them in the oven, I recommend wrapping them in foil and heating them up at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, or until warm.
To reheat them in the microwave, place them on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 60-90 seconds.
What to serve with them
Roasted carrots are a great side dish to serve with an easy weeknight meal, Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas meal. Try it with any of these delicious main dishes.
More vegetable sides
Try these other delicious veggie side dishes for your next weeknight dinner or holiday meal!
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Combine the olive oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Arrange the carrots in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush the seasoned olive oil evenly over the carrots on all sides.
- Place the carrots in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots start to slightly char on the outside.
- Remove the carrots from the oven and top with the fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Try roasting the carrots until they’re slightly charred on the outside. Just leave them to roast a little longer than usual, until you see the black blisters starting to appear. Flirting with the line between burnt and purposefully charred will bring a deeper, more robust smoky taste to the carrots.
- Try to purchase carrots that are similar in size. This means they’ll cook evenly.
- If your carrots come out of the oven hard, that means they need to cook longer. If your carrots are extra thick, you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time. The carrots should be fork-tender, and slightly charred at the ends when they come out of the oven.
- Cut the stems off, or leave them on, this is up to you. For an easy weeknight meal, you’ll probably want to cut the stems off before roasting the carrots. For a beautifully presented holiday side dish, you might want to leave them stems on the carrots for roasting.
- You can make this recipe with cut carrots, or baby carrots. After peeling the carrots, cut them into 2 inch sections, or use baby carrots. Toss them with the seasoned olive oil, then arrange them in an even layer on a sheet pan to roast. Cut carrots, or baby carrots will roast in less time than whole carrots. It will only take 20-25 minutes to roast.
- This recipe is naturally dairy free, gluten free and vegan. It’s also whole30 approved, making it the perfect side dish to serve for anyone, no matter the dietary restrictions.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a holiday meal. As written, this recipe is made with 2 pounds of carrots, which is a perfect side dish for 6 people. Double the recipe for 10-12 people, or triple the recipe for 15-18 people.
- Store leftover carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
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One Comment on “Roasted Carrots”
So happy the two of you have connected. Think it’s absolutely a great blend of talent.