Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots are easy to prep and come out tender, buttery and with the perfect mix of sweet and savory. They make a great side dish for the holidays or a special dinner.

 

I’ve long been a carrot lover.

My hands and feet were a little orange-y for a number of years there when I would snack on copious amounts of raw baby carrots along with my lunch. 

Even my son had a bit of an orange tint and some red in his hair when he was born, which my family attributed to my carrot consumption.

And while I have moved away from my daily carrot obsession, I still adore carrots.

And today’s recipe for oven roasted carrots is my new favorite way to enjoy them.

These are seriously SO dang good, y’all.

The carrots are perfectly tender and cooked through and they have just the best little browned edges from roasting in the oven.

They are buttery, rich, the right amount of sweet and totally irresistible.

Roasted carrots make a fantastic side dish to any holiday spread - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or just a special Sunday dinner.

Or anytime dinner. Cause I’m gonna be making these on REPEAT.

(Check out this slow cooker green bean casserole for another holiday favorite that I make throughout the year. As is this creamed spinach casserole that gets rave reviews all around the table.)

So let’s get cooking.

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to roast carrots. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

• Carrots: We’re using a full pound of full length carrots for this recipe. They need to be peeled and if they are on the larger side, cut in half lengthwise so they cook through properly.
• Butter: This gives such a good flavor and buttery richness to the carrots. I prefer unsalted butter, but if you have salted, that’s fine, too. (I’d maybe just skip the kosher salt called for in the recipe.) You could also substitute olive oil if you prefer.
• Garlic: This adds a savory element to the roasted carrots. Use 2 cloves if you want to go light on the garlic flavor, or use 3 if you are a garlic lover. In a pinch, you could substitute ¼ teaspoon garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic.

One tip: Make sure your carrots are somewhat evenly sized. My rule of thumb (pun intended) is that if the carrot diameter at its thickest point is bigger than your thumb, you should cut it in halfway lengthwise.

We want to promote even roasting.

Now, I’ve made these roasted carrots pretty simply seasoned. It’s just my favorite combination for them.

However, depending on your menu or flavor profile, you might want to switch things up. 

So here are a few other ideas you might enjoy.

Seasonings for Roasted Carrots:

• Garlic butter
• Chopped fresh rosemary
• Chopped fresh thyme
• Cumin seeds
• Chili powder and smoked paprika
• Honey and cinnamon
• Red pepper flakes

And for serving, you could sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or dill for a pretty presentation and some herby flavor to finish them off.

You might also want to check out my Company Carrots that have a rich and creamy sauce and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. So delish.

And if you are looking for more delectable sides for your table, creamy mashed potatoes are always a hit and you can’t go wrong with serving some Southern Deviled Eggs at any gathering. And green beans almondine are an impressive green that’s really easy to make.

Or if it’s the holidays, you must try my family’s Classic Thanksgiving Dressing and Classic Green Bean Casserole.

Last thing, let’s talk about what to do with leftovers.

Leftover roasted carrots, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Reheat on 325 degrees F in the oven for 5 or so minutes, until warmed through, to regain some of that roasted flavor. You can broil again here, too, for a little bit of charring if you’d like.

You can also reheat the carrots in a skillet on the stovetop or in an Air Fryer if you have one.

I hope you bring roasted carrots to your meal soon. You’re gonna be smitten.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn