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Roasted Carrots are one of the most versatile vegetable side dishes! You can go savory or you can go sweet. This roasted carrots recipe is all about classic flavor. Do you remember the glazed carrots from your childhood and from holiday meals? They’re perfect for weeknight dinners with the family too!
Whether you call them brown sugar carrots, carmelized carrots, or maple glazed carrots, you’ll call these delicious! Plus, they’re so simple to make! Use them for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Thursday night dinner!
SWEET ROASTED CARROTS
Carrot side dishes are often seen at the holidays, but they pair so well with a variety of main courses that I started serving them as part of our weekly meals too! I’m a huge fan of cooked carrots so I enjoy making them different ways.
When I am cooking for the holidays, I usually make my classic slow cooker carrots. While they cook, I can work on other dishes I’m in charge of making. On weeknights, I don’t often reach for my Crockpot for a side dish. If I’m breaking out the slow cooker, it’s going to be a one-pot meal night!
So oven baked carrots are a great solution. I get the brown sugar cinnamon carrots I love and still have a fairly convenient recipe going.
HOW TO COOK CARROTS
There are a lot of different ways to cook carrots. If you’re interested in trying some different methods, we’ve got you covered! Try Maple Glazed Carrots for a sweet recipe or Buttery Cooked Carrots for more savory flavor!
Most of my carrot recipes lean towards the sweet side of things and use ingredients like brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup. But you’ll find some garlic thrown in there as well!
For this recipe, you cook the carrots in the oven at 425°F to roast them. It’s easy to do and you can work on the rest of the meal while they bake!
DO YOU PEEL CARROTS BEFORE ROASTING?
The truth is you don’t have to peel carrots unless you want to do it. Some people don’t like the texture or the taste of carrot skin, so most people do peel them. If you peel them and have never tried a Y-shaped Peeler, I highly recommend trying one! You can get a Y Vegetable Peeler here!
I often use baby carrots to avoid peeling and doing a lot of chopping. But if you use whole carrots for this recipe (and you can!) then it’s up to you if you want to peel the carrots before roasting them.
HOW DO YOU CUT CARROTS FOR ROASTING?
If you’re not using baby carrots, I suggest you cut your whole carrots before roasting them with this recipe. There are a few options.
You can slice the carrots. If you slice them, I recommend slicing them into slices that are about 1-2 inches thick. You’ll want them all to be similar in size so you get more even cooking.
You can also chop them into chunks or slice them length-wise to make carrot sticks. No matter how you cut them, make sure the pieces are all about the same size.
If you’re using baby carrots but would like more bite-size carrots to serve, you can cut them in half too before roasting in the oven.
HOW TO MAKE BROWN SUGAR ROASTED CARROTS
To get started, prep your carrots if you’re not using baby carrots. Then heat your oven and line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. You don’t have to do this, but it really helps make cleaning up easier when you’re glazing carrots.
Then mix all of the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Put the carrots in a larger bowl and once you’ve mixed your glaze, pour it over the carrots. Stir them around to get them coated with the glaze.
Spread the glazed carrots on the baking pan in a single layer and put them in the oven to roast! Cook the carrots for about 20 minutes or until they reach the desired softness and tenderness. I recommend flipping them over about halfway through the cooking time.
You can garnish them with parsley flakes and serve them with your favorite main dish!
SUGGESTED MAIN DISH RECIPES: Oven Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken, “Fried” Chicken Legs, Crockpot Turkey Breast
Easy Roasted Carrots
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 158
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, melted butter, maple syrup, salt, and pepper together until smooth.
Put baby carrots in a large bowl and pour glaze mixture over them. Mix to coat.
Spread baby carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness. Turn the carrots halfway through cook time.
Garnish with parsley flakes, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
You can substitute whole carrots for the baby carrots in this recipe. Slice or chop your carrots into similar sized pieces before roasting.
Please note: All nutritional values are estimates. Exact values depend on the specific products used.
Nutrition
Calories: 158 kcal
FAQs
You want them partially cooked so that you can finish them off by roasting them. If you don't par cook the carrots, they will cook faster on the outside than the inside when they are in the oven. It also gives them a better texture. Raw carrots that are roasted can be a little rubbery and chewy.
Which takes longer to cook, carrots or potatoes? ›
Typically potatoes take longer to cook than carrots. To make sure the vegetables are finished at the same time, cut the potatoes smaller to speed their roasting along.
What are the appropriate methods of cooking carrots? ›
Roasting really brings out carrots' best qualities. To make them, just toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until they're golden on the edges and tender throughout. Serve these simple roasted carrots with traditional or heavy main dishes, like standard Thanksgiving fare, lasagna or mac and cheese.
What is the best whole baked carrots Jamie Oliver? ›
Instructions: “Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss your carrots with a good glug of olive oil, a splash of vinegar, salt and pepper, the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves. Place in a roasting pan or earthenware dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until just tender.
What is the single ingredient you need for the crispiest roasted vegetables? ›
Yes, cornstarch—that box in your pantry is the secret to a super-crispy exterior on veggies, from potatoes to cauliflower.
How do you get the most flavor out of carrots? ›
Here's some of our favorites to sprinkle on carrots:
- Garlic (minced, powder or granules)
- Onion powder or granules.
- Black malabar pepper.
- Cinnamon (Cassia for sweeter, Ceylon for sweetness with some more complex savory and vanilla flavors)
- Nutmeg powder.
- Cayenne pepper powder.
- Ginger powder.
- Aleppo chili.
The perfect temperature– 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork tender interior. But it will vary based on the types of veggies and oil used. If your veggies are not browning enough, try increasing the temperature.
Is it healthier to roast or boil carrots? ›
Your body has an easier time absorbing the carotenoids in carrots if you eat them cooked rather than raw. Cooking breaks down the vegetable's cell walls, making its nutrients more available. Of course, how you cook them matters—boiling vegetables can leach out nutrients, so it's better to steam, sauté, or roast.
Should you boil potatoes before roasting? ›
Boiling your potatoes for a little bit before roasting helps make sure that you get that beautiful crisp crust on the outside. If you don't parboil your spuds, the outside skin will remain quite tough, meaning that whatever fat you use will not be able to get inside the cracks.
What makes carrots taste better? ›
High heat and good browning make carrots taste sweeter and more delicious. Published Jan. 5, 2023.
To Rough-Cut or Dice
Large carrots should be split in half or quartered lengthwise first, then crosscut into large chunks. For smaller dice, cut the carrot lengthwise into roughly 1/4-inch sticks, then crosscut those sticks into 1/4-inch dice.
What is the healthiest way to prepare carrots? ›
It's best to cook carrots for the shortest time possible to preserve their nutritional value. Boiling, in particular, may lower some of the antioxidant activity in carrots and nutrients like vitamin C. But it makes it easier for the body to absorb the carotene in them.
What enhances carrot flavor? ›
Flavor Enhancements
The flavor of cooked carrots is enhanced by herbs. Use spearmint, marjoram, a small bay leaf, thyme, grated ginger root, chopped chives, dill or parsley. To sweeten carrots, use honey, maple syrup or a sprinkle of sugar.
Why are my roast carrots soggy? ›
As they cook, vegetables give off moisture, and when arranged too close together it results in a soggy outcome. Follow this tip: To achieve beautiful browning and crisp, roasted perfection, vegetables need some breathing room. Arrange vegetables in a single layer and don't overcrowd the pan.
Why are roasted carrots so sweet? ›
The hot oven intensifies the carrots' natural sweetness, and it makes them soft and tender, with lightly crisp, caramelized edges.
Why are my carrots still hard after cooking? ›
I've found that carrots generally need quite rapid boiling to get nicely soft, unless they're going to simmer for quite a long time like at least an hour or two. Vegetables cook particularly slowly in thick liquid like tinned tomatoes.
Why are my carrots not getting soft in the oven? ›
There is, however, a trick to getting roasted carrots right. Undercook them, and the texture is tough and dense. Overcook them, and they're dry and wrinkled. The secret is to soften the carrots slightly by boiling them briefly before roasting.
What makes carrots tough? ›
Environmental factors such as too hot and dry, or too cold and wet, irregular watering, poor drainage or leaving the carrots in the ground for too long. Also, excessive nitrogen, so adding too much nitrogen rich compost or organic matter or fertiliser to the soil.
How do you firm up bendy carrots? ›
The trick to turn your zombie carrot into a pert, healthy, delicious one is to just pop it in a glass of water for five minutes to rehydrate it.
