Ready in under 30 minutes, these oven roasted carrots are an easy, healthy, and delicious side dish! A little honey brings out their natural sweetness.
To me, roasted carrots are the perfect veggie side dish. They’re easy to make, but they’re also amazingly flavorful. The hot oven intensifies the carrots’ natural sweetness, and it makes them soft and tender, with lightly crisp, caramelized edges. I can never resist eating some straight off the baking sheet!
You’ll find my favorite roasted carrots recipe below. In addition to the olive oil, salt, and pepper I’d toss with any roasted vegetable, I use some honey here. It lightly glazes the carrots and helps them brown and caramelize in the oven.
Make this recipe to round out a weeknight dinner, or serve it at a special occasion. Quick, healthy, and delicious, it’s great for either.
How to Roast Carrots
To make this roasted carrots recipe, start by gathering your ingredients:
Ingredients
- Carrots, of course! You’ll need a pound of fresh carrots, from about 1 large or 2 medium bunches. If your carrots have tops, save them to use in vegetable stock, pesto, or carrot greens chimichurri.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It helps the carrots soften and brown in the oven.
- Honey – It lightly glazes the carrots and highlights their sweetness. Maple syrup works too!
- Salt and pepper – These savory seasonings balance the sweet carrots and honey.
- And chopped fresh parsley – For garnish. It’s a lovely, fresh finishing touch!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
A Note on Roasted Baby Carrots
I recommend seeking out whole orange or rainbow carrots to make this recipe. They have a more complex flavor and firmer texture than packaged baby carrots, which are not really “baby” carrots at all, but mature carrots that have been trimmed down and bagged.
That said, if baby carrots are what you have, you can use this recipe to roast them. I’d start checking them sooner though, after just 10 minutes in the oven. They can quickly go from fork-tender to mushy.
How to Roast Carrots
Got your ingredients? Here’s how to make this roasted carrots recipe:
First, prep the carrots. Wash them well (no need to peel!). Then, cut the carrots crosswise into 2-inch barrels. Slice any very thick barrels in half vertically. This will help them cook at the same rate as slimmer pieces.
Then, season them. Place the chopped carrots in a large bowl. Toss them with the honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper, mixing well to evenly coat them.
Next, roast the carrots. Spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer to a 425°F oven and roast for 15 to 25 minutes.
The carrots are ready when they’re fork-tender and nicely browned, but not mushy.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley, if you like. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
This roasted carrots recipe is delicious as written, but like any simple recipe, there are lots of fun ways to change it up! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Add spices. Carrots pair beautifully with warm, earthy spices like cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. Toss them with 1/4 teaspoon of one or more of these spices before roasting.
- Use a garlic Parmesan seasoning. Skip the honey, and toss the carrots with 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder instead. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on top!
- Try another herb. I call for parsley, but the carrots would be equally good with other fresh herbs on top. Sprinkle them with chopped fresh cilantro, mint, or fresh thyme leaves. Chopped carrot greens would be lovely too!
What to Serve with Roasted Carrots
These oven roasted carrots are a delicious, healthy side dish for any meal! For a simple weeknight dinner, pair them with your favorite protein, a grilled cheese sandwich, lentil pasta, or baked feta.
This recipe is also a great addition to a holiday dinner or brunch. Bookmark it to add to your Thanksgiving feast, or serve it for Easter alongside a frittata or quiche, muffins, and a green salad.
Enjoy!
Storage
These honey roasted carrots are best just after they’re baked, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm them in a 350°F oven or zap them in the microwave.
More Favorite Vegetable Side Dishes
If you love this roasted carrots recipe, try another flavorful vegetable side dish next:
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, about 1 large or 2 medium bunches, cut into 2-inch barrels
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the olive oil, honey, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Transfer the carrots to the baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes, or until fork-tender and lightly browned but not mushy. The timing will depend on the size of your carrots.
- Remove from the oven and season to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.
I used walnut oil and kosher salt with maple syrup. Best tasting carrot recipe I’ve tried yet!
I’m so glad you loved them!
This is the 3rd time I’ve made these. This recipe is my new go to for carrots: so easy and straight forward. I’m going to have to double the recipe because it’s hard to only eat one serving! Next time, I’ll try to post on IG with a photo. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Can these carrots be made ahead for a crowd and reheated? Would love to try it for Christmas dinner!
I’m also curious about this. Did you try them Laurie?