Roasted Carrots Recipe

Roasted carrots are perfect for all occasions. They are sweet, tender, and absolutely delicious!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 124kcal

Preheat oven to 400F.
Brush a rimmed baking sheet or large baking pan with 1 tablespoon oil.
Halve any large carrots. Chop into 2-inch pieces. Add carrots to the pan and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread carrots into an even layer.
Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until carrots are tender and starting to caramelize. If browning too quickly before softening, cover loosely with foil. Sprinkle with chopped herbs before serving.

Slender carrots from the farmer’s market can be roasted whole. Because they are (likely) freshly harvested and smaller in size, market carrots will have a higher moisture content than thicker grocery store carrots and will soften more quickly in the oven. Check these for doneness after 18-20 minutes of roasting.
Peel the carrots. Carrot skin gets wrinkly and chewy in the oven. If you decide to keep the skins on the carrots, be sure to wash and scrub them well to remove any dirt or debris.
Cut the carrots diagonally: This increases the surface area, so you can get even more caramelization on the carrots.
Make sure you use a hot oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F. A high temperature is key, so if the oven is too low, you won’t get the delicious caramelization you’re looking for.
If you have a large sheet pan, use it! The more you can spread the carrots out in a single layer, the more caramelization you’ll get. If your pans aren’t large enough, divide them into two sheet pans. Do not overcrowd the pans, or the carrots will steam and not caramelize.
Cover loosely with foil if the carrots are browning too quickly before softening to prevent them from burning before they are tender.