Oven roasted carrots are as easy as they sound! Just a couple of ingredients and a few minutes in a hot oven, and you’ve got a veggie side dish that’s fit for every meal from a weeknight supper to Thanksgiving dinner! Roasted carrots get a sweetness and caramelization that underscores their natural appeal.
Not only do roasted carrots taste fabulous, they are loaded with vitamin A, beta-carotene, and fiber. They go with everything, too. Try serving them with roast chicken or simple baked salmon, or as a colorful holiday side dish. Roasting carrots in the oven is so easy and simple that I sometimes overlook it when I’m meal planning. If you need another simple veggie side, try glazed carrots, or simple roasted fennel.
Key Roasted Carrot Ingredients
- Fresh carrots: You could use baby carrots, but I much prefer regular carrots! Baby carrots lack flavor and just won’t be quite as sweet and rich.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil, but regular olive oil would work OK, too.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley. You could do just salt and pepper, in a pinch.
How To Roast Carrots In The Oven
A few tips and tricks for roasting carrots. For the full recipe, see the card at the bottom of this post.
- Peel the carrots before roasting, then quarter them lengthwise for a quicker roasting time. TIP: Peel and cut the carrots a day ahead of time for quicker prep.
- Spread the carrots on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle carrots with oil and seasonings and give them a good toss.
- Roast the carrots for 20 minutes at 425°F. Check for tenderness after 15 minutes by piercing a carrot with a fork. If they aren’t tender yet, let them roast 5 minutes longer.
- Toss roasted carrots with fresh parsley and serve!
Variations & Add-Ins
- Emphasize the roasted carrots’ sweetness by adding a drizzle of maple syrup or honey in the last 5 minutes of roasting.
- Toss with browned butter after they are done roasting for extra earthy nuttyness.
- Perk them up a bit by adding a small squeeze of lemon juice or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar right at the end.
More Recipes With Carrots
If you enjoyed this recipe for roasting carrots, we have a few more suggestions for great ways to prepare carrots to accompany your next meal:
What’s Up Doc? Show Us Your Roasted Carrots!
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