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My husband and I love roasting vegetables in the oven. We have tried many variations of roasted carrots but found this recipe to be the best: Crispy with the perfect mix of savory and sweet. Even the pickiest eaters will enjoy these carrots!
Growing up my mom used to make glazed carrots which I loved as a kid. The glaze was made from butter and brown sugar which tricked me into eating my vegetables. Everything is better with butter and sugar! Although I still love carrots, I can’t handle as much sweetness as an so I avoided cooked carrots for years. I recently decided to buy a bag of carrots and experiment with an adultier version of carrots. Alas, my new obsession: Roasted carrots.
The saltiness from the seasoning blends perfectly with the sweetness from the carrot. The flavor is almost reminiscent of a seasoned sweet potato fry. We have tried a few different seasoning combinations on carrots but found this combo tastes the best. The smoked paprika and garlic powder add a depth of flavor, while the Italian seasoning brings some freshness to the dish. Roasting at a higher temperature gives the carrots a crisp texture on the outside while the inside remains tender.
It is important to cut the carrots in uniform sizes to make sure they cook through evenly. You can cut them into round medallions, or cut on an angle for a “fancy cut”. My carrots are sort of a hybrid of medallions and fancy cuts. A full fancy cut would like more like a parallelogram. Wow- never thought I would use that word after high school geometry! Either way, make sure your carrots are cut to similar thickness. I cut them about 1/4 inch. If you cut your carrots thicker than 1/4 you may need to increase the cook time in the recipe.
You’ll want to make sure your carrots are spread out evenly on the pan. Overcrowding the pan or overlapping will steam the vegetables instead of roasting. For this recipe I used tinfoil on a baking sheet for easy clean-up. You can also cook directly on the baking sheet if you would prefer. I do not recommend using parchment paper for this recipe as the paper will not give the vegetables the desired roasted texture we are looking for. You can use parchment if you prefer a softer, more moist texture.
Once the carrots have been in the oven for 10 minutes (halfway), remove the pan from the oven and either shake to stir the carrots or flip with a spatula. Flipping the carrots will ensure even cooking. Be sure to keep an eye on the carrots during the 2nd half of the cook time. Since these carrot cuts are small they can crisp up or burn quickly depending on the oven. We have had 3 different ovens since we started making this recipe and each one is slightly different, but I have found the below recipe generally works with all.
You can serve immediately once removed from the oven. These carrots are versatile and will go with either chicken, fish or beef. They are also a great salad topping. This dish stores well in the fridge for a few days but reheat VERY quickly in the microwave. I recommend reheating in the air fryer for just a few minutes to revive the crispiness.
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz bag of raw, whole carrots
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt (add more salt to taste)
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Italian Herb Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Cut carrots into 1/4 thick slices. You can cut on angle to make "fancy cuts", or cut straight to make medallions. I used 6 large carrots in my recipe.
- Combine carrots & olive oil in a mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and stir.
- Spread carrots out evenly on a baking sheet. Note- I use aluminum foil on my baking sheet because I like the crisp texture foil gives roasted vegetables. You can use parchment paper, however your carrots will be soft instead of crisp.Don't overcrowd the pan. If you crowd the pan the carrots will steam instead of roasting.
- Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes, mixing halfway through cooking (the longer in oven the crisper the carrots).
