Roasted Carrots Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated Nov. 13, 2023

Roasted Carrots Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
5(4,966)
Notes
Read community notes

This dish is inspired by a roasted carrot antipasto served at the now Oliveto Cafe in Oakland, Calif. The oven-roasted carrots are tossed with lots of parsley and thyme, which offset the sweetness of the carrots. This recipe makes a soft and tender carrot in about 30 minutes in the oven, but if you like browned and caramelized edges, roast uncovered for all, or part, of the cooking time.

Featured in: Carrots: Digging Deeper for Fall Flavor

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves six

  • 2pounds carrots
  • 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • ½teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

124 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 373 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Roasted Carrots Recipe (2)

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

  1. Step

    1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and cut into 2-inch segments, then quarter or cut into sixths lengthwise depending on size. Chop the thyme.

  2. Step

    2

    Oil a sheet pan or a baking dish large enough to fit all of the carrots in a single layer. Place the carrots in a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Spread in an even layer in the prepared pan or baking dish. Cover with foil, and place in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover, and if the carrots are not yet tender, turn the heat down to 375 degrees and return to the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes. (For caramelized edges, roast uncovered for all, or part, of the cooking time.)

    Roasted Carrots Recipe (3)
  3. Step

    3

    Add the parsley, stir gently, and taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

    Roasted Carrots Recipe (4)

Tip

  • Advance preparation: These will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator.

Ratings

5

out of 5

4,966

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Great Natural Flavor on Roasted Carrots

After reading other reviews, I:
1. Wrapped a half-size baking sheet in foil for easy clean-up.
2. Cut carrots in angled wedges for a better look.
3. Used half the olive-oil stated in the recipe
4. Tossed carrots in oil, thyme, s&p in separate bowl before adding to pan. Extra oil stays in the bowl!
5. Roasted 20 min @400; then another 7 min (also @400). Next time, I'll reduce heat to 375 for the last 7 minutes.
After roasting, toss carrots in a bowl with fresh-cut parsley.
Yum!

KBK

Fresh lemon thyme is the ticket with carrots. Lots of lemon thyme.

MH

I made this with a beautiful bunch of carrots from the farmer's market and fresh oregano and thyme as I had them on hand. Threw the parsley in before the roast by accident. Turned out incredible! Lined the baking pan with aluminum foil and covered with it as well. No clean up - an absolute keeper!

Stef

Do NOT cook these covered- they will be mushy and not roasted/caramelized. I wish I had followed my gut and cooked uncovered and next time in slightly thicker pieces. Nice flavor. One of very few disappointments in NYT cooking.

PDX Maus

So easy and delicious! I just used parchment paper, without oiling it, on a half sheet. I used dried thyme as that was all I had and would definitely double to 2 tsp. The parsley added at the end really rounded out the flavor. Prefer avocado oil because it doesn't add a distinct flavor, unlike olive oil, and can handle the higher heat. Had to roast an additional 15 minutes at 375 degrees uncovered to thoroughly cook the thicker pieces. Will definitely make it again.

Nan Holcomb

I didn't have any parsley, so I washed the carrot tops and used them instead. YUM!

Kieran

Do not cover with foil. Maybe covering is needed for very large and/or old carrots. Mine were purchased fresh (with tops) and in 25 minutes covered they turned to mush.

M

Or, as a "cheat": slice carots into equal strips, douse in olive oil, sprinkle with Za'tar, s &p. Roast for 20 minutes or until desired doneness. Sprinkle with more of the Za'atar and sea salt.

Doug

Need tip- if you want to decrease the cooking time, poach the carrots for about 5 minutes in rolling boiling water, then drain and let them steam-dry. Then go ahead and prepare uncovered. It will cut the cooking time down by 20-30 minutes.

RyanF

30 minutes is too long! Carrots are practically mush. Check after 15 but my guess is 20 minutes is plenty.

Martin

After reading other reviews, I:1. Wrapped a half-size baking sheet in foil for easy clean-up.2. Cut carrots in angled wedges for a better look.3. Used half the olive-oil stated in the recipe4. Tossed carrots in oil, thyme, s&p in separate bowl before adding to pan. Extra oil stays in the bowl!5. Roasted 20 min @400; then another 7 min (also @400). Next time, I'll reduce heat to 375 for the last 7 minutes.6. After roasting toss carrots in bowl with parsely.

Adam

Martha does it again. These are absolutely delicious. I use rainbow carrots if I can find them. I've also used chopped rosemary in place of thyme because I have a ton of it in my garden. I think any savory herb would do. Don't skimp on the oil.

greygrey

WOW, cut them on the diagonal, non stick foil, and roast uncovered at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes...they carmelized...it was like eating candy

K

1. Wrapped a half-size baking sheet in foil for easy clean-up.2. Cut carrots in angled wedges for a better look.3. Used half the olive-oil stated in the recipe4. Tossed carrots in oil, thyme, s&p in separate bowl before adding to pan. (Can sub avocado oil)5. Roasted 20 min @400; then another 7 min (also @400). Next time, I'll reduce heat to 375 for last 7 min.6. Toss in bowl with fresh chopped parsley

Amy Palmer Henry

I made this for myself knowing full well that my husband doesn't like cooked carrots. Guess what? He loved them and I was forced to share. This recipe is a winner, creating carrots with a deep rich flavor and jewel-like color.

my Notes

Use thyme and rosemary from mixed bag but no parsley. Use all of itAdd salt and pepper 2 Tbls of olive oilWrap in foilCook 20 min at 390 then 7 at 375 Cut carrots thin and in wedges (watch video)

Nicole

I made these per the recipe with carrots that were not fresh and they turned out perfectly.

Katherine

I didn't bother peeling the carrots, just scrubbing them clean. Turned out great!

deb

Great method. Check after 15 min

Sara

This steams the carrots more than roasting. Though they do look lovely and bright orange with this method, good for presentation. Next time I will remove the foil sooner to get them more caramelized flavor.

Jane

Carrots can be made and kept 4 - 5 days in fridge

susan

I use long carrots and slice them in half long ways, they are nice visually that way and the thin ends get more crispy and browned. I bake them at 400 for about 30 minutes. I have a cookbook from a local seattle chef and she roasts sliced fennel along with the carrots, which is delicious.

Erin S

Absolutely nothing special about these roasted carrots. Not sure why they’re rated 5 stars. I’ve made better just winging it.

sparklefern

Agree with everyone else on this: don’t cover them or they will steam.

Rachel

Made this Thanksgiving morning to take to friends’ and it was very good. I put parchment on a sheet pan, tossed carrots and thyme in a bowl, followed recipe as directed. A nice colorful low-fat vegan side dish (as a counterbalance to all those wonderful heavy foods.)

Tee

Flavor was great but they were a little over cooked. Next time I make them I will cover them for half the cooking time to be more firm and cook uncovered for the remaining time to roast or caramelize them. Not sure if that will work but everyone liked them enough to try making them again.

StRita

Yes. They are 5 star for a reason. So so good. I covered the sheet pan with foil and ran a swipe of olive oil across it with paper towel. Did not cover them, baked until they started caramelizing. Didn't bother with the parsley. Easy and delicious!

Maria Angel

I asked Husband to pick up two pounds of carrots and he brought home a sack of baby carrots. He said they were the only carrots sold in a two pound bag. There was a bright side! I did not have to peel them and they were the proper size for this recipe after on chop lengthwise.Co-workers ate them up.

Kat

Used baby carrots cut into fourths because that’s what we had on hand. Kids called them carrot French fries and gobbled them up I had to make a second batch. I forgot to use the parsley and did the uncovered roast about 1 to 2 minutes extra. Very good and lets natural carrot sweetness shine.

Susannah

Made these for T'Giving in 2022 exactly as written. They were so mushy they were unusable. Very disappointing.

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Roasted Carrots Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you boil carrots before roasting? ›

Roasting Tips

Parboiling skin-on carrots and parsnips lets you soften them without them losing too much moisture. Follow up by browning in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 40 minutes.

How do you roast carrots Jamie Oliver? ›

Method. Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Toss your carrots with a good lug of olive oil, a splash of vinegar, salt and pepper, the thyme sprigs and the garlic cloves. Place in a roasting tray or earthenware dish, cover tightly with tinfoil and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until just tender.

What happens if you don't peel carrots before roasting? ›

As with many vegetables, roasting carrots brings out their sweet inner nature. Peel the carrots or don't peel the carrots—it's up to you. Peeling takes a bit more time, obviously, but also leads to a more consistent final texture to the dish.

Are roasted carrots still healthy? ›

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.

Why are my roasted carrots not getting soft? ›

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.

Why are my roast carrots soggy? ›

There are several reasons why your roasted vegetables may be turning out soggy: The oven temperature was too low. In most cases, you want your oven at 400° or 425°F. The pan was too crowded.

Why are my roasted carrots bitter? ›

Peel the skin for best taste.

This is not mandatory because the skin is edible as long as it's washed and scrubbed well. But, I find that the outside skin of carrots tends to have a bitter taste, so for roasting, I recommend peeling off the skin.

Should carrots be soaked before cooking? ›

However, rather than just five minutes, the site recommends soaking the carrots in the fridge for at least an hour — and overnight for even better results. According to Fine Dining Lovers, this trick works because carrots are made up of 86-95% water.

Can you cut carrots ahead of time for roasting? ›

Root and cruciferous vegetables — think carrots, parsnips, turnips, Brussels sprouts — can be washed, peeled and cut a day in advance for a beautiful medley of roasted vegetables.

Should you wash carrots? ›

Carrots purchased from the supermarket are relatively free from dirt, so if you plan to peel and cook them, a good rinse and peel will do just fine.

Do carrots need to be refrigerated? ›

When stored properly, whole carrots can last for about three to four weeks in the fridge. Wrap unpeeled, unwashed carrots in a dry paper towel, and store them in an airtight food storage container or bag. Store the container of carrots in the coolest part of your refrigerator.

Do roasted carrots spike blood sugar? ›

Carrots can be a safe choice if you have diabetes and are watching your blood sugar levels. They're also non-starchy vegetables. So you can even enjoy small amounts of carrots if you're following the ketogenic, or keto, diet.

Can you eat too many roasted carrots? ›

Eating carrots in moderation is good for your health. Eating carrots in excess, however, can cause a condition called carotenemia. This refers to yellowish discoloration of the skin because of the deposition of a substance called beta-carotene that is present in carrots.

Do carrots have too much sugar? ›

While it is true that carrots contain natural sugars, they are not considered high in sugar when compared to many other fruits and vegetables. The glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are measurements that tell you how carbohydrate-based foods will impact blood glucose levels.

Do you need to boil vegetables before roasting? ›

When roasting vegetables, they sometimes burn before they get tender. Blanching veggies before roasting them allows them to caramelize a bit without burning.

Is it necessary to boil 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.

Why boiled carrots is better than raw? ›

Cooking carrots allows beta carotene, an antioxidant compound that gets converted to vitamin A in the intestine, to absorb more easily in the body, explains Beckerman. 2 This helps your body soak up even more health benefits, like boosting your immunity and promoting eye health.

Why do you parboil carrots? ›

Parboiling carrots helps to soften them slightly, making them easier to cook through when using methods such as roasting or grilling. It also helps to preserve their vibrant color and nutrients.

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