Roasted Carrots are a quick and easy side dish with sweet or savory options. Ready in under 30 minutes making them the perfect addition to any meal.
Have extra carrots? Try these Air Fryer Carrots, Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots, & Carrot Soup next!
Roasted Carrots Recipe
I’ve always loved carrots, but it wasn’t until I tried them roasted that I truly appreciated their amazingness. Since then, I’ve been obsessed, and these roasted carrots have become a staple side dish in my home.
Whenever I’m in charge of a holiday side, you can bet I’m bringing these roasted carrots (and my Mashed Potatoes!). What I love most is the option to prepare them two ways: savory for less sweetness and sweet for a richer flavor. Honestly, I can’t decide which is better—they’re both incredibly delicious.
Roasted Carrots Ingredients
- Carrots: Cutting them on the diagonal gives more surface area, so they caramelize better.
- Olive Oil: Using good quality olive oil for the best flavor.
- Salt: Pulls out the natural sweetness of the carrots and seasons the dish.
- Savory Ingredients: I love fresh thyme and parsley, but other herbs work great.
- Sweet Ingredients: Honey, butter, and cinnamon make the carrots sweet and rich with a caramelized coating.
Quick Tip
Do You Have to Peel Carrots? Peeling isn’t necessary, but it gives a cleaner look and gets rid of the bitter flavor. If you skip peeling, wash them well to remove any dirt before roasting.
How To Roast Carrots
- Prep: Peel and slice carrots at an angle for even cooking and browning.
- Season: Toss the carrots with oil and seasonings on a sheet pan.
- Roast: Bake carrots, flipping them halfway through.
- Finish Savory: Toss with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme.
- Finish Sweet: Drizzle with a mixture of honey, butter, and cinnamon while the carrots are still hot.
Featured Comment
Fabulous roasted carrots recipe. We used the savory version tonight, it was a hit! I cannot wait to use the sweeter version.
– Jessica
Tips For Roasted Carrots
- Top Tip: Use a large sheet pan (like 15 x 21 inches) and spread the carrots out so they have plenty of room to roast.
- Even Cuts: Slice carrots evenly so some don’t burn while others stay undercooked.
- Roasting Time and Temp: Roast at 425°F for the best golden-brown, soft texture.
- Flip Halfway: Toss the carrots midway to make sure both sides get golden.
- Weigh the Carrots: Weighing out your carrots ensures you’ll have the right amount of oil and seasonings for delicious roasted carrots.
To Roast Baby Carrots
This recipe works with baby carrots, but they may need less time! If the baby carrots are different sizes, chop them to similar sizes. Watch the oven to make sure they’re not browning too quickly.
Storage
Keep roasted carrots in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but I recommend enjoying right away for the best flavor and texture.
More Favorite Carrot Recipes:
Roasted Carrots
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced on diagonal, 6 cups
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel the carrots, trim the tops, and slice diagonally to about 1/2 inch at the widest part for even cooking.
- Place carrots on a large sheet pan.For Savory Carrots, add olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.For Sweet Carrots, add olive oil and salt. Toss carrots to coat evenly.
- Spread carrots in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes, then toss and continue roasting for another 8–15 minutes until caramelized and tender (time may vary based on oven and carrot spacing).
- For Savory Carrots, toss with fresh herbs before serving.For Sweet Carrots, whisk together honey, melted butter, and cinnamon. Drizzle over the carrots, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Awesome!
Thanks Lee!
Can you combine the ingredients to make a savory & sweet roasted carrot recipes? Thank you for reading my question.
I haven’t tried combining the sweet and savory so I can’t say for sure how it would taste! Let me know if you give it a try!
Yes, absolutely! I came across a similar recipe months ago that had nearly the same ingredients. You can also swap the honey with maple syrup which I personally like a lot better. The recipe I followed, which I learned my lesson, had all ingredients added right away… guess what happens? You’ve got yourself a very smokey and stinky kitchen, they also added cayenne for a little heat (which I thoroughly enjoy) and I feel like a couple other things.. either way, was it ever phenomenal! So many wonderful ways to cook carrots! I do loooove this recipe especially with the instructions for the sticky gooey ingredients to be added LAST! It makes a world of a difference, no doubt.
Oh these will be wonderful with baked ham at Easter. I’m going to make before then to taste test. They really look delicious!
So excited for you to try them!
Hi Chelsea,
I just printed out this carrot recipe.
You should include the name of your website in the printed recipe so we can go back and find your site when looking for other recipes.
I am very excited to try the savory version.
Thank you, this sounds delish!
Thanks so much for this suggestion! So glad you’re enjoying! Thanks Brenda!
Roast carrot recipe
Can I make these ahead and reheat them later? Cant wait to try them!
I don’t recommend reheating them as they can get a little soggy, but they do reheat nicely in the air fryer! I would recommend just cutting and prepping them ahead of time then roasting them right before!
Hi… I bought a large bag of heirlooms from TJs today and want to cook them to have leftovers so I don’t have to bake them multiple times. You say not to reheat, but I’ve read other recipes that say you can store in fridge for 7 days. Your response was in 2023…do you still say not to reheat or have you found a good way to do that? I don’t have an air fryer. I don’t cook every day, and I have to leach my carrots to remove potassium, so it’s less of a hassle if I make a big bunch at one time. I appreciate any tips you may have. Thanks!
(P.S. I’m not supposed to have carrots due to hyperkalemia, but I’ve been hungry for them and couldn’t resist the beautiful heirlooms today! I hope I can make and reheat a large batch!)mas
Hey! I’ve found air frying them is a great way to reheat! Let me know if I can help with anything else! Thanks!
I reheat roasted veggies in a pan or in the oven instead of the airfryer.
This is an easy yet delicious recipe. I cut my carrots early in the day and marinated them in the olive oil mixture until dinnertime. All of my family loved this recipe.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Susan! 🙂
Fabulous roasted carrots recipe. We used the savory version tonight, it was a hit! I cannot wait to use the sweeter version.
Yay! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jessica! 🙂
Hi! I make roasted carrots at the holidays and most people love them. I usually just use kosher salt, ground black pepper (not too fine), olive oil and dried Thyme since it’s winter. Fresh rosemary is great too, but dried rosemary can be too woody. I’m sure the garlic powder will be a great addition. I got to thinking about the paprika and wondered if smoked paprika would taste even better? It sounds yummy. I’m going to try it.
Also, your recipe doesn’t say how many people it feeds or if you did I couldn’t find it. You might want to add that since it’s difficult to multiply the recipe if you don’t know how much it feeds. I’m going to a party of 15 people so I’m going to double it. I’m sure not everyone will want carrots. Thanks for the new twist!
Hey Jennifer! I can’t wait to hear what you think! I have the serving size listed at the top of the recipe card. These roasted carrots serve 6 people as a side. Enjoy!
It says how important the olive oil ratio is but I can’t find anywhere where it says How much olive oil to use for the Savory carrots
2 tablespoons its at the top of the recipe right under carrot quantity!
Wow! These were truly so delicious and simple! Made as side dish for short ribs and cauli mash. Couldn’t have been happier. The Carmelizing was so scrumptious. I cut much smaller pieces and it cooked up really fast. Thank you!!!
Yay! So glad you loved! Thanks Alison! 🙂
Whats with the huge introduction???? Literally ruins the recipe, thanks for making me read your wholle life story!!!
Just click “skip to recipe” at the top; no one is making you read anything 🙂
Wow, I was just googling my name and this thread came up and I cannot believe how rude I was! I’m so very sorry for my past behavior and thank you so much for your awesome recipe!
That is truly so kind of you, I really appreciate that, thanks Devin!
I can’t wait to try these. Where can I get information on your neighborhood health challenge?