Roasted Carrots
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Say goodbye to the mushy carrots of your childhood—these roasted carrots are caramelized and full of rich, savory flavor.
Roasting is by far the easiest and most delicious way to cook carrots. The high heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars, giving you perfectly bronzed, tender-crisp carrots with a deep, rich flavor (never mushy!). Whether you serve them with roast chicken, steak, or pork tenderloin, they’re always a crowd-pleasing side dish. Simple, flavorful, and versatile—this roasted carrots recipe is a true staple.
“These are FANTASTIC!! I absolutely love it when something so simple turns out so great.”
What You’ll Need To Make Roasted Carrots
- Fresh carrots – Choose medium-sized carrots that are firm and free of cracks for the best balance of sweetness and texture. Small, thin carrots may get too soft when roasted, while extra-large carrots can be less sweet. Slice them into even pieces to ensure they cook uniformly.
- Olive oil – Helps the carrots caramelize while adding rich, flavorful depth.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – Salt enhances the natural sweetness by drawing out moisture, aiding caramelization. Pepper adds a touch of heat to balance the sweetness.
- Thyme – Adds earthy, aromatic notes that complement the caramelized flavor of the carrots. Feel free to use fresh or dried. (If you want to experiment with different herbs, try fresh rosemary, parsley or dill.)
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Directly on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan, toss together the carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Arrange in a single layer.
Roast, stirring once mid-way through, until nicely caramelized and tender, 20 to 25 minutes (cooking time will depend on thickness of carrots).
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with more fresh thyme, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whole carrots are usually fresher and have a more intense, natural sweetness compared to baby carrots. Baby carrots are often shaped from larger, older carrots, which can make them blander and less sweet due to processing. Additionally, baby carrots are typically thinner and may burn or turn mushy when roasted at high temperatures. For best results, stick with whole carrots for roasting and save baby carrots for snacking!
Yes, you can make roasted carrots ahead of time! After roasting, let the carrots cool completely and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, spread the carrots on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until heated through.
You May Also Like
Roasted Carrots
Say goodbye to the mushy carrots of your childhood—these roasted carrots are caramelized and full of rich, savory flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried), plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Slice the carrots on the diagonal about 2-in thick. Make sure all pieces are approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.
- Directly on the prepared baking sheet, toss together the carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast, stirring once mid-way through, until nicely caramelized and tender, 20 to 25 minutes (cooking time will depend on thickness of carrots). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with more fresh thyme, if desired.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The carrots can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time. After roasting, let the carrots cool completely and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, spread the carrots on a foil-lined baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 153
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 392 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
These were easy and delicious!!
I’m adding this fantastic recipe to my all year-round dishes.
I “cheated” and used the bagged baby carrots from the grocery store.
Thank you so much for helping me feed my friends and family such delicious foods. I appreciate you!!
These are soooooo GOOD!! Normally, my husband and I aren’t really carrot lovers, until NOW!! Thanks Jenn!!
Jenn,
Wondering about serving these with Chicken Marsala seeing as both dishes use thyme.
Plan on serving with French String Beans with shallots, and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes. Or would you steer me in another direction? Thanks!
Cathy, the green beans and smashed potatoes pair perfectly, but if you wanted to go with the carrots, I wouldn’t be concerned at all about thyme showing up in both dishes.
We made this tonight with the Swedish meatballs and they make an excellent pair. The thyme is wonderful, and the roasting really brings out the natural sweetness in the carrots. Thank you.
Wow! I didn’t know I liked thyme so well, especially roasted! I’m definitely adding extra next time. And who knew carrots could be so good?! Mine didn’t quite get that caramelized/char look like like yours so I left in a little longer because that’s the part that always tastes the best! Thanks for another winner!
Let’s be honest, nobody is looking forward to carrots at the Thanksgiving dinner. And also let’s be honest and say that everyone will take a polite portion of carrots in order to add some color to their turkey day plate but may, or may not, eat them.
That was not the case with this simple recipe. It was a hit! I even ate the leftovers the next day and regretted not having more. Next time I will make enough for many days worth of leftovers.
Bravo on this easy but very delicious dish.
Made these carrots today for Thanksgiving. So simple to make & so delicious! My husband said the carrots were the sweetest he’s ever had & he actually detected the subtle taste of the thyme! Thankyou for another great recipe!
Hi Jenn,
Can I double this recipe? Would the cooking time change? Also, if I made this a day in advance for Thanksgiving, would I simply reheat in the microwave or should I make this the day of?
Thanks!
Hi Chad, you can definitely double the recipe and the timing should be the same. And you can get away with making them a day ahead and reheating in the microwave.
Fabulous! My dinner guests loved it! I definitely cooked them longer and raised the heat toward the end but I had planned for that possibility so the timing worked out with the rest of the dinner.
Absolutely amazing!!!!!