Roasted Carrots
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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.
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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
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- 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.
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One pound of baby carrots turned into a great side dish!!! YUM!! this recipe is definitely a keeper! With a second one-pound bag of baby carrots I had made “Contest-Winning Glazed Carrot Coins” from Taste of Home’s site for the pot-luck–serving them side by side in a divided warming dish. Then, bringing the dish home from the pot luck, I combined the two! Wow I will do this again! –Roast them with the Thyme then stir in a bit of the prepared glaze from the other recipe to serve! A great dish takes on another level of flavor!!!
I made this also 4 thanksgiving Jen!! We don’t really LIKE carrots….but THESE ARE CRAZY GOOD!!!
Mine didn’t color at all, so I just put the broiler on for a few minutes and that did the trick!
Ive made it before and they are wonderful. It would help to make them the day before.
Can I make the carrots the day before and then re-heat before serving? In oven (what temp), or microwave?
Thanks so much
Glad you like them, Maria. Yes, they can be made ahead and reheated. Before serving, reheat at 350, covered, until hot. Enjoy!
Roasted carrot recipe, thyme flavor didn’t really come thru or add anything in my opinion.
We had a guest over for “linner” lunch-dinner. We had Cola Braised Short Ribs, Polenta and your wonderful and easy recipe for Roasted Carrots with Thyme. It was such a hit with our guest that we sent him home with the recipe!
My family and I have enjoyed several wonderful recipes from you and you haven’t disappointed us yet!
It’s a Five Star!
Love your recipes.
thank you very much for posting them.
These carrots were unbelievable and a huge hit. I just needed a simple veggie dish since my family’s requested dishes were were to heavy on the carb side so I gave this shot. It will now have a permanent place in my recipe book. I made no changes; made exactly as written and it caused me to write my first on-line recipe review!
Glad you enjoyed them, Penny! 🙂
Anytime our gang does a potluck dinner or there is a family get-together, everyone begs for me to make these carrots. Over the years, I haven’t changed a thing but I am getting much better at cutting on the bias 🙂 Consistency in your cuts is the key to not having over or under done pieces. Be gentle with the salt as your guests can always add more but can’t remove it. Wonderful simple easy quick recipe!
Can these be done on the grill due to lack of oven space?
Sure, Scott – that’ll work.