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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Super easy and delicious. I used coloured carrots, so pretty for tonight’s Christmas eve dinner.
I am having 12 people for Christmas Eve dinner and plan to make your beef tenderloin with red wine sauce (2 tenderloins, is that right?) and these roasted carrots with thyme. Can I cook 3 lbs of the carrots at one time? I only have one oven so will be cooking day before and reheating. I have regular oven as well as convection oven. Would you recommend using the convection setting and two sheet pans?
Hi Judy, regarding the tenderloin, I’d actually use one larger one. And for the carrots, if you plan to cook 3 pounds at one time, I would definitely recommend using two sheet pans. If you crowd them too much they will steam instead of roast. It’s fine to use the convection setting; just reduce the temperature by 25°F. Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys!
I’d like to make these a few hours ahead and serve them at room temp, due to lack of oven space. Do you think that would work? Or would they get a bit mushy?
Hi Krista, I do think they will get a bit mushy, but they’ll still taste good.
I roast my carrots all the time, but I prefer them with fresh dill. Otherwise I follow Jenn’s method.
They are delish at room temp. I always roast up more then I need and then feast on them for the next few days( if they last that long). I take them out of the fridge 1-1-1 1/2 hrs before eating. I think I like them better at room temp.
We loved this recipe and have made it several times!
I have made this many times and love it. Would this recipe work if I were to keep the carrots whole instead of slicing them? Some restaurants I dine at bring out whole carrots and I would love to mimic that.
I think it would, but they will take longer to cook through. Keep an eye on them and once they start to turn bronze on the outside, I’d reduce the oven temperature to 300 until they’re fully cooked. Please LMK how they turn out!
This is my absolute go-to carrot recipe! It is so simple with only a few basic ingredients (check), not fussy (check check) yet so delicious (check check check)! When I get fancy, I use tri-colored carrots from Trader Joe’s for added colors. You will not be disappointed.
I have made these carrots twice in the last week. No only are they beautiful bright orange with a sparkle of green from the Thyme. They are easy to do and look like you put in a ton of effort. The high temperature makes these soft and so sweet. You simply cannot stop eating them. No need for another side dish. You won’t want it once you’ve tasted these.
Another home run recipe Jenn!
Can you make these in a Pyrex pan?
I have all my cookie sheets in use for tonight’s dinner.
Hi Nadine, I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work. Enjoy!
I will never make boiled carrots again. These come out so sweet and caramelised. The thyme is a perfect complement to the roasted chicken. I have also made these carrots with your roasted curry recipe and it’s equally as good.
Love, love, love this dish! I made with beef ribs and mashed potatoes for our Sunday dinner! Definitely a keeper according to the fam❤️Thank you.
Everyone was right! Absolutely delicious! First of all as I was putting the carrots into the oven my son and husband each grabbed one off the baking sheet and ate it. They loved the flavor so much they kept opening the oven door and eating them throughout the cooking process! I kept telling them to stop and wait! It was hilarious. Once the carrots had caramelized they were even better. When company came I served your beet salad with grilled steak, chicken and these carrots on the side. I was laughing as everyone was raving about the carrots just as the reviews said they would! Compliments flowed throughout this light, easy and delicious meal. Once again five stars! Oh, I forgot to mention I made your onion dip from your cookbook as an appetizer. As usual, winner!