Easy Oven-Roasted Carrots

This oven-roasted carrots recipe will make you see those everyday veggies in a whole new way.

With a quick toss in oil and seasonings, carrots are transformed into a delicious roasted veggie side dish you can serve alongside any entree or Thanksgiving menu.

How to Roast Carrots

Roasting is a great way to add depth of flavor to vegetables without the need for fancy ingredients or techniques. Carrots tend to be sweeter than other vegetables, so the natural sugars are caramelized and form crisp edges making each bite even better than the last. 

Here’s how to make them:  

1. Prep
   Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Add your seasonings
   Peel and slice the carrots into thin strips. Place them onto the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with roasted vegetable seasoning and salt. 
3. Roast until tender
   Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and fork-tender. 

Do You Leave the Skin on for Roasted Carrots?

Leaving the skin on or peeling carrots is up to you. Most people opt to remove the skins since they can be slightly bitter and stringy in appearance.

However, whether you choose to peel your carrots or not, they should be washed with water before slicing to remove any excess dirt and debris.

Best Temperature for Roasting Carrots

As with any roasted vegetable recipe, the best oven temperature for roasted carrots or any vegetable is 400F. It’s the sweet spot and enough heat to give those veggies fork-tender centers.

Of course, you can always reduce the temperature to 375F and achieve the same results, but the cooking time will increase by about 10 minutes, which isn’t always a problem, especially if you’re roasting carrots for a sheet pan dinner with chicken or other vegetables at the same time.

Make next: Roasted Radishes and Carrots

Best Spices and Herbs for Roasted Carrots

You can toss carrots with just about any herb or spice to enhance their sweet, mild flavor. Below are a few of my favorite seasoning blends and herbs for roasted carrots: 

• Roasted Vegetable Seasoning
• Herbs de Provence 
• Taco Seasoning

How to Roast Sliced Carrots

Carrots are fibrous, and depending on how you slice them, can take a while in the oven to cook through. The thinner the carrot, the less time it will take. I like cutting my carrots into ½-inch strips to resemble the french fry shape, or “coins”. Both shapes take about 25 to 30 minutes in a 400F oven to reach the state of roasted perfection. 

Just make sure to check them periodically to ensure they don’t overcook or burn. 

The cooking time also makes them a great veggie for sheet pan dinners, like my Melt in Your Mouth Chicken. Carrots can cook on the same pan and at the same temperature as chicken and other proteins without overcooking. 

Serving Roasted Carrots

You can serve these carrots for a simple, crowd-pleasing side dish, top them over a roasted vegetable salad for extra savory goodness, or enjoy them by the forkful as a midnight snack, there’s no wrong way, and they are THAT GOOD. 

Below, I’ve included a few dinner ideas in need of a delicious vegetable to go along with it:

• Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts
• Italian Turkey Burgers
• Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks

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