How to Roast Carrots

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.

Oven-roasted carrots are so easy to make and add wonderful color to any plate. They are inexpensive, available year-round, and have an earthy sweetness that is amplified by the roasting process. If you have a bunch of carrots in your fridge, then you always have a simple side dish waiting to happen. And then you can take it one step further if you like and make Roasted Carrots with Creamy Cilantro Sauce, Roasted Carrots with Tapenade Dressing, or Roasted Carrots with Spinach Parsley Pesto. The possibilities are pretty endless, starting with a simple bunch of carrots!

If you have young, fresh carrots, nothing is prettier than slicing them lengthwise and roasting them in elegant, long pieces. Sometimes, I roast carrots in chunks, peeling and slicing them fairly thick (about 1 inch or more at the top). The method is pretty much the same as the one below: just peel them and cut them into 1-inch pieces instead of halving them lengthwise. BUT if you can get ahold of some slender whole carrots, preferably with some green at the top, then you can make a roasted carrot dish that will suck the attention from every other dish and almost glow on the table.

Roasted Carrots are beautiful, sweet, ridiculously easy to make, and add great color to any meal.

Tweet This

How to Make Oven-Roasted Carrots

1. Prepare to roast: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel or scrub the carrots. Slice the carrots lengthwise, unless they are very skinny, less than ½ inch wide at the top — then leave them whole.
2. Season the carrots: Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss, then spread out in a single layer.

3. Cook the carrots: Roast them for about 20 minutes, unless you like them softer — then keep going.

Pro Cooking Tips

• If you have the oven set at 400 degrees or 450 degrees for another dish, that’s fine. Just check the carrots a little earlier at a higher temperature, and be prepared to let them cook for a few extra minutes at a lower temperature. Watch that they don’t brown too much at a higher temperature.
• If your carrots are young and the outside looks nice and fresh, with just a paper-thin skin and no cloudiness or bristly hairs, you might be able to skip the peeling and just give them a good scrub.
• For skinny carrots, less than ½ inch wide at the top, you don’t need to cut them in half lengthwise. Just leave them whole.
• Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment first, if you like, for easier cleanup.

What to Serve With Roasted Carrots

These carrots are perfect as is. Or, you can pair them with a condiment of sauce or vinaigrette if you want them to be a little more showy. Try Green Olive Tapenade, Spinach Parsley Pesto, or an Olive Rosemary Drizzle.

But look at these colors — they don’t need much! And you can make extra and see how to use them in 7 Ways to Use Leftover Roasted Vegetables!

Yogurt Marinated Chicken

Roasted Cajun Cod

Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables

More Carrot Recipes

• Carrot Apple Salad
• Carrot Fries with Sriracha Sauce
• Moroccan Carrot and Cauliflower Soup
• Sesame-Honey Quinoa and Carrot with Sliced Avocado
• Indian Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite board on Pinterest.

Pin This