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Oven Roasted Carrots
Carrots as a side dish should be anything but an afterthought or a placeholder. Gorgeous, sweetly rooty, with a satisfying bite (as long as you don’t overcook them!), they brighten a table or a plate simply and easily.
These carrots can be served at room temperature or warm, making them a wonderfully flexible side dish. You should consider that most if not all roast vegetable side dishes are equally appealing warm or at room temperature, and enjoy how that leads to so many make ahead possibilities. If you do plan to serve these roasted carrots at room temp, let them cool and spoon the sauce over the carrots just before serving for the prettiest presentation.
Roasted Carrots with Creamy Cilantro Sauce: For the most eye-catching plate, go for whole young multi-colored carrots and drizzle them with the pale green sauce.
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Rainbow Carrots
If you want an especially eye-catching plate, go for whole young multi-colored carrots. Look for carrots with at least some of the green tops still attached, ones that are firm and brightly colored. Slice them lengthwise with a sharp knife unless they are very thin, then leave them whole. If they are young and fresh you might only need to scrub them, and skip the peeling.
The flavor of different colored carrots is very similar, though you may notice some subtle differences when you eat them raw. It’s really about the visual appeal, although different colored carrots also boast different levels of nutrients.
According to Reader’s Digest Best Health, “Rainbow carrots are a trendy feast for the eyes, but one color isn’t necessarily healthier than the others. All are rich in different antioxidants. Orange carrots have high levels of beta-carotene, important for healthy vision. Purple carrots are packed with anthocyanins, which may prevent heart disease. Red carrots contain lycopene, linked to lower risk of certain cancers. Yellow carrots have high amounts of lutein, linked to cancer prevention and healthy eyes.”
I just think they are really, really stunning.
What to Serve with Roasted Carrots with Creamy Cilantro Sauce:
Other Carrot Recipes:
- Carrot Raisin Bread
- Carrot Raisin Salad
- Roasted Carrots with Tapenade Dressing
- Roasted Carrots with Spinach Parsley Pesto
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Roasted Carrots with Creamy Cilantro Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds carrots , preferably multi-colored, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ⅔ cup Creamy Cilantro Sauce approximately
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Slice the carrots in half lengthwise. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and toss the carrots so they are well coated with the oil. Spread them out in a single layer. Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes until they are tender, and browned along the edges.
- While the carrots are roasting , you can make the Creamy Cilantro Sauce.
- Let the carrots cool to warm or room temperature, then drizzle the with Cilantro Sauce and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
