This Oven-Roasted Carrots With Thyme Recipe brings out the sweetness with a golden brown char, and the deep flavor of fresh thyme is activated, making this a scrumptious veggie side dish.
Vegetables in the oven, roasted in simple spices in a hot, dry heat, have changed how I feel about veggies.
Oven-roasting vegetables is a fairly new discovery for me.
Now I do it all the time and am keen on trying all of the other methods.
I love oven-roasted radishes and I especially adore oven-roasted carrots.
I also like saving time in the kitchen so I created this recipe using baby carrots f you don’t want to take the time to peel and cut carrots.
You can use whole ones too, just cut them down to a similar size by cutting them into sticks, also called carrot fries.
Table of Contents
How to roast carrots in the oven
The key is to season the carrots before roasting and cook them at a high temperature.
First, prep your carrots—baby carrots are convenient, but well-scrubbed whole carrots with the skin on provides more fiber and nutrients.
If you’re going to peel them, wash and dry them first, then using a safe, comfortable peeler (we use and like this one from OXO), hold the carrot over a composting bin or trash can and peel away from you.
For carrot fries, cut the carrot in half or thirds, lay the flat part on the cutting surface and cut again, this time lengthwise.
Next, season your carrots.
I recommend a mixture of olive oil along with a mixture of fresh herbs.
A touch of salt really helps to bring out all the flavor and even the sweetness.
This is your moment to experiment with different flavors such as fresh or dried rosemary or simply salt and pepper.
The options are endless.
I used honey recently, but a couple minutes too long in a hot oven and ended up burning the honey, blackening the carrot fries.
Finally, roast the carrots in the oven at 425 F for a total of about 25 minutes.
How long to roast carrots
I recommend roasting carrots in a hot, conventional oven for about 15 minutes then turned for another 10 mins at 425F: total of 25 minutes.
If you like your carrots to have a darker char, add five minutes after you’ve turned them so finishing them at +/- 30 minutes total.
The high temp is what gives the carrots the roasted and caramelized flavor.
What kind of carrots to roast in the oven
Roast only FRESH, RAW whole or sliced carrots.
If you buy them with the green tops on, trim them down so only two inches or so of the green tops remain.
Frozen carrots become mushy when thawed and won’t have a firm texture after roasting, and canned carrots have already been cooked and salted in the canning process.
Do you have to peel carrots for roasting?
No, you don’t have to peel carrots for roasting.
The peels retain a lot of nutrients and fiber, much like a potato, but they do need to be scrubbed very well, since they come out of the ground before shipping to you.
You can use natural cleansers like white vinegar or coconut oil, or even an OTC vegetable wash and brush to really get your veggies clean.
What to serve with oven-roasted carrots with thyme
Roasted carrots make an excellent snack with a garlic aioli, as a side to pork chops, or to these big, juicy air fryer burgers.
They are a healthier alternative to deep-frying, and they come out super tasty.
Want more carrot recipes?
- Five-star Glazed Carrots in the Microwave
- Steamed Carrots in the Microwave
- Carrot Fries in the Air Fryer
- 13 Savory Carrot Recipes
The bottom line
I used to be intimated by high heat in the oven, worried that I was going to burn things right away.
But give them those first 20 minutes undisturbed on the baking sheet, and you will be so delighted by the outcome.
If you love carrots and you haven’t yet roasted them in the oven, give this simple recipe a try.
5 of our favorite pieces of cookware lately!
Roasted Carrots With Thyme
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Oven-roasted carrots with thyme roasted in a hot oven are an easy and delicious sheet-pan veggie side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh, raw carrots—baby or sliced, whole carrots cut down
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 T fresh thyme (in a pinch, use dried, but I don't recommend ground)
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/8 t pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
- Wash and dry the carrots. Peel if desired.
- Cut the carrots into sticks: cut across each carrot into three-inch lengths and then cut each length length-wise again. (See photo.)
- Roughly chop or snip the fresh thyme, then measure out 2 T and set aside.
- Add the olive oil, thyme and S&P to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the carrots to the bowl and toss to coat.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the carrot sticks out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Make sure that the carrots don’t touch and that there is plenty of space between them. (Note: If there isn’t enough room on one baking sheet, use two of them.)
- Pour what remains of the oil mixture over the carrots.
- Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the carrots from the oven. Use tongs to turn the carrots for even baking.
- Roast for another 10 minutes or until carrots start to caramelize.
- Remove from oven with heat-safe pads and let the carrots sit undisturbed for one minute.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
You can substitute any type of raw carrots in this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 56Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g
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