Honey Roasted Carrots
Made with organic rainbow carrots, this colorful, sweet and savory side dish is a wonderful accompaniment to any meal. Our Honey Roasted Carrots are glazed and roasted with honey, garlic, olive oil, and butter, to give them a naturally sweet flavor. This recipe couldn’t be more simple to make, but it’s elegant enough to serve when entertaining.
Whether you are looking for a side dish recipe for the holiday season, or just something a little different to perk up your family meals, these Honey Roasted Carrots are a great choice, and they are quick and easy enough to make for a weeknight meal. Want to know more about the health benefits of rainbow carrots compared to regular carrots? Read more about this in our Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe updated as of 3/28/22
HONEY ROASTED CARROTS
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- Wash and peel carrots, then cut them on the diagonal in 2 inch long pieces. If the larger ends of the carrots are 1 inch or more in diameter, then slice those pieces in half lengthwise, to ensure all the carrots cook evenly. Pile carrots onto the prepared baking pan.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, melt butter, then whisk in honey, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over carrots, toss to coat, and spread out in a single layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping them over once after 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, taste for seasoning, toss carrots with chopped parsley, and serve immediately. As an optional garnish, finish with a light sprinkling of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.
Notes
- Leftovers? Store refrigerated. Reheats well in the microwave.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Recipe can be made ahead, by completing the prep work, tossing to coat, then spreading them out in a single layer on the baking pan. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring the baking dish to room temperature by removing from the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes prior to baking. Bake uncovered as directed (carrots may take longer to roast if not at room temp).
- Carrots should be tender-crisp, so they are easy to cut but not mushy.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
97.11Fat (grams)
4.78Sat. Fat (grams)
2.06Carbs (grams)
13.89Fiber (grams)
3.47Net carbs
10.42Sugar (grams)
8.26Protein (grams)
0.96Sodium (milligrams)
218.32Cholesterol (grams)
7.63Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil (for easy clean up).
STEP 2
Wash and peel 2 pounds organic rainbow carrots. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut carrots on the diagonal in 2 inch long pieces. If the larger ends of the carrots are 1 inch or more in diameter, then slice those pieces in half lengthwise, to ensure all the carrots cook evenly. Pile carrots onto the prepared baking pan. Chop 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 large cloves), and chop 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, and set aside.
STEP 3
In a small microwave safe bowl, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. To the melted butter, add 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour mixture over carrots, toss to coat, and spread out in a single layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping them over once after 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, taste for seasoning, toss carrots with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
SERVE
Taste for seasoning, and as an optional garnish, finish with a light sprinkling of Maldon sea salt flakes.
Notes:
Leftovers? Store refrigerated. Reheats well in the microwave.
Make Ahead Instructions: Recipe can be made ahead, by completing the prep work, tossing to coat, then spreading them out in a single layer on the baking pan. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring the baking dish to room temperature by removing from the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes prior to baking. Bake uncovered as directed in Step 3 (carrots may take longer to roast if not at room temperature).
Carrots should be tender-crisp, so they are easy to cut but not mushy.
VIDEO
How to Make these Honey Roasted Carrots in Minutes!
Blog Comments & Tips
Another Reason to Eat the Rainbow!
Naturally sweet, carrots have been one of my favorite root vegetables since I was a child. My parents always encouraged a balanced and healthy diet. They believed in eating all four food groups (as do I), and eating three balanced meals a day. When I would get home from school, my afternoon snack was either fresh carrot sticks, celery and peanut butter, or yogurt. Carrots were my favorite, because they had a wonderful sweetness to them. Looking back on those days, I admire my mother for sticking to her guns and making sure that I was nourished with good food.
This carrot recipe brings the delicious balance of savory and sweet. Although this side dish can be made with regular orange carrots, using rainbow carrots adds a depth of color to your plate, as well as additional health benefits. The great thing about these Honey Roasted Carrots is they are ridiculously simple to make, but feel fancy enough to serve when entertaining. All the prep work can be done in advance, then just pop them in the oven right before your company arrives. They satisfy all ages, even young picky eaters that struggle with vegetables.
Now for the health benefits. Most people know carrots are great for your eye health, but there are many more benefits to this root vegetable. Carrots in general are rich in nutrients, such as potassium, fiber, and vitamins C and K. However, richly colored carrots, like the dark purple variety, contain more antioxidants than their orange siblings. According to a study done by the Food Research Center, “purple carrots contained 2.2 and 2.3 times more alpha and beta carotenes than orange carrots!” Purple carrots are rich in anthocyanin, an antioxidant which may prevent cell damage and is said to help reduce the risk of certain diseases. If these aren’t reasons enough to incorporate rainbow carrots into your diet more often, then maybe just the fact that they are pretty on a plate, and they taste great, is good enough.
How do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
Our 3 tips for making Honey Roasted Carrots:
Use high quality, organic carrots, garlic, and Italian parsley. Even if you don’t usually buy organic, it will make a difference in the flavor in this recipe.
To ensure even roasting, flip them over halfway through the baking process.
Toss them in fresh Italian parsley as soon as they come out of the oven.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with our recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Dairy Free & Vegan: Replace the dairy butter with 2 tablespoons plant-based butter. Or omit the butter entirely, and replace with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Make it Lux: Whisk in 1 tablespoon of Cognac (or Brandy) to the melted butter and olive oil mixture.
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to cut the carrots on the diagonal for a prettier presentation. To ensure the carrots cook evenly, don’t forget to slice the carrots lengthwise if they are 1 inch or more in diameter.
Adapted from the Honey-Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots recipe by TheKitchn.com. We’ve made a few small changes to the recipe to make it more flavorful, a bit healthier, and easier to prepare.
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