If cooked carrots aren’t your go-to side dish, then get ready to get converted! Honey Roasted Carrots are so good and so easy, you might never eat carrots any other way ever again.
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When it comes to magic in the kitchen, perhaps the most underrated trick up one’s sleeve is tossing a vegetable with a slightly sweet sauce and then roasting it the oven. Roasted acorn squash with maple butter is irresistible. Maple bacon Brussels sprouts convert even the most squeamish. Sticky roasted sweet potatoes are surprisingly simple and totally tasty.
So of course this is a winning methodology for cooked carrots, too. We already know that sweet and sticky glazed carrots are a fan favorite (even my picky kids will eat them!).
But honey roasted carrots go a step further.
When you take the best of oven roasted carrots and combine them with the best of glazed carrots, you get a real banger of a side dish.
And if I can be bougie for a moment – I was going for an easy side dish, but this also turned out to be a shockingly classy vegetable side (without costing nearly as much as what you might think a shockingly classy veggie side should cost) that I would absolutely bring to a dinner party.
As my fifth grader said: “Oooh. These taste fancy.” So from one fancypants to another: Enjoy!
The Best Way to Cut Carrots
An oblique (aka “angled”) cut creates more surface area, which means more delicious sticky honey butter coating each and every bite. It’s also a handy way to ensure that most slices will be roughly the same size and thickness for even cooking.
- Trim the ends, then peel the carrots.
- Use a sharp chef’s knife to make angled cuts, about ½″ wide, along the length of each carrot.
How to Make Honey Roasted Carrots
You only need carrots and a few pantry staples to make this simple side dish. Roast the carrots in a casserole dish, not on a baking sheet. A casserole dish allows the carrots to first cook down in their own water content, and then caramelize in the honey butter. The result is very tender carrots with perfectly caramelized edges and rich flavor.
- Combine melted butter with honey, cinnamon, and allspice in a 1-cup measuring cup or small bowl and whisk until smooth and well-combined.
- Place the sliced carrots into a casserole dish. Pour the honey butter over the carrots, then toss until the carrots are evenly coated.
- Transfer to a 450°F oven.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes. Stir the carrots every 15 minutes to ensure even caramelization.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and a pinch of salt and serve right away. Enjoy!
Essential Notes and Tips
- Cut the carrots into an even thickness of about ½″ so they roast at the same right.
- Toss frequently, every 15 minutes or so, to promote even caramelization.
- Use a casserole dish, not a baking sheet. I don’t normally suggest crowding vegetables while roasting, but the exception works well here. Honey, high heat, and a few good tosses throughout the cooking process create delicious caramelization.
- Be patient! The carrots will first release their water content – this is where they get tender. The water content will evaporate, and the carrots with then roast in the butter and honey – this is where they get caramelized.
How Long to Roast Carrots
Roast sliced carrots for 40-45 minutes in a 450°F oven.
Roasted carrots are ready when their released water has cooked off, the carrots are well caramelized (browned) in several spots, and you can insert the tip of a knife into the center of a carrot and meet no resistance.
The casserole dish method takes a bit longer than roasting on a sheet pan, but also creates more intense flavor than dressing the carrots with honey butter after roasting.
For perfectly roasted carrots, use the most frugal and reliable timers of all – your eyes and taste buds. Keep an eye out for even caramelization, and taste once you think they’re close.
Can I Use Baby Carrots?
If you must, then yes, you can certainly use bagged baby carrots (i.e. “snackin’ carrots”). I want to be clear that you should not use *new* carrots for this recipe since you’d want to keep those whole, and that would alter measurements and cook time.
If you do use baby carrots, then you should definitely slice the “big ones” in half. (You know, those ones you struggle to bite in half?)
Do I Have to Peel the Carrots?
Look, you don’t have to do anything, and ultimately to peel or not to peel is a personal choice based on your preference for looks (peeled carrots are cleaner) and taste (the peel is slightly woody). If you leave on the peel, be sure to give them a good scrub and then dry thoroughly.
Did you make these honey roasted carrots? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below, or share with your friends and fam!
Honey Roasted Carrots
Description
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into ½” coins
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice, optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- finely chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven, and heat to 450°F. Spray a 9” x 13” casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Trim the ends, peel the carrots, then slice at an angle into ½” wide coins. Place the carrots into the casserole dish.
- Place the butter into a 1-cup measuring cup or small bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until melted. Add the honey, cinnamon, and allspice and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the honey butter over the carrots, then toss until evenly coated. Distribute into an even layer, then season with salt.
- Roast the carrots for 40-45 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until soft and caramelized. The carrots will look watery the first 20 minutes – that’s perfectly normal! The moisture will cook off and then the carrots will caramelize.
- Sprinkle the carrots with parsley and serve immediately.
Phil
Can I make this with hot honey?
Deb
These were good! I didn’t have parsley or allspice but they were still tasty
Mary
Delicious! Will definitely make again!
They only took 30 minutes to cook, so watch them!