If you can toss fresh carrots with a few ingredients, you can make this easy oven roasted rainbow carrot side dish! The high heat concentrates the carrot flavor and caramelizes the edges as they roast, bringing out their natural sweetness.
And if you’ve never roasted your carrots on high heat, you haven’t let your carrots reach their full flavor potential nor realized just how delicious they can be thinks me!
Idea is simple: very few pantry ingredients you probably have on hand + 10 min of prep + high heat transforms the simple carrot into a caramelized crispy on-the-outside & tender on-the-inside complexity of flavors.
Why this Roasted Rainbow Carrot Recipe Works
- No peeling necessary! Save time and increase flavor for a win-win cooking situation!
- Roasting on high heat! Concentrates the carrot flavor and caramelizes the edges as they roast, bringing out their natural sweetness.
- Eat no more boring veggies! The earthy cumin, floral honey and tangy vinegar transform the simple carrot into a deliciously complex finished dish!
FACT: If i'm roasting carrots, I'm all the carrot colors of the rainbow possible!
ALSO FACT: The original carrot color was purple!
And There's a whole wide carrot color world out there and they're all invited to our side dish!
It’s a more-colors-the-merrier kinda dish but can be made with a single color too!
What you need: Carrots. High heat. Olive oil. Salt. Spice. For the spice, we’re pairing carrots with earthy and warming cumin. The cumin-carrot combo is a match made in heaven but lots of other spices pair beautifully too! Whether it’s turmeric, coriander, anise and/or chili… carrots and spices always lead to something nice!
How to Make these Carrots
- Scrub and cut those carrots well! Remember we aren’t peeling them so… scrub extra well!
- Whisk olive oil and honey, vinegar, cumin and salt together in a small bowl.
- For less clean up, toss the carrots with the cumin mix directly on a rimmed sheet pan (as opposed to using an additional large bowl for this).
- Spread the carrots out in a single layer and dont overcrowd the pan. This is clutch to roasting and getting those caramalized edges. If it’s packed too tightly, they'll steam instead of roast and we wont get that deliciously crispy exterior.
- Add garlic and bay leaves and roast.
- Serve with freshly squeezed lemon (or other citrus) and fresh herbs!
Please enjoy these step-by-step images for easy cooking below.
Cooks Tip: Save your green carrots tops!
They’re edible and delicious and nutritious!
Carrot top uses include (but are not limited to):
- Keep an inch or two intact, roast along with the carrots and eat
- Add in a pesto (like in my carrot-top pesto salad).
- Add in a green tahini
- Serve roasted carrots on their top. Makes for a very visually vibrant presentation (see below).
Cooks Tips
- When possible, source local and organic carrots. Support your farmer!
- Remember we’re not peeling the carrots so scrub extra well.
- To ensure maximum carrot caramelization and crispiness, spread them out on a single layer and do not overcrowd the pan.
- Save those carrots tops! They’re completely edible, delicious and nutritious.
- Leftover roasted carrots will keep in the fridge for 5 days.
More Colorful Carrot Recipes
If you’re looking for more carrot inspiration, check out these rainbow carrots and my recipe below.
- Carrot Hummus - - a bright carrot hummus that works wonderfully with every color of the carrot rainbow.
- Shaved Carrot Tart – a bright cumin spiced savory carrot ricotta tart.
- Roasted Carrot Tart – savory carrot puff pastry with tangy goat cheese, creamy ricotta, spinach and fresh herbs.
- Spring Pea & Carrot Salad - crunchy fresh veggies, garlicky homemade croutons, tangy feta and herbaceous pesto create a salad full of spring flavor.
If you've tried this recipe, I'd love to hear about it — leave a comment below and let me know, and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too!
If you enjoyed this recipe, explore more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides here on the site — there’s plenty more inspiration waiting for you.
Let’s make waves in the kitchen.
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots halved, or quartered lengthwise into long, thin sticks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-5 clove of garlic OK to have the peel on
- salt and pepper to taste
- squeeze of fresh citrus
- handful fresh herbs for topping, such as parsley, cilantro, tarragon, chives or chervil optional
- flaky sea salt for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey and cumin; season with salt and pepper
- Toss the carrots with the cumin mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Add bay leave and garlic cloves. Roast the carrots until lightly golden and caramelized on the edges, 25-35 minutes (exact time depends on the size/thickness of your carrots).
- Remove the aromatics and top serve the warm carrots with a squeeze of fresh citrus and top with fresh herbs.
Notes
- When possible, source local and organic carrots. Support your farmer!
- Remember we’re not peeling the carrots so scrub extra well.
- To ensure maximum carrot caramelization and crispiness, spread them out on a single layer and do not overcrowd the pan.
- Save those carrots tops! They’re completely edible, delicious and nutritious.
- Leftover roasted carrots will keep in the fridge for 5 days.
Such a nice, healthy treat for carrot lovers! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Farmbox Direct
https://www.farmboxdirect.com/
Absolute pleasure! I'm def a big time carrot lover :). Thanks so much for the sweet feedback!