No boring side dishes around here! These Best Garlic Roasted Carrots are just 3 ingredients and all flavor. It’s all about roasting these beauties at a high temperature so the carrots caramelize as the cook. So if you’ve ever thought carrots were on the boring side, this recipe is for you. Also, be sure to check out my other favorite variations below from Maple Herb to Honey Dijon.
This easy side dish is another case of a simple recipe that seems too good to be true. I mean how can 3 simple ingredients make veggies that taste so good? As usual, it’s all about technique. But don’t worry, it’s nothing fancy or time-consuming!
The high oven temperature does all the work caramelizing these carrots into a veggie side dish everyone will want again and again. This recipe can also be used as a base for other veggies you love too. Olive oil + garlic + hot oven = very tasty veggies!
I’ve used this exact cooking method on delicata squash, cubed-up butternut, and sweet potatoes. But it’s also great on green beans, (way less cooking time though) and Brussels sprouts as well.
One of my main goals is to find simple ways to make veggies taste great. However, I almost feel strange sharing something so simple. But this is how we love to eat our veggies. So it’s just too good not to share, even though it’s incredibly simple.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Carrots – cut into 1/2″x1″ pieces is what I call for in the recipe, but you can also use baby carrots as a super quick shortcut! Just note that baby carrots don’t tend to brown as well since they come pretty wet in the package.
- Olive Oil – avocado oil or butter all work here. I don’t usually use butter because it has to be melted and tossed with the carrots. Although butter is a really tasty substitute, olive oil is my go-to for great flavor and convenience.
- Garlic – freshly minced adds a ton of flavor here. But if you don’t have fresh, try a bit of garlic powder or garlic granules. I don’t recommend the jarred minced garlic!
- Salt & Pepper – also add a lot to these simple carrots, and the salt is important to bring out all the flavors.
How to make this Best Garlic Roasted Carrots recipe step by step!
Step 2: Toss the carrots together with the olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and garlic. Then spread them out evenly on a large cookie sheet.
You can also use parchment paper to make the cleanup easier, but the carrots don’t brown quite as well.
Step 3: Roast until tender and golden brown, then sprinkle with parsley if desired before serving.
Ways to serve these Best Garlic Roasted Carrots
- Creamy Garlic Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Burgers, or my Bacon Wrapped Ranch Chicken.
- These roast carrots are great with these comfort food dinners as well: Gluten Free Lasagna, Tuscan Chicken, Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta, or Pizza Chicken.
- Add more vegetables to your meal like my Roasted Broccoli or Best Brussels Sprouts.
FAQ’s
This is entirely up to your preference, they do tend to look brighter if they’re peeled. But you can definitely skip this step to save time.
Yes, the heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars in carrots and makes them way tastier than steamed carrots.
Yes, they may need more or less time, just keep checking on them. Also, they don’t usually brown quite as well and the texture isn’t as good as regular carrots.
Storing leftovers!
- To Store – place them in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheat – in a small frying pan over low heat stirring until warmed through. Or reheat in the oven if you’re already baking something else.
- Freezer – cooked carrots can be frozen but they lose their texture and aren’t very firm so I don’t recommend it.
Roasted Carrots Variations
- Maple Herb – rosemary, sage, or thyme all work great here. Add 1 tablespoon each maple syrup and chopped fresh herb of choice. You can also try my Browned Butter Maple Sage Carrots.
- Honey Mustard – add 1 tablespoon each mustard and honey when you toss the carrots before roasting. I like to use Dijon mustard for the best flavor. You can also add 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary or thyme as well.
- Parmesan – You can add 1/4-1/3 cup grated parmesan in the last 10 minutes of cooking time or sprinkle it over the finished carrots. Either way is really tasty!
More side dish recipe inspiration.
I really hope you enjoy these Best Garlic Roasted Carrots! They’re so tasty and easily adaptable to so many different dinners. If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Best Garlic Roasted Carrots
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- On a large cookie sheet, toss the carrots together with the olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper to combine.
- Spread the carrots out evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and beginning to brown, 30-40 minutes.
- Check halfway through the cooking time and stir the carrots that are browning. Finish roasting until the carrots are fork-tender.
- Sprinkle with the optional parsley, and serve.