Carrots, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and a hot oven: That’s it. In this minimalist roasted carrots recipe, we lean on kitchen staples to produce caramelized, tender spears with no distraction from the vegetable’s natural sweetness. Pro tip: Save the bags of baby carrots for another time in favor of smaller, whole carrots with green tops still attached. We love the rainbow of carrots at farmers markets: pink, purple, mauve, cobalt, white, yellow—grab a mix. The brilliant colors add a festive note here, but this easy recipe is still pretty—and equally tasty—with orange carrots.
Low on prep time and high on reward, these oven-roasted carrots are an ideal side dish for a cozy weekend supper—or the start of a stellar simple vegetable-focused main on a low-key weeknight (just add burrata and toast). Serve the carrots as a stand-in for sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner, or as a simple accompaniment to your Easter main instead of your go-to glazed carrots.
A large four-sided baking sheet works best to give the carrots space to roast in a single layer for ample tenderness and crispy ends. Working ahead on your meal plan? Peel the carrots a day before and chill in a paper-towel-lined plastic bag. It won’t hurt to garnish with a pinch of flaky salt or fresh herbs, but we’re pretty sure these veggies don’t need it.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in lower third.
Step 2
Toss carrots with oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and spread out in a large 4-sided sheet pan. Roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 325°F and roast, stirring occasionally, until carrots are browned and tender, about 25 minutes more.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared on Epicurious in November 2008. Head over here for more of our best carrot recipes →
Leave a Review
Reviews (38)
Back to TopYummy!
Anonymous
1/21/2024
Oh man these are good! I never roast carrots because my previous trys didn't come out so well, but I will do them regularly with this recipe. I used normal sized carrots without the greens - I'd say they're medium carrots and the temps and timing in the recipe are perfect. The only thing I'll do differently next time is cut back on the black pepper by half.
llilli
2/15/2021
500 in the convection oven worked great for me, but I didn't need to cook the additional time at the lower temperature. They came out chewy, tender, and crunchy, depending on thickness. I loved that variety of textures. And they were so sweet. My guests thought the pink and white carrots were sweet potatoes. Every last carrot was eaten.
yummysuzy
4/6/2014
My husband and I fought over the last carrot this was so yummy. I sprinkled about an 1/8 tsp of nutmeg and slightly more than that of ginger along with salt and fresh pepper. I also roasted them in a small iron skillet. Delightful and so easy. I must note my husband dislikes carrots but said he would now eat them if I continued to prepare them in this way. Carrots caramelized nicely while also roasting a chicken.
Snowage
Covington, Louisiana
12/5/2013
These are absolutely the best carrots we ever ate given that I cooked them much less than the recipe states. I followed the advice of the other reviewers and started at 425 for 20 minutes then cut to 300 degrees. I too left them in only about 10 minutes at the lower temperature. It should be noted that I am using small organic carrots, and if you are using the large ones, you would need to adjust accordingly. I rarely salt anything, but a sprinkle of red Himalaya salt really sets them off. I also agree that a sprinkle of any good herb is also a good idea.
lmwyatt
Amberly Village, OH
9/8/2012
Just bought some colorful carrots at our farmer's market and found this recipe. I agree with all the reviewers who warned against overcooking. Who ever heard of setting the stove at 500 for ANYTHING? I did my first 20 min roasting at 425 and then cut to 300. Watched them carefully and and I doubt I kept the carrots in at 300 for more than 10 mins. They were great. I sprinkled some lemon basil on the carrots along with the salt and pepper. Any mild herb would have added a nice touch.
vox69nn
Medina, Ohio
6/2/2012
Cooked much faster than listed
kfinnegan
Duluth, MN
1/4/2012
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