Name: Herb Roasted Carrots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs carrots; 4 tablespoons butter; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped*); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

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These fork tender buttery herb roasted carrots are easy to make and hard to resist! These carrots are the perfect side dish!

I was raised on traditional brown sugar glazed carrots and they have always been one of my favorite side dishes. But it wasn't until I started roasting my carrots that I unlocked their true potential!

Carrots release all of their natural sugars when roasted and they caramelize beautifully. Add to that some butter, garlic, and herbs and you have one of the best side dishes ever! They're the perfect accompaniment to any meat dish.

I love the flavor of thyme with carrots, but rosemary, sage, or oregano work great too. Feel free to mix up a few. If you want to use dried herbs instead of fresh, simply reduce the quantity to one teaspoon, since the flavor of dried herbs is more concentrated.

Here's how I make them!

How to Cut Carrots for Roasting

You have several options here. You could:

slice them into ½ inch coins
cut them on the bias into 1-inch pieces.
If you have some thin, pretty heirloom carrots, you could leave them whole, or slice them in half length-wise if they're larger.
Or cut them like I did here, into two-inch pieces that are halved lengthwise.
If you want to get super fancy, you could even try a "roll cut" as seen in this video!

Depending on how you cut your carrots, you will need to adjust the roasting time slightly, so test them with a fork after about 20 minutes. You should be able to pierce them with only a little resistance.

How to Make Herb Roasted Carrots

Cut 2 pounds of carrots into 2-3 inch pieces. If your carrots are thicker, like mine, slice the pieces in half lengthwise.
Place the butter and minced garlic In a small bowl or measuring cup and melt in the microwave (about 45 seconds on full power). Alternatively you can put the garlic and butter in a small saucepan and melt on the stovetop.

3. Place the sliced carrots on a large baking sheet. They should be in a single layer to roast properly. Pour the garlic butter over the carrots, along with a little olive oil.

4. Sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme or other herbs, salt, and pepper and toss to coat evenly.

5. Transfer the carrots to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, until just easily pieced with a fork.

6. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

What to serve with herb roasted carrots

Roasted carrots are great alongside other vegetable sides like garlic cream cheese mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin, or bacon and brown sugar green beans. And this is a great side dish to serve with roasts or any meat main. Here are some suggestions: