Herb Roasted Carrots

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 1/2 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

1. Cut 2 pounds of carrots into 2-3 inch pieces. If your carrots are thicker, like mine, slice the pieces in half lengthwise.
2. 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:

• Juicy crock-pot turkey breast
• Slow Cooker Country Pork Ribs
• Baked Pork Chops and Rice
• Sweet and Sour Meatballs
• Balsamic Chicken Thighs

Print Recipe

Herb Roasted Carrots

These fork tender buttery herb roasted carrots are easy to make and hard to resist!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Ann Otis

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

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 F.
• Cut carrots into 2-3 inch piece and, if the carrots are large, cut the pieces in half lengthwise.
• Add the butter and minced garlic to a glass measuring cup or small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high about 45 seconds until butter is melted. (Alternatively, you can melt the butter and garlic in a small saucepan on the stove top).
• Place the carrots onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with the garlic butter and olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped herbs, salt and pepper and toss until evenly coated. Spread carrots into a single layer.
• Roast for 20-30 minutes, until the carrots are caramelized and just easily pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

* Rosemary, oregano, sage, or other herbs may be used instead. If using dried herbs, cut to 1 teaspoon.

Ann Otis

Hi! I’m Ann and I blog at Our Happy Mess. I’m all about fast, fresh, and family-friendly recipes. I believe cooking from scratch can not only be doable but FUN, no matter how busy life gets!

You can find more of my recipes at Our Happy Mess.