This recipe is deceptively simple–it tastes SO complex and amazing, but all you need are fresh carrots, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. These roasted carrots are perfect for gracing your holiday table, yet easy enough for any night of the week!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Carrots – The smaller the carrots are, the better–I’ve actually found the topless organic carrots (ooh-la-la!) at my Walmart tend to be smaller, fresher, and tastier than the beautiful leafy-green carrots, not to mention quite a bit cheaper.
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Potatoes – Optional, but I often pair my carrots up with baby Yukon Gold Potatoes, the itty bitty tiny ones.
How to Roast Whole Carrots
- To get started, preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. If the carrots have the leafy tops, trim the tops down to about 2″. Peel the carrots.
- Drizzle the oil over the carrots and toss to coat evenly. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and spread evenly over prepared baking sheet. If using potatoes, rub with oil and season with salt and pepper and add to pan.
- Roast in preheated oven for about 20 minutes (a little less if your carrots are tiny, more if your carrots are large and/or if you’re at a higher altitude. The time also depends on your personal preference; if you prefer them a little crispy, pull them out of the oven when the tops are starting to brown). Remove from oven and serve immediately. You can also pop these bad boys on the grill–just stick them on a hot grill over indirect heat for about 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Your mind will be blown.
Storing and Other Tips
- These carrots are definitely best right out of the oven. That said, if you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- If you’d like to experiment with other flavors, try out some flavored oils like garlic or rosemary. Dried herbs can burn while roasting veggies, so infused oils are a great way to add flavor without that risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
These carrots are best roasted fresh!
Why are my carrots not getting soft?
They are likely a little too large. If you can’t find petite carrots, you can par-boil them (cook them partially in boiling water) before roasting. To do this, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and add your carrots. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two before following the rest of the instructions above. This can be done with the small carrots as well if you prefer a softer texture.
How To Roast Whole Carrots
Gorgeous roasted or grilled, seasoned whole carrots are a delicious side addition to any meal.
Servings servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, whole the smaller the better
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound Baby Yukon Gold potatoes plus an additional tablespoon of olive oil, optional
Instructions
Oven
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
- Peel the carrots. If the carrots have the leafy tops, trim the tops down to about 2″. Drizzle the oil over the carrots and toss to coat evenly, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If using potatoes, rub with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast in preheated oven for about 20 minutes (a little less if your carrots are tiny, more if your carrots are large and/or if you’re at a higher altitude. The time also depends on your personal preference; if you prefer them a little crispy, pull them out of the oven when the tops are starting to brown.) Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Grill
- After seasoning the carrots with oil, salt, and pepper, place them on a hot grill over indirect heat for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Why aren’t my carrots getting soft? They are likely a little too large. If you can’t find petite carrots, you can par-boil them (cook them partially in boiling water) before roasting. To do this, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and add your carrots. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two before following the rest of the instructions above. This can be done with the small carrots as well if you prefer a softer texture.
- These carrots are definitely best right out of the oven. That said, if you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- If you’d like to experiment with other flavors, try out some flavored oils like garlic or rosemary. Dried herbs can burn while roasting veggies, so infused oils are a great way to add flavor without that risk.
Nutrition
Calories: 31kcal, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 0.1mg, Potassium: 0.04mg, Calcium: 0.04mg, Iron: 0.02mg
Calories: 31kcal
Cost: $5
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Questions & Reviews
They look to die for! 🙂
These are good news all day, aren’t they? 🙂 Made these beauties for lunch, and wowza. Many thanks!
This would make such an elegant side dish!
I made this last night for dinner. It was very good, thanks for the recipe!
If you don’t know about vegan “carrot dogs,” summer barbecues are a great (and delicious) time to learn!
This looks so good! I love carrots 🙂 it’s going on the menu
I’m so happy to see this since I’ve laid down two big patches of carrot seeds this spring. Those little buggers are tricky to germinate, but some are coming up, and I am planning to eat every single one roasted exactly this way. Also, don’t let the tops go to waste! Mince them up and they’re a nice, herby accent sprinkled on salads, stirred in soup, with fish, etc. Similar to parsley, except free. Awesome how to post.
So Trader Joes has these “rainbow carrots” … whole carrots in four different colors that may not be as fresh as right out of the ground … but thinking they would be perfect for this recipe! I love buying them, and excited to have a new way to use them … thanks for sharing!!
I still get confused between the whole kosher salt versus sea salt thing. Is kosher salt necessary for his recipe?
I also have a black thumb but do grow carrots!
I like kosher salt because it’s uniform; sea salt can range anywhere from the texture of table salt to big chunks to flakes. I’ll sometimes use it in my OWN cooking, but when it comes to recipes, it’s easier to recommend kosher salt because people tend to have more success that way. 🙂
There’s always going to be one who asks the question, but: is it necessary to peel the carrots? Does it allow more oil/flavour to get in the carrots as they are roasting?
I generally try to avoid peeling anything because lazy, but I’m genuinely interested 🙂
I’m with you in the hating to peel camp! The younger and fresher the carrot is, the less you need to peel it. But the longer it’s in the ground AND the longer it’s out of the ground, the more it develops this thick protective skin and it doesn’t taste good and it makes them kind of hard to eat.
Beat me to it! I never peel things. Ever.
It’s much healthier to not peel them! I love the taste better, too. ?
I don’t peel. I use a scouring pad and gently rub the carrots under running water. It’ll give you a clean carrot that doesn’t need to be peeled. I do this for my roasted potatoes too, keeping the skins on them.