I absolutely love roasted vegetables. From Brussel sprouts to asparagus to broccoli, roasting veggies brings out their best. But roasted carrots are special. You know how raw carrots can sometimes taste slightly bitter? And if you’re not totally sold on them to begin with, you may be avoiding them altogether. But roasting vegetables mellows the flavor and is one of my favorite ways to cook them. Plus it is extremely easy to do and anyone can do it.
Why do roasted vegetables taste so much better than when they are boiled or steamed? It’s the dry heat of the oven – it caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables, which brings about an amazing depth of flavor. Dry-heat cooking, such as roasting, helps release the natural sugars in vegetables. This caramelization is a non-enzymatic browning reaction that happens when there is no water and sugars break down from the heat. The result is a sweet, nutty, toasty flavor, much better than the strong and often bitter flavors (and strong smells) from moist cooking methods. Plus the high heat of the oven helps turn hard, raw veggies into tender pieces of delectable delight.
I can guarantee you’ll find these roasted carrots absolutely sweet and tender, just the way you want them. This is a great healthy side dish to go with just about any protein food – pork, beef, chicken, even fish. High in beta-carotene, a plant pigment that is chemically converted into vitamin A in the body, carrots are also a good source of several other vitamins and minerals including potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin K and biotin.
Once you make this side dish, you’ll find yourself going back to it time and time again – it’s that good!
Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled or unpeeled, halved and halved again lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Optional – Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Cut off stems of carrots; Peel or leave carrots unpeeled; cut the carrots in half and then cut each half in half lengthwise.
- Put cut carrots into a bowl; add in olive oil, honey, salt and pepper – toss thoroughly to coat all the carrots.
- Spread carrots on a baking sheet so they are in a single layer and not stacked or touching each other.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
