Honey Roasted Carrots
Honey Roasted Carrots are the perfect accompaniment for any weeknight meal or a side at the holiday table! This versatile side dish bakes up easily and tastes delicious! All you need are a handful of ingredients and less than an hour to make this slightly sweet-spicy carrots recipe. Makes 4 servings.
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These Honey Roasted Whole Carrots originally appeared at My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor.
This post contains affiliate links.
Carrots used to be one of my favorite veggies because they’re sweet, easy to eat and perfect for snacking and dipping.
Then my sister developed a severe allergy to carrots. My family and I stopped using them in most dishes because we didn’t want to give her an allergic reaction.
Now, my sister and I have lived in different states for more than 15 years…
Recently, I decided to make some carrots for my family, knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about my sister’s allergy.
And these carrots were divine.
Why I love this recipe:
Real talk: Whole Roasted Carrots look really fancy and elevated.
Realer talk: They’re incredibly easy to make.
Also, this carrot recipe is scalable, meaning you can make it for your nuclear family as a weeknight side dish… or you can make a large batch for your extended family as a part of a holiday meal.
We love roasting vegetables in the oven because it’s pretty hands-off once you pop them in.
The end result is always amazingly delicious, and these carrots hit the spot!
More roasted side dish recipes to try: Roasted Lemon Brussels Sprouts | Roasted Green Beans | Oven Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple and Cranberries | Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic | Roasted Fennel Orange Salad
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Baking sheet pan with a rim
- Vegetable peeler
- A large mixing bowl
- Heat resistant spatula for removing the carrots from the pan.
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need to get at the store:
- Carrots — you need a bunch of them to make this roasted carrots recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil — or another neutral oil
- Honey — to add a little sweetness to the carrots. While I am assuring you could substitute this with another liquid sweetener, like agave or maple, I have not tried that.
- Seasonings — we use a combination of kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to flavor up these carrots! Sprinkle the cayenne lightly because it is strong and offers quick a spicy kick.
Fun variations on this recipe for roasting carrots:
Use baby carrots. Since they’re smaller and less thick, you’ll probably have to bake them for less time, so keep an eye on them as they roast.
Add garlic or garlic powder for a garlicky punch!
Swap out the honey for maple syrup you’d like this to be a vegan carrot recipe.
How to roast carrots in the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Spritz a sheet pan with a rim with nonstick baking spray, and set aside. You could also line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the carrots. Remove the greens. (You may remove the stem or leave a little green like I did, as shown in these photos.) Peel with a vegetable peeler. Transfer to a large bowl.
Season the carrots. Pour the olive oil and honey over the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the carrots to coat.
Transfer to the prepared sheet pan.
Sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Be careful with this—a little goes a long way. I always say to use a light hand right now and to give the carrots a taste before serving and add more cayenne, if necessary.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until fork tender.
Pro tip!
The honey can burn as it bakes, so keep an eye on your carrots. I’d check on them at the 15-20 minute mark to see how they’re coming along. Since everyone’s oven is a little different, this is important.
Enjoy warm!
how to store:
Place the cooled carrots into an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat until warmed through in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
That’s going to depend on the heat of your oven and the thickness of your carrots. For these whole carrots, I roasted them in a 400°F oven for 25ish minutes.
I like to leave my carrots whole for roasting because they look impressive.
Personally, I like them roasted because they soften and sweeten up as they bake.
You might not have roasted them for long enough if they’re tough. They should be fork tender, meaning you’re able to easily slide the tines of a fork into them to ensure they’re cooked through.
Quick tips and tricks for roasted carrots in honey
- Keep an eye on them. The honey will get sticky in the oven, and you don’t want it to burn. Check on them at the 20 minute mark.
- Double or triple this recipe for a crowd. Use simple math to make it happen. You might need a bigger baking pan or more than one.
More easy side dishes to try:
Go with a classic, like Homemade Mashed Potatoes or Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots with Cider.
Lean into lemon with recipes like Lemon Pepper Green Beans and Lemon Kale.
Here’s how you can roast these carrots:
Honey Roasted Carrots
EQUIPMENT
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Ingredients
- 1 bunch carrots
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cayenne pepper for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spritz a rimmed sheet pan with nonstick baking spray, and set aside. (You could also line the sheet pan with parchment paper.)
- Remove the stems from the carrots. Peel with a vegetable peeler. Place in a large bowl.
- Pour the olive oil and honey over the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Transfer the carrots to the prepared sheet pan.
- Sprinkle the cayenne pepper over the carrots. (Be careful with this—a little goes a long way.)
- Bake in the preheated over for 25 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Enjoy warm!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is the recipe developer, food photographer and founder of The Speckled Palate, where she shares recipes, many Southern and Louisiana-inspired, and easy, low-key entertaining ideas since 2011. Whether you’re searching for a weeknight dinner or a party menu, Erin’s recipes are made for sharing with the people you love. Learn more about Erin and learn more about TSP.
These look so tasty!I love super simple recipes that give something an entirely new flavor. Definitely trying these. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Catrina! Like you, I love a super simple recipe that gives something a new flavor. I hope you enjoy these carrots as much as we did!
These look so good! I need to try making these!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Thanks, Kari! If you make them, I hope you adore them!
Yum!!! I adore carrots but always have a tough time convincing the others at my table. Going to try this as I have a bunch in my fridge that need cooking up.
I hope that this recipe is able to convince your family that carrots are good stuff! And if nothing else, I hope you thoroughly enjoy them! My little sister is severely allergic to carrots, so we hardly ever eat them, even though she lives in a different state… but when we do, they’re all kinds of good.
I love making whole carrots for side dishes and to have as snacks throughout the week. These honey roasted carrots sound like an amazing flavor. I can’t wait to try!
Thanks, Brooke! I’m glad you love whole carrots as side dishes and for snacks, too, and I hope everyone in your household enjoys this recipe as much as we did!
We loved these carrots so much!! They’re so easy to make and tasted so amazing – perfecty sweet and spicy!! 10/10 recommend!!