Thyme Roasted Carrots are an amazing vegetable side dish for the colder months. Carrots are great for roasting because they don't get mushy. I'll show you a few other variations of these roasted carrots, such as Parmesan roasted carrots, roasted carrots and parsnips, and original ways to serve roasted carrots.
I don't know about you, but I roast vegetables several nights a week. All year long.
Roasted carrots
Roasted carrots are one of my FAVORITE roasted vegetables because they get wonderfully caramelized in the oven, getting that beautiful char on the bottom. At the same time, they don't get mushy easily and have a nice bite to them when they are roasted
All you need is a few simple seasonings and olive oil, and you have a delicious healthy nutrient-loaded vegetable side dish.
Related recipe: Green Beans with Almonds and Cranberries
How to roast carrots
Toss carrots with olive oil and your favorite seasonings (read some ideas below!!). Roast carrots at 375F, for about 25-30 minutes (or more, if you prefer softer cooked vegetables), tossing them halfway through.
The reason I do 375F is because it's a nice balance between being super hot but not burning the natural sugars that are in carrots. I love roasted vegetables at a very high temperature (400-425) for a shorter cooking time, but since carrots have a lot of sugars for a vegetable, they would burn at a temperature much higher than 375.
Sugars?! Are carrots keto?
Carrots have a pretty high sugar content for vegetables, so they are probably not the best for a keto diet. They are definitely still low in sugar for the average diet, and they are filled with fiber and other nutrients so they are still super healthy and a great vegetable as part of your daily recommended 5 servings of fruits/veggies.
Anyway! Onto the different carrot seasonings.
Seasonings for roasted carrots
The basic seasonings are salt, pepper, and garlic (fresh or powdered, depending on if you have an extra minute). On top of that, you can add your favorite herbs or some Parmesan cheese (see below).
If you're using fresh garlic, I recommend this garlic press from Oxo. My mom gave me one when I moved out on my own and started cooking 15 years ago, and I am still using the same one. It's super high quality and makes it so easy to make fresh minced garlic.
Other seasoning ideas for roasted carrots are freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, za'atar (it's a Middle Eastern seasoning, it's so good! you can find it here), Cajun seasoning (these two are my favorite: Healthy Solutions Cajun, Badia Cajun), and fresh herbs.
Thyme roasted carrots
One of my favorite seasonings for roasted carrots is thyme. It can be fresh or dried thyme, it's all good. Just toss sliced carrots with olive oil, some fresh or dried garlic, salt, and thyme and roast.
If you can find colorful purple and yellow carrots, those are absolutely stunning. Tricolor carrots (also called rainbow carrots) don't really taste different, they're just pretty.
Parmesan roasted carrots
Parmesan is hands down the BEST seasoning for roasted vegetables. Salty, nutty, cheesy, Parmesan. Grate it yourself, or get grated Parmesan from the deli cheeses section of your supermarket instead of getting the stuff in the green can.
I love grating Parmesan on a microplane zester, it feels so smooth and makes really thinly grated Parmesan that has a nice texture. Try it out, you'll love it. This is the one I have.
Toss the carrots in olive oil, a tiny bit of salt (not too much, because Parmesan is pretty salty!), pepper, a bit of garlic powder, and Parmesan and mix well. Roast, then sprinkle with plenty of MORE Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley when serving.
Roasted carrots with greens
An easy way to eat a bit more veggies is topping your roasted carrots with some fresh baby greens, such as baby arugula, baby kale, or baby spinach. Just a bit, but it all adds up!
Roasting carrots and parsnips together
I love roasted carrots and parsnips together because they require the same amount of cooking time. It's perfect!! So add some parsnips to the mix if you want some variety.
What to serve with roasted carrots
- As a side dish for honey mustard chicken thighs
- You can always add roasted carrots to a grain bowl, such as my Buckwheat Bowls. They would also be great with this vegetarian creamy grits recipe
- You can top roasted carrots with this Parsley Pesto
- Serve them as a side dish with grilled chicken (I have the BEST grilled chicken marinade recipe)
- As a side dish for roasted pork
Looking for more carrot recipes?
Try these reader favorites! Most of these are light, healthy, vegan / vegetarian, nutritious, and delicious. You've got to add them to your rotation of healthy veggie-filled recipes.
Creamy Vegan Carrot Soup with Parsley Pistou
This creamy carrot soup is so silky and rich tasting! It is absolutely fantastic with the lemony parsley pistou (which is kind of like a pesto).
Carrot Zucchini Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
A light, fresh, vegan salad with an Asian-inspired dressing.
Spiralized Zucchini Salad with Feta and Lemon Garlic Dressing
Another easy spiralized salad, this one with creamy tangy feta that goes so perfectly with the lemony garlic dressing.
Shaved Carrot and Daikon Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
A simple shaved salad of carrots and daikon radish. So light and healthy!
Whole Wheat Carrot Cake Pancakes
These pancakes are super healthy with whole wheat and lots of grated carrots.
Buckwheat Bowls with Roasted Vegetables and Tahini Sauce
Buckwheat bowls are one of my favorite vegan meals, and they can be customized with any roasted vegetables.
So, are you convinced to try roasting carrots? Did you try this recipe? Either way, let me know in a comment below and don't forget to leave a star rating for the recipe.
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Thyme Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 8 medium carrots peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (use the leaves only)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Brush a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Peel and chop the carrots into ~2-4 inch pieces, then into halves or quarters if they are thick. In a large bowl, toss the chopped carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and thyme.
- Roast the carrots at 375 for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through so they don't burn at the bottom.
Notes
- These Thyme Roasted Carrots are best served immediately, but are great re-heated as leftovers, since roasted carrots do not get mushy
- You can also substitute parsnips for some of the carrots
Try the following seasonings and topping ideas:
- Freshly grated Parmesan, tossed with the carrots before roasting and over the roasted carrots for serving
- Fresh herbs, such as parsley or rosemary
- Lemon juice and / or lemon zest
- Za'atar seasoning
- Cajun seasoning (watch out, it's spicy!)