Simple Roasted Carrots (Perfect Thanksgiving Side)

What dish are you in charge of this Thanksgiving? Even if you’re trying to bring something to the table but aren’t a master chef, you can whip up a batch of these simple roasted carrots, sis. And you’ll impress your family, bae’s family–basically, whoever’s family you’re eating with. Start scrolling for an easy side dish that’s inexpensive (as in, under $10) to make.

Growing up, my mom always fed us carrots “for beautiful eyes” so I’m a big fan of them and have shared a few different carrot recipes (peep these ginger curry carrots) over the years. Everyone needs a good basic recipe to start with, though, so here’s yours. If you’ve ever wondered (or Googled) how to cook carrots, I’ve got you covered today. These carrots are cut into bite-sized pieces, seasoned simply, then roasted to perfection. The result is on point both flavor and texture-wise so don’t be surprised when everyone goes back for seconds.

These simple roasted carrots are totally good for you, too. Thanksgiving recipes tend to be on the heavier side so these provide a bit of balance on the table and give everyone’s palate some variety in flavor and texture. Roasted veggies are a good complement to all the creamy, cheesy, sweetness going on around Thanksgiving time. By the way, I am a big fan of indulgent thanksgiving staples like mac & cheese and mashed potatoes but like to balance things out. Don’t think there’s no butter or sugar on my table because there most certainly is! To make these roasted carrots, you’ll need just five ingredients: carrots (of course), olive oil, dried thyme, sea salt, and black pepper. Dassit!

Tips for Making Simple Roasted Carrots

• It is very important to cut your carrots into bite-sized pieces so that they roast evenly and are easy for people to eat. Here’s a video of the roll cut method I use to cut these carrots.
• It’s not necessary to peel your carrots, but if you want to go for bonus presentation points, peel them before cutting with an easy peeler.
• Be sure to spread out your carrots on a sheet pan with at least 1/2 inch of space between each piece. This will ensure the carrots have plenty of surface area exposed to the roasting heat of the oven. When crowded too closely, the steam released from the carrots cooks each other and the texture will be off.

More on How to Roast Vegetables

Just in case roasted carrots aren’t your thing, try out one of these roasted vegetable recipes for your Thanksgiving side dish.

• Crispy Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Lemon Squash
• Roasted Root Veggies
• Sweet & Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Whole Roasted Cauliflower

For more help in pulling off the perfect Thanksgiving, check out my new Thanksgiving Guide. You won’t regret it. 🙂 Now, tell me, what are you in charge of making this year? Let me know below and thanks for reading!

P.S. Sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe on Pinterest.

5 from 10 votes

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Simple Roasted Carrots

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Simply seasoned carrots roasted to the perfect texture to complement rich Thanksgiving dishes

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to cook carrots, how to roast vegetables, sheet pan roasted vegetables, Thanksgiving side recipes, vegan thanksgiving ideas

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Jazzmine from Dash of Jazz

Ingredients

• 16 bulk carrots washed and trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut carrots into bite-sized pieces using the roll cut method. (See recipe notes for video on method)

2. Toss carrots with olive oil and spices until evenly coated.

3. Spread carrots out on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender (but not mushy). If you pick up a piece and squeeze, it should have some give but not squish all together.

Recipe Notes

Roll cut technique video