Recipe for oven-roasted carrots {vegan, gluten-free}
True confession: I don't love cooked carrots. I like them raw, crunchy, dipped into something like hummus or ranch dressing. Cooked carrots don't float my boat. Post-Thanksgiving I discovered an unopened two-pound bag wedged in the back of my refrigerator. I thought about sending those carrots straight to the compost pile, but instead I decided to try cooking them the way I cook potatoes: tossed in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted until their natural sweetness came to the surface and formed a little bit of a crust. Know what? It worked! Call them carrot home fries, if that makes sense: soft on the inside, crusty on the outside, with just enough salt. These oven-roasted carrots are truly the best cooked carrots I've ever tasted.
Oven-roasted carrots
From the pantry, you'll need: extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, fresh black pepper, nutmeg, balsamic vinegar.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 lbs carrots, trimmed and peeled
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Balsamic vinegar
Coarse sea salt and fresh black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Roughly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut the carrots into bite-size chunks. I like to roll cut them, to expose as much surface as possible. (This video shows you how to roll cut; it's very easy.)
Place the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Then, splash on some balsamic vinegar, sea salt, black pepper and olive oil (amounts aren't important, just use enough so all the vegetables will be well seasoned and coated). With your clean hands, toss everything together. Then, spread the carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Roast in the oven at 425F for 25 minutes. The carrots will have crispy edges and should be cooked through on the inside.
Serve hot.
More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Moroccan carrot salad
Carrot cake cupcakes with lemon frosting
Thyme roasted new potatoes
Roasted fennel with potatoes and onions
Roasted potatoes with lemon thyme vinaigrette
Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Spicy paprika roasted carrots, from Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free
Roasted rainbow carrots and string beans with citrus-sage glaze, from Food Blogga
Roasted carrots and mushrooms with thyme, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Roasted carrots with sesame ponzu vinaigrette, from Steamy Kitchen
Apple cider roasted carrots with rosemary and nutmeg, from Former Chef
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This makes total sense, but I surely had not thought of it. I will serve this right away! Yummm!
M-m-m-m-m-m....yes! These are best! I've discovered that *any* veg roasted becomes sublime!
I'm kind of the opposite to you...I love cooked carrots and don't prefer them raw! These look absolutely delicious. I adore roasted veggies.
I roast carrots all of the time. They become so sweet and yet, as you say, crunchy on the outside. Go with anything veggie, with or without anything more than oil, salt and pepper (light on the salt!)
Candy, I'm sure you'll like carrots cooked this way. for me, it's been a revelation.
Carolyne, I guess I'm late to the party, at least when it comes to carrots.
Zesty, there are a number of foods I eat raw but not cooked or processed (I love peanuts, but not peanut butter; I love strawberries, but not strawberry jam), but when it comes to veggies, roasting really seems to do it for me.
Barbara, I found that some crunchy sea salt really helped bring out the sweetness of the carrots. Not too much, as you say, but they definitely tasted better with salt than without.
I love these with cumin. Of course, I like about anything with cumin!
What a great idea! I love roasted carrots with fresh dill or parsley - but I have never made them using balsamic vinegar and nutmeg! That must take them to a whole different level. I can't wait to try it!
Jean, I love cumin, too, but to me it doesn't go with everything. These carrots are a bit more "all purpose".
Judy, these carrots are so sweet, and the balsamic just brings that sweetness into balance a bit. I'm sure you'll like them.
What a beautiful photo of the dish of carrots! You are going to chuckle because I made roasted carrots before I went on my trip and might even post them tomorrow! We were channeling each other I guess.
Kalyn, I love this little dish; it's a Japanese antique, more than 100 years old (a gift from my husband Ted). That's funny about the carrots, especially because I almost never cook them! Now I can't wait to see your recipe.
I make roast carrots -- adding balsamic and nutmeg sounds great. I "cuminize" way too much and this look like a nice alternative.
How funny I thought I was the only cumin-addict out there! I love carrots in all forms and these will be perfect with Christmas dinner!!! I also think you could turn leftovers in to the most amazing carrot soup ever!
Mary, I love cumin, in moderation. And sometimes, for me, the taste overwhelms other things on the plate. These carrots, with the balsamic, feel good to me.
Carol, you've read my mind... soup is next!
These look wondeful--I have for several years done something similar at Thanks giving--using roots, such as parsnips. turnips, sweet potatoes, whites and leeks-- Goes over BIG and leftovers with some cream pureed makes a great soup!
I love just about any kind of roasted vegetables, but for some odd reason, I've yet to get around to roasting carrots... these look so lovely and crispy and caramelized around the edges that I'm tempted to grab a bag of carrots on the way home just so I can make a big pile for dinner tonight! :)
I love carrots raw or cooked! Yummy! I have to give these roasted ones a try, I love the addition of the ground nutmeg. :)
I roasted carrots for our early Thanksgiving dinner, it's my favorite way to cook carrots, except for stir-frying. The flavor is just so good. I like how you added nutmeg and balsamic vinegar, nice touch.
Pat, soup is the next logical step!
Isabelle, same here. I think it's because I just have never liked cooked carrots that I never thought to try this before.
Christina, the nutmeg and balsamic made a great pairing.
Andrea, seems most people roast carrots with cumin, but I like the all-purpose vinegar flavoring (and added sweetness).
I have been given a great recipe for baked sweet potatoes - chop them and cover them in a mix of olive oil, thyme, thin garlic slices, and rosemary. No salt or pepper needed. I think it could be worth trying with carrots as well!
I tried this last night and it was amazing! I didn't even eat carrots until recently - and this may be my new fav. veggie!
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Roll cut - lots of surface area. Who would've though? I've never tried it but I love the concept. Will definitely be making these for St. Patty's day to go along with my corned beef! :)
look delish!!!!
about to put in oven. Wondering if pan level is important; have convection
Made these as side dish for group pizza supper.. Good--carrots at their prime right now. Lined pan with non-stick aluminum foil; finds that helps with browning. Left them longer at 400 to ensure soft--we were all seniors. Will do cubed squash today. First time I have been happy with my roasted veg. I think my new oven is the difference. Seems to be a difference in 'roast' and 'bake' settings.
I would love to make this, and I've tried almost the same recipe without the balsamic. Doesn't the balsamic vinegar burn in the pan at 425 for 25 minutes?
Larry, it won't burn!