Classic Roasted Carrots

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Roasted Carrots are a staple in my house all year long, but I like to dress them up with thyme and garlic for the holidays to make them extra special. Your family will love these classic roasted baby carrots.

Roasted Carrots are a weeknight staple in my house. They are so easy to throw together and get cooking without a lot of fuss so I can work on the rest of our supper.

It’s easy to change up the flavor of the carrots by swapping out herbs and garlic or by adding brown sugar or honey. They are very versatile and go with so many different dinners like ham, roast, chicken and pretty much anything you want to put the with.

Ingredients for Classic Roasted Baby Carrots

• 1 ½ lbs. baby carrots (I used 1 ½ bags of baby carrots)
• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted (dairy free butter works great)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• Salt to taste
• Fresh parsley, garnish

How to Make Roasted Baby Carrots

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Boil salted water until it comes to a rolling boil.
3. Drop in carrots and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Take out carrots and pat dry.
5. Place carrots in 9-inch oval dish or 8×8 pan.
6. Mix in butter, thyme, and garlic and stir.
7. Place in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender, stirring carrots halfway through the baking process.
8. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Roasted Carrots FAQ:

Why do you boil the carrots?

• Boiling the carrots will jumpstart the cooking process. It’s very similar to blanching, which is commonly used to freeze vegetables, but we are not using a bowl of ice water for this. Without boiling the carrots, it would require a much longer bake time in the oven. If you choose to omit the boiling step, plan on cooking the carrots for an additional 15-20 minutes.

What dish can I use for this?

• I used a 9 inch 2 quart oval casserole dish for this recipe. You can also use an 8×8 pan if you don’t have an oval or round casserole dish. Another option is to use a parchment lined sheet pan and roast them that way. That should decrease the cooking time, so keep an eye on the cooking process. I liked being able to prepare and bake these in the same pan that I was serving them in, so I used a casserole dish instead of a sheet pan.

How do I store this?

• These carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days when sealed in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing these carrots once they have been cooked. The cooking process has softened the carrots which, when thawed, will likely turn to mush.

Classic Roasted Carrots Alternatives

Garlic Roasted Carrots — For this version, I skip all the herbs and double or triple up on the minced garlic. 

Buttered Carrots — Plain buttered carrots is my go-to for busy weeknights. Leave out all the herbs. 

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots — Skip the garlic and herbs and add 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar with the melted butter.

Herbed Roasted Carrots — Use any blend of herbs and spices up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of herbs. Italian seasoning, rosemary, oregano, parsley, etc….they are all delicious options.

What can I substitute the thyme with?

Roasted carrots with thyme is my favorite, but if you don’t have dried thyme available, you can always use dried parsley, basil, oregano, or a combination of all of those. If you have it on hand, you can also use fresh thyme. I would double the amount of fresh thyme (use 1 tablespoon instead of 1 tsp) if you choose to go that route.

Pin this to your favorite Pinterest Board:

Recent Posts You May Have Missed:

Green Beans with Brown Butter & Almonds
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Cauliflower
Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes