This recipe for honey roasted carrots is whole carrots, bathed in honey and seasonings, then roasted over high heat until tender and caramelized. A super easy yet elegant side dish!
I always have a bag of carrots in my fridge; they’re inexpensive, last for weeks and my kids will always eat them! Whether it’s glazed carrots or sauteed candied carrots, this sweet and savory veggie is definitely a big hit. These roasted carrots take just minutes to put together, but are fancy enough to serve for company. Pair them with baked chicken wings for a memorable meal!
In my opinion, the best way to eat vegetables is when they’re roasted. Some of my favorites include brown sugar delicata squash, roasted butternut squash and of course, carrots. After a trip through the oven, most veggies get browned and caramelized and their flavor intensifies in the best possible way! These honey roasted carrots are my all time favorite way to eat carrots. In fact, my whole family devours them, even the kids!
Making this recipe is quite simple and only requires a handful of ingredients. Given that the ingredient list is so short, I try to get the best quality ingredients I can find to make these honey roasted carrots extra special.
How do you make roasted carrots?
For this recipe, you’ll need carrots, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. That’s it! I like to buy bunches of small carrots with the tops on, they look so much more elegant and are sweeter than larger carrots. If you can’t find small carrots, it’s totally fine to use larger carrots that have been cut into sticks, it’ll still be delicious. line up the carrots on a baking sheet and toss them with seasonings before they take a trip through the oven. Add a sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for roasted carrots
- Your bake time may vary depending on how thick your carrots are. If you’re using carrots cut into sticks, those will also cook faster than whole carrots.
- I would not use those pre-cut baby carrots that come in bags for this recipe. Typically those carrots don’t have as much flavor as whole carrots.
- I like to add a sprinkling of parsley as a finishing touch for these roasted carrots, but if you don’t have parsley on hand, it’s totally fine to skip this step. You could also try garnishing with other fresh herbs like thyme, chives or dill.
- You can peel the carrots and coat them in the honey mixture up to 4 hours before you plan to roast them.
- This dish will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cooked carrots for future use, but the texture will be softer upon thawing and reheating.
Baked carrot variations
I think this recipe is delicious as-is, but there are different ways to add other flavors to customize the carrots to your tastes.
- Sweetener: Try using an equal amount of maple syrup or brown sugar instead of the honey.
- Spices: Feel free to add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice to the olive oil mixture.
- Bacon: Wrap each carrot in 1/2 slice of bacon before roasting.
- Garlic Lovers: Reduce the honey to 1 teaspoon and add 1-2 teaspoons of freshly minced garlic.
- Vegetables: Add other vegetables to the mix such as wedges of red onion, brussels sprouts, diced sweet potatoes or cubed butternut squash.
These honey roasted carrots are the perfect side dish for:
The next time you head to the grocery store, be sure to grab some carrots so that you try this recipe, it’s pretty much guaranteed to turn veggie haters into veggie lovers!
More side dish ideas
- Parmesan Zucchini
- Roasted Broccoli
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Honey roasted carrots video
Honey Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound small carrots peeled and trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking spray
- Optional garnish: chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Place the carrots in a single layer on the baking pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Pour the honey mixture over the carrots and toss to coat.
- Place in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until carrots are tender and browned. Roasting time may vary depending on the size of the carrots.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
Nutrition
This post is sponsored by Buzz + Bloom Honey. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Dinner at the Zoo possible! This post was originally published on September 14, 2016 and was updated on October 14, 2020 with new content.
The carrots are amazingly delicious!
I had to tell you your recipe was so simple to do but packed with wonderful flavor and texture! Thank you for the recipe!
Made these to go with our Easter dinner. Easy and delicious!
Super easy and delicious recipe! I only baked for 15 minutes because my family doesn’t like too mushy veggies!
Your recipe has been in my veggie rotation regularly since I found it years ago. Perfect for weekday or holiday dinner (my always requested side dish for Easter & Thanksgiving). I turn on my oven broiler for 2 minutes afterwards for that extra char. Thanks for the awesome recipe Sara. I’d also mention it’s a great idea to finely chop the well washed carrot top greens to garnish the dish instead of parsley. You already have out your cutting board & knife, right? Not everyone knows the tops are edible and delicious. Try it!
Can you use less oil and just spray the carrots enough to coat it? And will there be a change in consistency?
I think it should be fine but I haven’t tested it that way!
My carrots in the fridge do not stay fresh for long, they wilt soon. What should I do? Sarah says that the carrots last forever in her refrigerator. How lucky she is! I have to scramble to use them quickly. Also, your recipe does not say whether we should peel the skin or keep them on. Which would be better? Instead of garnishing with parsley, can we use coriander leaves? Thank you! Your recipe is great and looks appetizing!
I peel the carrots and coriander is fine!
This recipe has become a staple in our home as carrots last forever in the refrigerator. Family loves this recipe and I love how easy it is!
Can you leave the carrots unpeeled? I have some beautiful carrots that are purplish on the outside and look gorgeous, but when you peel them the inside is only orange. I hate to lose the purple!
Yes that’s fine!
Just Perfect!! Simple, Easy
I have made this dish numerous times and the are super delish! I use baby carrots for this recipe. Sometimes I will add 1 Tbl of balsamic vinegar as well. Either way they’re great. In addition to eating them once roasted sometimes I will put these in a stir fry as well.
How long do you cook the baby carrots for?
My favorite kind of carrots!
Such a perfect side dish!! My family loved it.
honey roasted carrots are a staple at all of our holiday gatherings! i’ve got some gorgeous carrots needing to be used soon. i think i’ll get an early start!
Yummy! Still a family favorite of ours! Can’t wait to make this soon! So delicious and tasty!
The perfect side dish!! These carrots are incredible! YUM!
WOW! These carrots looks AMAZING!! I need to make these asap!
These carrots look amazing! Who can resist to them?! Yummy!
Sometimes the only vegetable I have left is carrots but my kids love this recipe so no compliants.
Where can I buy these smaller carrots with the tops still on? My usual grocery stores don’t carry them, but I also haven’t looked at the organic area.
I almost always find them in the organic area, or try a farmer’s market! You can also use regular carrots cut into sticks.
I will look at the organic area my next shopping trip. Thank you for replying! And can’t wait to try this delicious sounding recipe!
I really enjoyed the carrots prepared this way; they were quick and easy to make, and were very flavorful and tender. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe.
One of the only vegetables that my kids eat. They really enjoyed this dish!