These really are the best roasted carrots! Flavored with garlic and spices, this recipe is the perfect way to serve up a tasty, nutritious, and easy to make side dish in about 30 minutes for both weeknights and special occasions.
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You can find carrots in our refrigerator almost year around. They are inexpensive, store well and are useful for so many things - salads, soups, mixed vegetables, and on their own.
For many years, though, I didn't really use carrots for much more than adding to salads or cutting to use for dips.
Then I discovered how certain cooking techniques (not boiling, a-hem) could bring out not only the incredible flavor and sweetness in carrots, but enhance it as well.
When my kids were younger, they fell in love with these baked grated carrots with garlic (really - they are that good!), and my extended family loves when I bring slow cooker honey carrots to family dinners.
Now we can add these spiced roasted carrots to our cooked carrot recipe list! In about 30 minutes you can create a delicious and healthy side dish that everyone will love.
Not only are this recipe's ingredients healthy and budget-friendly (yay), but they also provide a great source of vitamins and minerals. Research shows that carrots can help boost your immune system among other things (source), while garlic can help improve your heart health (source).
Are roasted carrots still healthy?
In the debate on raw vs. cooked carrots (if that even is a thing...), cooked carrots may actually win.
The answer to roasted carrots still being healthy is yes - maybe even more so than raw because our bodies more easily absorb the carotenoids in carrots when cooked since cooking breaks down the cell walls making it's nutrients more available. The best ways to cook carrots to preserve their nutrients are steaming, sautéing, or roasting. (source)
Let's get to the recipe - I think you will love having this as a back pocket recipe to add to all kinds of main dishes!
Best Roasted Carrots with Garlic and Spices
Ingredients for Spice Roasted Carrots
If you have carrots, you can make this recipe using whatever spices you have on hand. Use the list below as a guideline.
- Carrots - both organic and conventional carrots are easy to find and inexpensive, but carrots made the "clean 15" list for least amount of pesticides, so you can save a bit by going conventional.
- Olive or Avocado Oil - I tend to use avocado oil now for cooking at higher temperatures like this, as olive breaks down in cooking, but either will work.
- Garlic - I prefer fresh, but granulated garlic powder will work if you don't have cloves.
- Chili Powder - hot or mild, your choice.
- Paprika - choose either smoked paprika or regular.
- Ground Cumin - this adds a distinct flavor.
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Chipotle Powder or Cayenne - optional for spiciness.
Easy ingredient swaps
Here are a few ingredient substitutions for these roasted carrots:
- Go simple with just the garlic, salt and pepper - finish with a squeeze of lemon.
- Instead of chili flavors, add your favorite herb blend.
- Skip all the spices and simply sprinkle with a premade spice rub like Amazing Basic Spice Rub, Mediterranean Spice Rub, or Tex-Mex Spice Rub.
How to Make Spice Roasted Carrots
These are as easy as you can imagine:
- Heat oven to 450 degrees and line a pan with parchment.
- Cut the peeled carrots on the diagonal into 3/4-inch slices and add to the pan. (TIP: if you need them quicker than 30 minutes, cut them thinner and cook less.)
- Drizzle with the oil, add the garlic and spices and toss all together with your hands or a large spoon. Spread in an even layer.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes until the largest carrots are tender with tested with a fork.
Roasted Carrots FAQs
You don't have to - they will have a more rustic appearance and texture, but it's a personal preference.
Yes, using parchment makes certain that the vegetables won't stick to the pan and you get all the yummy caramelized edges.
In addition, parchment is preferred over foil when roasting, as there have been studies to suggest that some aluminum leaches into food during cooking. (source)
You can cut them in thick angled slices (as I do in this recipe) or you can cut them in longer lengths (leaving the thin ends whole and cutting the thicker ends in half or quarters). THE KEY to any cut is to keep them as uniform as possible so they cook evenly.
If you'd like to meal prep your carrots, they can be peeled and cut (in any way) up to 3 to 4 days in advance. Store in a airtight sealed bag or container in the refrigerator.
Tips for Storing & Reheating Roasted Carrots
- Let carrots cool completely.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- To Freeze: add to a small freezer safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
- For larger amounts you can lay the roasted carrots on a tray to freeze for a couple hours before adding to a freezer container. Doing this will allow you to pull out just what you need.
- To Reheat: Let carrots thaw (8-10 hours in the fridge) and then spread on a baking sheet to heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot.
Recommended tools
- USA Pan Bakeware Halfsheet Pan - I love, love these warp resistant, nonstick pans!
- Unbleached Parchment Paper (or precut parchment sheets)
- Good Chef's Knife
- Bamboo Cutting Board
Don’t forget to check out all of my favorite kitchen essentials.
More Carrot Recipes You'll Love
- Amazing & Easy Lemon Garlic Baked Grated Carrots Recipe
- Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Carrots with Onions
- Carrot Salad with Feta & Olives
- Ultimate Carrot Guide: Grow & Harvest, Cook & Preserve with 62 Carrot Recipes!
I hope you love this delicious roasted carrots with garlic and spices side dish! If you make it, please leave a comment and a rating letting me know, I'd be so thankful!
Best Roasted Carrots with Garlic & Spices
Equipment
- Large Sheet Pan 17 inch x 13 inch
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional Spices
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.*
- Cut the peeled carrots on the diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices,** adding them to the pan as you finish them.
- Drizzle the carrots with the oil and sprinkle the garlic and spices you'd like over all. Use your hands or a large spoon to toss well, coating the carrots evenly.
- Roast carrots for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the largest pieces are fork tender.
- Serve immediately or let cool completely for storing.
Notes
- Let carrots cool completely.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- To Freeze: add to a small freezer safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
- For larger amounts you can lay the roasted carrots on a tray to freeze for a couple hours before adding to a freezer container. Doing this will allow you to pull out just what you need.
- To Reheat: Let carrots thaw (8-10 hours in the fridge) and then spread on a baking sheet to heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot.
Nutrition
daisy says
These look great! I actually roast my carrots with onions and garlic and blend it in our high speed blender to make a sauce for pasta. I can no longer eat tomatoes, and this works great as a pasta sauce for me. It fills in anywhere tomato sauce would be used, so pizza, chili, sloppy joes, etc.
Thank you for your clean recipes!
Jami says
What a fun idea, Daisy!
Thanks for sharing.