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Roasted to crisp-tender caramelized perfection, these Honey Glazed Carrots are a classic family-friendly side dish that will have everyone wanting more. Tossed in a simple sweet glazed and baked in the oven, this is an easy gluten free vegetable recipe that you can serve for a busy weeknight, Sunday dinner, or a holiday meal. Just be sure to make extra!
No time for roasting? You can make Air Fryer Carrots in a snap!
Oven-Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots – Easy Side Dish!
It’s the standard mom dilemma – tf I buy one of those teensy one pound bags of carrots at the grocery store, it’s not enough to last us a week. We easily go through a pound just as a side dish for dinner, so that doesn’t leave any for packing in lunches along with some ranch dip.
So I end up buying the 5 pound bag at Costco, which means they don’t get used up fast enough. Luckily we love them, whether I’m making Buttery Peas and Carrots or shredding them into Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins.
Lately it’s been all about oven baking to enhance the natural sweetness of the fresh carrots. Especially with the simple glaze on these Honey Roasted Carrots. Just a few minutes of prep work and a handful of ingredient will have you on your way to this simple side dish with delicious caramelized flavor to a vegetable everyone already loves, making it even better.
Recipe Ingredients
Because raw carrots will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks, you can easily have everything you need on hand to make this easy side dish any time you like. Here’s a quick list of the other pantry ingredients you’ll need, plus some substitutions. The full amounts can be found in the recipe card.
- Carrots. Peel them and cut them into pieces about one and a half to two inches long. If any of the pieces are very thick, cut them lengthwise as well so that they cook thoroughly and evenly.
- Honey. Caramelizes and enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots.
- Olive oil. If you prefer to use another type of oil for roasting, such as avocado oil, that is fine too. Olive oil does add a nice fruity flavor when roasting.
- White balsamic vinegar. The acidity helps to balance out the sweetness of the carrots and the honey. Using white balsamic vinegar versus traditional balsamic vinegar will keep the nirhgt orange color of the carrots. But you can also use dark balsamic or substitute with apple cider vinegar or a splash of lemon juice.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Thyme. You can omit it or substitute with other herbs like rosemary, sage or a mixture. Using dried herbs is also no problem, just use about a teaspoon.
How to Make Honey Roasted Carrots
It’s seriously as easy as 1… 2… 3…
- Make the Glaze. Stir the honey, oil, vinegar, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Coat the Carrots. Pour sauce over cut carrots in a bowl and toss to coat evenly.
- Bake in the Oven. Spread the carrots on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400°F for 30 to 40 minutes or until they reach your desired tenderness. Serve your honey roasted carrots immediately!
Tips for Success
Cut them evenly. You want all of your carrot piece about the same size so they cook consistently.
Enhance the flavor. Try drizzling the honey roasted carrots with a bit of balsamic reduction. The tangy flavor complements the sweet, earthy carrots perfectly.
Make them ahead. You can marinate the carrots, keep them covered in your fridge overnight or up to a day or so, and bake them when needed. Or you can roast them in the oven, and store and reheat them according to the instructions below.
Cook for a crowd. You can double or triple the recipe and spread it between two baking sheets. Depending on the size of your oven, you may want to swap the positions of the pans about halfway through baking.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Let your honey glazed carrots cool and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
When you want to reheat the carrots, places them on a pan in a low oven or in a skillet or saucepan on the stove until hot. You can also microwave them, but take care not to cook them for too long, as they can become dry and chewy.
If you are preparing the entire batch ahead of time, versus just reheating a serving or two of leftovers, I recommend making a bit more of the marinade, about one and a half times as much as the recipe calls for. Save a third of it for when you reheat the carrots.
I do not recommend freezing the cooked carrots as they can get mushy when thawed and reheated.
Make it a Meal
A simple classic side dish like this means it’s perfect for any occasion, from your average weeknight to a holiday feast. It’s easy to prep and toss them in the oven while you make anything from Homemade Sloppy Joes to a Glazed Ham. Here are some serving suggestions.
- Weeknight dinner. While the carrots are roasting, you can bake Oven Fries in at the same time while you cook up Honey Mustard Chicken Bites and even prepare some Healthy Chocolate Pudding.
- Sunday supper. Get the comfort food on with French Onion Stuffed Meatloaf and Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes. You can even the family to Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie.
- Holiday meal. Make your roast turkey or prime rib, aloing with classic sides like Mashed Potatoes, creamy Corn Pudding, and some make-ahead Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Sauce. Don’t forget Crustless Pumpkin Pie!
Things You’ll Need
NordicWare Baking Sheets are workhorses in my kitchen. From roasting veggies to sheet pan meals, cookies to cake rolls, we use them almost daily. They are light, and the aluminum distributes the heat evenly. Plus they clean up easily, though for this recipe I do recommend lining it with parchment paper.
Oven-Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the carrots and cut into around 1 1/2-2 inch pieces. If the carrots are very thick, also cut them lengthwise. Place carrots in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir honey, oil, vinegar, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the carrots and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle thyme over the carrots and add pepper to taste.
- Spread the carrots evenly on your baking pan, so they don’t lay on top of each other and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cook to desired doneness. They will get softer and more caramelized the longer you cook them.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Did you make this?
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