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Honey roasted carrots in a serving platter with sauce.

Honey Roasted Carrots

These easy Honey Roasted Carrots prove that patience pays off, just like in the book The Carrot Seed. Leaving them whole and letting them slowly roast and glaze in the oven transforms them into a tender, sweet side that the whole family will love.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Good To Know

  • Since these carrots are roasted whole, it’s important that they’re all of a similar size so they all cook at the same rate. Carrots that are 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter at their thick ends work well here.
  • You can make this recipe with regular orange carrots or you can use rainbow carrots for even more fun and color.
  • You can use pure maple syrup instead of the honey in this recipe, if you prefer.
  • If your carrots have their leafy tops attached, you can eat those, too! Cut them off from the carrots and wash them well, then chop the soft, feathery parts into small pieces and sprinkle them over dishes like you would parsley, or add them to a salad.

Equipment You'll Need

  • Cutting board
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Chef's knife
  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Aluminum foil
  • Serving platter (optional)

Measure Your Ingredients

  • 8 medium carrots (about 1 ½ pounds)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper

Let's Cook!
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • 8 medium carrots
    Working one at a time, hold each carrot by its thick end and place the tip on a cutting board. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peels in long strips, working away from you from the thick to the thin end and turning the carrot until all of the peel is gone. Lay each peeled carrot on the cutting board and use a chef’s knife to trim off the tops and bottoms.
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, 2 tablespoons honey, ½ teaspoon table salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
    Place the carrots in a 9x13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Scatter the butter pieces over the carrots in the dish, then drizzle them evenly with the honey. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
  • Place the baking dish in the oven and roast, covered for 30 minutes.
  • Use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and place it on the stovetop or a cooling rack. Carefully remove the foil (peel it up from the end furthest away from you to protect yourself from the steam). Use tongs to turn each carrot over, making sure they’re all well-coated in the sauce.
  • Use oven mitts to return the baking dish to the oven and continue to roast, uncovered, until the carrots are tender when poked in their thick ends with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. (Be careful when poking; the dish will be hot!)
  • Use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and place it on the stovetop or a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes, then use a rubber spatula or serving spoon to carefully stir the carrots so they’re well-coated in sauce again.
  • Serve the carrots right from the dish or transfer them to a serving platter, spooning any extra sauce over the top.
Keyword Honey Roasted Carrots