Tender, golden, and naturally sweet, Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots are a comforting and delicious easy side dish recipe!
Article Summary:
In this post we will be making roasted honey glazed rainbow carrots. These carrots are the perfect companion to almost any main dish and are ready in just a few simple steps. Read on to learn how to make the carrots, common questions and answers, and more!
Table of contents
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There's a certain kind of joy in having an always reliable go-to side dish recipe. I mean, the main dish recipes and quick dinners definitely get the most focus and attention. But, judging by my most popular recipe, air fryer zucchini, the proof is in the pudding, I mean vegetables.
I mean, how often have you showed up at dinner time, knowing the chicken or burger recipe you're going to make, suddenly realized you totally forgot about your side? I know I sure have.
That's where having easy and versatile recipes like this oven roasted carrots dish are a life saver. As long as I have carrots (the classic orange variety work too), dinner is a go.
This carrot recipe is a delicious year-round side dish recipe. It's made in just a few simple steps with super easy-to-find ingredients. Olive oil, honey, carrots, and parsley (and once again, orange carrots if you can't find rainbow).
It's the kind of recipe you can easily serve with a weeknight dinner but is still tasty and impressive enough to serve while entertaining or hosting a family dinner.
Though the four steps of this recipe are simple and easy to follow, check out my "recipe pro-tips" section for my approachable tips to make these carrots as delicious as possible. Tips like why you don't want to crowd the pan and why, and more.
This oven roasted carrots recipe is...
- Naturally sweet
- Caramelized
- Tender
- Perfectly seasoned
They're an easy-to-make versatile and delicious side dish that is a welcome addition to almost any recipe rotation!
Ingredients:
- Rainbow carrots - these can be found at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or other health food stores here in the United States.
- Olive oil
- Honey - whichever honey you have works, though I like to use local or raw honey when I can, as they offer superior flavor.
- Salt
- Curly parsley
Substitutions:
- Carrots - the same amount traditional orange carrots can easily substitute for the rainbow carrots.
- Parsley - flat leaf parsley can work in place of the curly parsley. The flavor will be slightly different, but still tasty.
- Honey - the same amount of maple syrup or agave syrup can substitute for the honey. 1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar can also work, though the texture will be slightly different.
How to make roasted glazed rainbow carrots...
- Preheat the oven.
- Drizzle the oil on a rimmed cookie sheet. Add the carrots to the sheet and toss in the oil until covered. Season the carrots with salt and toss until covered.
- Roast the carrots, turning them a little over halfway through the roasting time.
- Drizzle the carrots with honey. Gently toss until covered. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot!
Recipe pro-tips:
- Cut the carrots uniformly. This will help the carrots to roast evenly.
- Don't crowd the roasting pan. There should be (give or take) an inch of space between the carrots on the roasting pan. Giving them space allows the moisture to evaporate from the carrots and get nice and caramelized as they roast. Crowding the veggies on the pan traps the juices and makes the vegetables soggy.
- Preheat the oven. At least 5-10 minutes, or until the oven has registered that it has reached 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Don't skimp on the salt. Salt brings out the sweetness in the carrots and honey. So, unless if you are avoiding salt under doctors orders, use the salt in the recipe as directed.
- Turn the carrots in the roasting while roasting. This will help the carrots caramelize and golden up evenly. The carrots only need to be turned once, about 15 minutes through the roasting time.
- Use a good quality pan. Wondering how to get that beautiful golden caramelization on your carrots? Use a good quality pan. About 4-5 years ago-- the pans last FOREVER -- I was gifted the goldtouch pans from Williams Sonoma (not an affiliate link) and they were a game changer. Suddenly it was super easy to get my veggies evenly cooked and beautifully caramelized. If you can swing it, they are worth the investment. Your cookies and baked goods will be better, too!
- Double this recipe by doubling the ingredients and following the recipe as directed, using two roasting pans to accommodate the bulk (see notes above about not crowding the pan).
Recipe Q & A's:
The main difference between rainbow carrots and regular carrots is their color. Rainbow carrots are different shades of purple, yellow, white, and orange. Regular carrots are mainly just the orange color.
Rainbow carrots will taste the best when peeled. Though there is nothing unhealthy or inedible about the peel and they can be consumed after just being thoroughly scrubbed, removing the peel will help the carrots have a more pure and fresh flavor.
Rainbow carrots taste mainly the same as regular orange carrots. Some colors of the rainbow carrots u002du002d in particular the white and yellow carrots u002du002d can be slightly sweeter than orange carrots but the overall flavor profile is mainly the same.
Megan Byrd, RD at The Oregon Dietitian, says: u0022Rainbow carrots aren't any healthier than regular orange carrots, but
they are a little different! All carrots all full of antioxidants, but
they're different depending on what color the carrot is. Purple carrots have high concentrations of anthocyanins which are great for heart health. Orange and yellow carrots on the other hand are higher in beta-carotene which is essential for eye health and a healthy immune system. Red carrots have even higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals, but all carrots are naturally healthy!u0022
Serving suggestions:
Serve these carrots almost anywhere you are looking for a simple side dish. They are a delicious companion to burgers, grilled chicken, sloppy joes, grilled cheese, and more.
These sweet roasted carrots are also fantastic with roast pork, ham, and lamb, too -- making them a delicious Easter side dish.
Storage directions:
Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They do not freeze well.
Dietary adaptations:
To make vegan glazed carrots, substitute the honey with maple syrup or agave syrup. The end result will taste slightly different but will still sweetly glazed.
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Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Measuring spoons
- Silicone spatula or heat-safe spatula
- Rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan
More easy vegetable recipes:
- Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash
- Braised Cabbage and Bacon
- Air Fryer Vegetables
- Blistered Green Beans
- Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Turmeric & Cumin Carrots
- Brussels sprouts Slaw
- Mashed Butternut Squash
- 5 Bean Salad
- Broccoli Raisin Salad
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