Whole roasted carrots with olive oil; this is a simple a delicious method of roasting carrots. Try using rainbow carrots for a stunning-looking dish.
This roasted whole carrots recipe is one of my go-to recipes whenever I need an impressive-looking yet simple-to-make carrot side dish!!!
This or boiling frozen peas and carrots in water. And I like these roasted rainbow carrots much better: they are sweet and slightly crunchy, and it makes the most out of that delicious roasted carrot flavor.
I used to be a “salad as a side dish” person for a very long time and made cooked vegetables side dishes mostly when cooking German dishes that always come with one or two vegetable sides, things like the above-mentioned peas and carrots, the German Stewed Red Cabbage with Red Wine, Brussels sprouts in white sauce or cooked green beans.
This is the typical way of German eating; I would say: a meat/fish dish accompanied by boiled potatoes and cooked vegetables. This sounds very basic, there are, of course, countless variations on this theme, but if I was to put it in one sentence, that would be it.
Different from the Romanian way of cooking and eating I grew up with. Dishes that were mostly a one-pot stewy affair accompanied mostly by freshly chopped vegetables when in season or by pickled vegetables in winter.
As my husband's taste buds are unfamiliar (and refuse to become familiar) with pickled vegetables unless they are sweet-and-sour gherkins (sweet being the only reason he likes them), I went for salads, and you will find a salad on our table almost every day.
How to make whole roasted carrots?
However, lately, I got into cooking veggies as a side dish more often. And roasted vegetables are so much better than just boiled ones, aren't they? Just a bit of olive oil and some spices, and you're done.
This is a very basic recipe for roasting not only carrots but countless other vegetables; try Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower florets; even green beans can be perfectly roasted in the oven in this very simple manner. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to adjust the roasting time accordingly.
Carrots:
- Use similar-sized carrots, and if there are some larger ones in the bunch, halve them lengthways. I like using rather thin carrots for this purpose, but if all I have are thick ones, then I just halve or quarter them lengthways.
- I used these beautiful rainbow carrots because I happened to find them at the supermarket, which is a kind of miracle around here. However, regular carrots will do just as well.
- Take 3 or 4 carrots per person, depending on their size. Ensure the roasting pan is large enough to hold the carrots in a single layer.
Spices:
- And when it comes to spices, there is really no limit. Choose coriander, cumin or za'atar for a Middle Eastern version, sweet and hot paprika for a more Eastern European one, oregano or other herbs and some lemon zest for a Mediterranean touch, turmeric, garam masala or any curry powder you like for an Indian flavor.
- Whatever combination you choose, I can assure you the vegetables will be delicious!
Olive oil:
- Use a little olive oil, but do not overdo it, the carrots should all be glistening with oil after you have rubbed them, but they should not sit in little pools of oil.
Roasting the whole carrots:
- Peel the carrots or scrub them very well if they are organic and the peel looks fine. Dry them very well with kitchen paper.
- Place the carrots in a roasting pan large enough to hold them all in a single layer.
- Rub them well to coat them with olive oil and other spices if using. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
- Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and roast the carrots for 10 minutes.
- Remove the foil, shake the pan, and continue roasting the whole carrots for 10 more minutes.
- Shake again and cook for a further 6-7 minutes until the carrots are done to your liking; they should be softer but still retain a crunch.
- After the initial 10 minutes of roasting time, check the carrots often to see when they are done to your liking.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately with Roast Beef, Roasted Whole Chicken, Slow-Cooked Turkey Legs, Lamb Shoulder, and so on.
More easy sides
Simple Roasted Whole Carrots
Ingredients
- 12 – 16 thin carrots See note
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- a small bunch of parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel the carrots or scrub them very well if they are organic and the peel looks fine. Make sure to dry them well with kitchen paper.
- Place the carrots in a roasting tin that is large enough to hold all the carrots in one single layer.
- Pour the olive oil on top and rub the carrots well until they are all coated in oil and spices if using (see blog post for suggestions). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil. Roast the carrots for 10 minutes.
- Remove the foil, shake the pan and continue roasting the carrots for 10 minutes more. Turn the carrots in the pan or shake the pan again and continue roasting the carrots until done to your liking, about 6-7 extra minutes in my case.
- The cooking time will greatly depend on the size of the carrots, your oven, and your personal taste. I like crunchier roasted carrots and I find that rather thin whole carrots are done to my liking after this period of cooking time without foil, but you can cook them for a longer time if you prefer them to be softer.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot as suggested above.
Anca says
Aww, the carrots look amazing. I love heritage carrots, with different colours, really festive and delicious.