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Perfectly Simple Roasted Carrots with Honey & Thyme

September 3, 2020 by zenbelly 6 Comments

Cooked carrots are something I make maybe once a year, and that’s just because they’re traditional for Rosh Hashanah. They’re just not a go-to veggie side dish for me. But when I made these Roasted Carrots with Honey and Thyme this week? I wondered why I don’t make them more often!

roasted carrots

Roasted Carrots with Honey & Thyme are the perfect side dish.

When I think about any type of cooked carrots, I imagine them being sweeter than I want a veggie side dish to be. But these were not. I found them to be quite balanced and simple in flavor, in a really good way.

They’re simple to make, too. You just mix 5 ingredients – honey, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper – in a large bowl and then toss the carrots in the mixture. Then, throw them on a sheet pan and roast. They’re mostly hand-off at this point, except for a couple stirs to ensure they cook evenly.

(I used parchment paper, but it didn’t do anything to make the pan clean up any easier, so am not recommending it for this recipe)

Despite the addition of honey, these are not too sweet. The earthiness of the thyme balances it all out, and when carrots slow roast, the flavor intensifies, and the charred bits add a nice depth and flavor contrast.

Normally my instinct with roasting veggies is to go high with the temp. I almost did that with these carrots but held back; I knew the honey would accelerate the browning process, and I wanted the carrots to be evenly cooked throughout to bring out all their flavor.

I’m glad I did- I loved how these came out, and I’m calling it: 400°F is the perfect temperature to roast carrots at. You could easily take the template of this recipe and incorporate any flavors you’d like, too. In The Zenbelly Cookbook, I have a carrot dish with cumin and orange, which is one of my favorite flavor combos.

Other ideas: cilantro and lime, lemon and parsley, yogurt and dill, chile pepper and orange… The possibilities are virtually endless. And if you like to play up the sweetness of the carrots, you could go with warm spices and a little brown sugar and walnuts.

I created these roasted carrots with Rosh Hashanah in mind, when we eat sweet foods for a sweet year to come. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a New Year right about now. 2020 / 5780 can fuck all the way off. Bring on 5781!

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Roasted Carrots with Honey & Thyme

roasted carrots
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  • Author: zenbelly

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled or scrubbed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling, optional
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut the carrots into somewhat even chunks, about 1 1/2 inches thick
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey, thyme, salt, and a few turns of black pepper.
  4. Toss the carrots to coat with the honey mixture and spread onto a rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Roast for about an hour, stirring / flipping 2-3 times. Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your carrots, so keep an eye on them.
  6. Drizzle with additional honey and sprinkle with a little fresh thyme, if desired.

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Filed Under: Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, Vegetables Tagged With: roasted carrots, roasted carrots with honey and thyme

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Comments

  1. Kim says

    September 20, 2020 at 11:32 am

    They look delicious! I’m going try them.

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      September 20, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks, Kim. I hope you love them.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 24, 2022 at 6:32 pm

        Hi. How many servings does this recipe yield?
        Thanks!
        לשנה טובה ומתוקה!
        Wishing you a sweet and happy new year!

      • zenbelly says

        September 26, 2022 at 8:37 am

        It should yield 6-8 servings. Sorry, I forgot to add that info! Shana Tova!

  2. Gayle says

    August 28, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    Delicious! I didn’t realize my two dinner guests didn’t like cooked carrots but (thankfully) loved these!

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      August 30, 2021 at 9:21 am

      I’m so glad to hear it! Funny, I’m not much of a fan of cooked carrots either.

      Reply

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