These Honey Thyme Roasted Carrots are the perfect side dish to bring for a holiday dinner party. Or enjoy them with your favorite protein on a busy weeknight! Carrots are coated in a combination of honey, olive oil, thyme, and seasonings and roasted at high heat in the oven until almost caramelized.
As a dietitian, I can never have enough vegetable side dishes, and I love that this recipe brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots with a light honey glaze. It's a budget-friendly carrot recipe and it's really easy to throw together. So you can spend your cooking time on the main course and not worry about the side dish! I hope it becomes your new favorite way to make carrots. 😊
This recipe was inspired by my sheet pan Cauliflower and Carrots, another simple side dish. It goes well with my Yogurt Tahini Dressing! Try my Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds for another easy side dish. If you're looking for Thanksgiving sides, try my Brown Sugar & Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole!
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
These Honey Thyme Carrots are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the printable recipe card for measurements.
- Carrots - I suggest using whole carrots and slicing them rather than using baby carrots. Baby carrots lack the natural sweetness of larger carrots. If you want a colorful dish, feel free to use rainbow carrots!
- Fresh Thyme - a few sprigs of fresh thyme leaves adds an earthy, slightly sweet flavor. You can substitute it with other fresh herbs if you prefer.
- Honey - a drizzle of honey gives the carrots a caramelized glaze.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - extra-virgin olive oil helps to prevent the carrots from drying out and contributes to caramelization. It also adds heart-healthy fats that support for brain health and hormone health. You can substitute with avocado oil if you prefer a more mild flavor.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - a dash of salt and black pepper to tie the other flavors together.
- Lemon - fresh squeezed lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the natural sugars in the carrots. It’s also high in vitamin C, an important nutrient for immune health.
- Fresh Parsley (optional) - add fresh parsley at the end for more color!
How to Make Honey Thyme Roasted Carrots
Below are the instructions for how to make these tender carrots with some visuals that I hope are helpful!
- Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil. To prep the carrots, give them a rinse. No need to remove the skin unless you want to. Slice carrots into 2-3 inch pieces. Slice any larger pieces in half or quarters vertically. The goal is that all the carrots are around the same size.
- Step 2 - In a large bowl, coat the carrots with oil, honey, thyme, and salt and pepper. Toss carrots to make sure they are coated evenly.
- Step 3 - Add the carrots in a single layer on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook carrots in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through. Cooking time will depend on the size of your carrots and your oven. Keep an eye on them around 25 minutes and every 5 minutes after! They are done when they're fork tender and starting to brown.
- Step 4 - Remove from the oven and add the fresh squeezed lemon juice and parsley (if using). Give them a taste and add more salt if needed. Drizzle a bit more honey on top before serving.
Hint: If using baby carrots, they will cook faster and should be done in 20-25 minutes. If using large carrots, they will take 30-40 minutes depending on how large you slice them.
Dietitian Tip
If you have leftover roasted carrots and don't want to eat them again, use them to make a healthy dressing! Just add them to a blender with olive oil or water and ground ginger and use the dressing on top of your favorite greens or over rotisserie chicken!
Video of How to Make Honey Thyme Carrots
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the great things about roasted vegetables is you can customize them to your liking. Below are some suggestions for variations, but feel free to get creative and put your own spin on it.
- Vegan - if you are vegan or serving someone who is, you can replace the honey with maple syrup.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper if you want a bit of a kick.
- Cheesy - add grated parmesan cheese on top to add flavor and some calcium.
- Fancy - add feta cheese or goat cheese and pomegranates on top to take this great side dish to the next level.
Storage for Honey Thyme Carrots
Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, reheat on low to medium heat in the oven or in the microwave.
Expert Tips
- Chop the carrots into relatively evenly sized pieces to help them cook evenly.
- Arrange the carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet. This allows the air in the oven to circulate around them to cook them thoroughly.
- Toss the carrots about halfway through cooking to make sure they cook evenly.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these are a nutrient-rich option. Carrots provide several important nutrients including an antioxidant, beta-carotene, that your body converts into vitamin A. They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber to help support gut health. Olive oil contains heart-healthy fats called oleic acids that have been shown to support brain health. And honey is an antimicrobial that also contains antioxidants.
While you can absolutely use baby carrots from a bag, I strongly recommend using larger adult carrots for this recipe. You do have to slice them, but in my opinion they taste better when cooked than baby carrots from a bag.
The carrots are done cooking when they are slightly brown and fork tender!
Yes, this is a gluten-free and dairy-free recipe.
No, this is not a vegan recipe because honey is not vegan. You can replace the honey with maple syrup to make it vegan.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Honey Thyme Roasted Carrots:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Delicious Honey Thyme Roasted Carrots (Simple Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs carrots I suggest using whole carrots and slicing them instead of using baby carrots
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon honey + more for drizzling on top (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 squeeze lemon juice ½ a large lemon or 1 small lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil. To prep the carrots, give them a rinse. No need to remove the skin unless you want to. Slice carrots into 2-3 inch pieces. Slice any larger pieces in half or quarters vertically. The goal is that all the carrots are around the same size.
- In a large bowl, coat the carrots with oil, honey, thyme, and salt and pepper. Toss carrots to make sure they are coated evenly.
- Add the carrots in a single layer on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook carrots in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through. Cooking time will depend on the size of your carrots and your oven. Keep an eye on them around 25 minutes and every 5 minutes after! They are done when they're fork tender and starting to brown.
- Remove from the oven and add the fresh squeezed lemon juice and parsley (if using). Give them a taste and add more salt if needed. Drizzle a bit more honey on top before serving.
- Hint: I recommend using large carrots for this recipe but if you use baby carrots, they will cook faster and should be done in 20-25 minutes. If using large carrots, they will take 30-40 minutes depending on how large you slice them.
Video
Notes
- Chop the carrots into relatively evenly sized pieces to help them cook evenly.
- Arrange the carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet. This allows the air in the oven to circulate around them to cook them thoroughly.
- Toss the carrots about halfway through cooking to make sure they cook evenly.
- Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, reheat on low to medium heat in the oven or in the microwave.
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