This Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots recipe is an easy healthy side dish! It's not a common vegetable pairing, but the flavors and textures work so well together. Everything is seasoned with a blend of spices & squeeze of lemon, and the veggies almost caramelize in the oven as they roast! 😊
As a dietitian, I'm always looking for ways to incorporate more vegetables into my meals, but I refuse to eat boring food! The thing is, veggies don't have to be boring, and this is one of my favorite go-to recipes for an easy (non-boring) veggie side dish.
Enjoy these roasted cauliflower and carrots as a side dish with your favorite protein, a whole grain, and tahini yogurt sauce. Or add them to a grain bowl or pasta dish. It's also a great recipe to bring for a Thanksgiving or holiday gathering!
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots Recipe is made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card for measurements.
- Carrots - carrots get sweeter when they're cooked and add tons of flavor plus important nutrients like vitamins A and C. No need to remove the skin unless you want to, but be sure to give them a rinse. Baby carrots lack the natural sweetness of whole “adult” carrots so I suggest getting large carrots and chopping them for this recipe.
- Cauliflower - you’ll use a whole head of fresh cauliflower. To make it even easier, you can use pre-cut cauliflower florets. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that is high in fiber to support gut health.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - an important ingredient to help the veggies caramelize and retain moisture as they roast. You can substitute for avocado oil or your favorite cooking oil.
- Spices - a blend of cumin, paprika, oregano and garlic powder. Spices like these are an easy way to add flavor and they contain antioxidants.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - a dash of salt and black pepper to tie the other flavors together.
- Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots and flavor of the cauliflower. It’s also high in Vitamin C, an important nutrient for your immune health.
- Optional - fresh parsley to top it off and add even more color to the dish.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe with some photos that I hope are helpful. Check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 425℉/220°C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil. To prep your vegetables, slice the carrots into circular pieces and cut cauliflower into florets.
Step 2 - Add the cauliflower and carrots in a single layer on the sheet pan and coat with oil.
Step 3 - In a small bowl, whisk together your spices until well combined.
Step 4 - Toss the vegetables in the spice mixture making sure each piece is coated.
Step 5 - Cook veggies in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the fresh squeezed lemon juice and parsley. Put veggies back in the oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven
Hint: Meal prep ahead of time by chopping your vegetables. Store them in an airtight container until you're ready to roast them!
Video of How to Make Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower
Here's a video of how to make this recipe!
Dietitian tip
Chopping veggies can feel like a hassle. To make it more enjoyable, designate a day of the week for chopping vegetables so you have them ready to snack on or to use in recipes like this when dinnertime rolls around. This makes it more likely you will use the vegetables you buy! Habit stack by turning on your favorite playlist or podcast or spend time catching up with a friend during your designated "chopping power hour".
Variations
One of the great things about roasted vegetables is you can customize them to your liking. Below are some suggestions for variations of Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower.
- 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 more flavor.
- Fancy - add feta cheese or goat cheese on top to take this carrot recipe to the next level.
- In a Bowl - make grain bowls or salads with roasted cauliflower and carrots. Toss in another root vegetable like sweet potatoes or butternut squash in the fall or tomatoes and roasted asparagus in the summertime. Add protein - chicken, steak, shrimp, tofu, or beans/lentils. And don't forget a grain - brown rice, quinoa, or a toasted slice of sourdough.
Storage for Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots
- Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, reheat on low heat in the oven or in the microwave.
Expert Tips
- Chop the vegetables into relatively evenly sized pieces to help them cook evenly.
- Arrange the veggies in a single layer on the baking sheet or baking dish. This allows the air in the oven to circulate around the veggies to cook them thoroughly.
- Mix the spices together before pouring over the veggies to get a more evenly distributed seasoning throughout the dish.
- Toss the veggies about halfway through cooking to make sure they cook evenly.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots is a nutrient-dense and healthy option. This dish contains vitamins A and K, and potassium. Cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie high in fiber and choline. Fiber supports gut health, keeps you full longer, and helps to balance blood sugar levels. The spices in this recipe contain anti-inflammatory antioxidants and lemon juice has vitamin C for your immune system. The olive oil used for cooking contains healthy fats to support brain health and hormone health. This recipe is also vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb and has no added sugars.
I find the easiest way to quickly cut cauliflower is to first cut off the stem. Then cut the head of cauliflower in half and cut each half to make quarters and cut out the core. From there, break apart the pieces with your hands or slice them into smaller pieces. I prefer small florets because they bake crispier, but you can break them into whatever size you prefer.
I love serving these in a grain bowl with balsamic chicken or smoked paprika salmon and tahini yogurt sauce or homemade hummus. Add other oven-roasted vegetables like potatoes, brussels sprouts, cabbage, or broccoli to make a roasted vegetable salad.
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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
Easy Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower (Oven Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet (or baking dish)
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (or 12 oz precut cauliflower florets)
- 4 large carrots, cut into rounds
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (more as needed)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- juice of ½ a lemon
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉/220°C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil. To prep your vegetables, slice the carrots into circular pieces and cut cauliflower into florets.
- Add the cauliflower and carrots in a single layer on the sheet pan and coat with oil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together your spices until well combined. Toss the vegetables in the spice mixture making sure each piece is coated.
- Cook veggies in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the fresh squeezed lemon juice and parsley.
- Put veggies back in the oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven.
- Hint: Meal prep ahead of time by chopping your vegetables and storing them in an airtight container until you're ready to roast them!
Video
Notes
- Chop the vegetables into relatively evenly sized pieces to help them cook evenly.
- Arrange the veggies in a single layer on the baking sheet or baking dish. This allows the air in the oven to circulate around the veggies to cook them thoroughly.
- Mix the spices together before pouring over the veggies to get a more evenly distributed seasoning throughout the dish.
- Toss the veggies about halfway through cooking to make sure they cook evenly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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I'm enjoying reading all the great information on your website, and I hope that you keep making such great work. Success should always be with you.
Mallory
Thank you so much!! That means the world to me.
Melanie
I have never thought of roasting the 2 veggies together but it turned out so tasty! I added mine to a bowl with some sesame dressing, chicken, and brown rice. NEver knew I could eat so healthy haha! Thanks for sharing.
Mallory
Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review! It truly means so much to me. 🙂 I'm so happy to hear that you loved this recipe! I love the idea of serving it in a grain bowl like you did. Please let me know if there are any recipes/recipe ideas you want me to share, I love getting ideas from my readers!