Easy Roasted Carrots Recipe = Side Dish Perfection! • The Simple Parent (2024)

FAQs

Should you boil carrots before roasting? ›

There is, however, a trick to getting roasted carrots right. Undercook them, and the texture is tough and dense. Overcook them, and they're dry and wrinkled. The secret is to soften the carrots slightly by boiling them briefly before roasting.

Cooking instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the carrots and parsnips and toss to coat in the oil. Add the thyme, cinnamon, star anise and some seasoning. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning the vegetables frequently, until golden brown and almost cooked through.

Steam cooked carrots retained practically all of their nutrients whereas boiling or baking degrades some of them. Like carrots and other vegetables, contains some water-soluble nutrients that dissolve into water when boiled.

Because a carrot's skin isn't as thick as other root vegetables (like potatoes) or winter squashes, carrots are perfectly safe and delicious to eat without peeling so long as they are properly cleaned. When it comes down to it, peeling carrots or keeping the skin on is a matter of personal preference.

Using a sharp knife, simply crosscut each carrot into rounds of whatever thickness is desired. This is a good option for salads and simple carrots side dishes (for side dishes, it's best to cut the rounds thicker so the carrots don't snap in half easily once cooked).

If your carrots are hard, it's probably because you haven't roasted them long enough or at a high enough temperature. I roast mine at 400°F for 35 to 38 minutes until tender. It's also really important to cut them into the same size so they cook evenly.

The solution: Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F to 425°F. The high heat will quickly coax out all those naturally sweet flavors while keeping the vegetable tender-crisp.

Roasting at the wrong temperature

The sweet spot is between 400°F and 425°F. Go any higher, and the outside of your veggies will start to burn before the inside has a chance to cook through.

For the same reason, one shouldn't mix orange with carrot as when taken together, they may cause heartburn and excess bile reflux. Only a few fruits are starchy in nature. These include green bananas and plantains.

Or, to bring out their fresh, woody flavor, add some anise. If you're roasting your carrots, toss them in olive oil first. This will help keep the moisture in them. To bring out the sweetness in your carrots, season them with orange or lemon juice or a little brown sugar and butter.

Are roasted carrots better than raw? ›

Cooking carrots allows beta carotene, an antioxidant compound that gets converted to vitamin A in the intestine, to absorb more easily in the body, explains Beckerman. 2 This helps your body soak up even more health benefits, like boosting your immunity and promoting eye health.

For example, carrots are said to pair exceptionally well with butter, ginger, lemon, maple syrup, orange, parsley, and sugar. Other ingredients that are said to pair well with carrots include cinnamon, coriander, dill, lime, spearmint, olive oil, parsnips, salt, tarragon, thyme, etc.

That's likely because carrot skins can turn bitter and dry when they're cooked. For some, the flavor difference is barely noticeable, but for others, the earthiness is a complete turn-off. Carrots' glossy exteriors may also turn dusty and dry in the heat of an oven.

Too much oil and your veggies will turn out soggy and dense. But skimp on that oil and those vegetables will be too dry. Luckily, it's easy to find Goldilocks' just right amount. The solution: Before hitting the sheet pan, place the vegetables in a large bowl and add a tablespoon of oil.

Brunoise: Tiny cubes cut from julienne sticks that are 1/8 x 1/8 x 1/8 inches. Small dice: Small cubes cut from batonnet sticks that are 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 inches. Medium dice: Medium cubes cut from baton sticks that are 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 inches. Large dice: Large cubes that are roughly 3/4 x 3/4 x 3/4 inches.

First cut the carrot into a julienne, then gather the sticks and cut down into ⅛-inch squares. This method of finely chopping carrots helps flavors to infuse evenly throughout your dish, especially when sautéeing.