Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Roasted Rainbow Carrots made with baby carrots tossed with olive oil, dijon, herbs, and spices then roasted until golden brown and caramelized, perfect for the holidays!
These roasted rainbow carrots are the perfect holiday side dish, made with wholesome and budget-friendly ingredients, and ready in less than an hour. I like to use baby rainbow carrots, but full sized ones will work, too.
If you loved this recipe, you’ll also love my Oven Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Spaghetti Squash, and Roasted Butternut Squash!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple Ingredients – This is the perfect side dish because it uses simple wholesome ingredients, and looks like it came from a restaurant!
Naturally Gluten Free – These roasted carrots are naturally gluten free, and you know where every ingredient came from!
Budget Friendly – This is a budget friendly side dish using common pantry ingredients, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner, meal prep, or even Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Carrots. I’m using baby rainbow carrots, but regular sized carrots would work, too.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We’re going to mix the spices and olive oil together to help the seasoning stick to the carrots. The oil also helps the carrots caramelize when roasting.
You can also use canola oil or avocado oil.
Brown Sugar. This adds a nice sweetness and caramelization to the carrots. You can also use granulated sugar, but you’ll lose the molasses notes that you get from brown sugar.
Dijon Mustard. A little bit of dijon helps balance the sweet notes from the sugar and carrots.
Herbs & Spices. All you need is a little bit of garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. I also like to use some fresh thyme, which adds a really nice savory flavor.
You can also try adding some dried rosemary with the thyme.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a sheet pan with parchment paper and a large mixing bowl.
How to Make Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dijon, thyme leaves, and spices.
Add the carrots and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the carrots and toss to combine, making sure everything is evenly coated.
Pour the carrots onto the baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer to leave some space between the carrots.
Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.
Recipe Variations
- Make this spicy by adding a dash of hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes.
- Try adding some maple syrup for a maple dijon sauce, or honey to the seasoning mixture for a honey glaze.
- For a sweet and tangy flavor, add a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the oil mixture to make a balsamic glaze.
- Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice or some lemon zest right before serving for a bright fresh flavor. Or orange zest for the holidays.
- Try adding other veggies like parsnips, sweet potatoes, onion, or butternut squash.
- If you’d like even more flavor, cut the top off of a garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, and add to the roasting pan to caramelize for roasted garlic.
Recipe Tip! For roasting vegetables, you want the temperature at 400°F-425°F to achieve the best caramelization. Check them about halfway through and use a spatula to flip everything over if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
This depends entirely on how thick your carrots are, and what temperature you set your oven for. A good roasting temperature of 400°F will take anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 minutes, with the thicker carrots taking longer. If you don’t have a lot of time, cut the carrots into smaller pieces and check them about halfway through to see if they’re close to fork-tender.
Recipe Tip! Give the carrots a little space on the baking sheet. If they’re layered on top of each other, they’ll steam instead of roast.
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes
- Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
- Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
- Parmesan Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
Storage
Refrigerate leftover rainbow carrots for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Freeze leftover carrots for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container. The texture of the carrots can change after being frozen, so I recommend just making them fresh instead.
Cooking Tips
- I like to line my baking pan with parchment paper to keep the carrots from sticking. You can also grease the baking pan instead.
- If you washed the carrots beforehand, use a paper towel to dry them well before adding the seasoning, or the oil won’t stick.
- Technically you don’t need to peel the carrots, just wash them thoroughly.
Tried this recipe? ⭐ Leave a review and share what worked best for you—your tips help other home cooks get the same delicious results!
Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby rainbow carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 Sheet pan with parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dijon, thyme leaves, and spices.
- Add the carrots and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the carrots and toss to combine, making sure everything is evenly coated.
- Pour the carrots onto the baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer to leave some space between the carrots. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.
Notes
- I like to line my baking pan with parchment paper to keep the carrots from sticking. You can also grease the baking pan instead.
- If you washed the carrots beforehand, use a paper towel to dry them well before adding the seasoning, or the oil won’t stick.
- Technically you don’t need to peel the carrots, just wash them thoroughly.
- Give the carrots a little space on the baking sheet. If they’re layered on top of each other, they’ll steam instead of roast.
- For roasting vegetables, you want to roast at 400°F-425°F to achieve the best caramelization. Check them about halfway through and use a spatula to flip everything over if needed.
Nutrition
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