Roasted Carrots
Roasted carrots require high heat to caramelize their natural sugars while keeping the centers tender. You achieve this by arranging them in a single layer on a preheated baking sheet, ensuring they have room to breathe rather than steam in their own moisture.
Size dictates the timing.
Uniformity matters more than appearance here. Cut your carrots so they are roughly equal in thickness so they finish cooking at the same moment.
- heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet
- chef's knife
- peeler
What goes in.
- 2 lbcarrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch batons
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbspfresh thyme leaves
Preheat the pan
Place your empty baking sheet in the oven while it preheats to 425°F. When the carrots hit the hot metal, they start searing immediately, creating a deep, browned crust instead of turning soft.
The method.
Heat the oven
Set your oven to 425°F and slide the empty baking sheet onto the middle rack while it heats up.
Prep the carrots
Toss the carrot batons in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until each piece is coated with a thin, glistening layer.
Sear the carrots
Carefully remove the hot sheet from the oven. Spread the carrots across it in a single layer. You should hear a distinct sizzle when they touch the surface.
Roast
Return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a spatula to turn them halfway through so the browning is consistent on all sides.
Finish
The carrots are ready when they are shrunken, deep orange with dark brown edges, and offer no resistance when pierced with a paring knife. Sprinkle with thyme before serving.
Other turns to take.
Spiced
Toss the carrots with 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin or coriander before roasting to add an earthy depth.
Glazed
Drizzle a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup over the carrots during the final 5 minutes of roasting.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Leave an inch of the green tops on if using heirloom carrots; they look sharp and are edible.
If the carrots are thick, halve them lengthwise before cutting into batons.
Avoid overcrowding the sheet. If they are piled on top of each other, they will steam and lose their texture.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I peel my carrots?
For younger, thinner carrots, a firm scrub is enough. Older, thicker carrots have tougher skins that are better removed with a peeler.
Can I use parchment paper?
It is not recommended. You want the direct contact between the carrot and the hot metal to get the best sear.
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