Easy sweet roasted carrots are perfectly caramelized in the oven. The carrots are then topped off with a tahini dressing and finished with pomegranate seeds and lemon zest.
I can't get enough of these oven-caramelized carrots. They're that good! The maple syrup adds the perfect touch of sweetness and the tahini dressing nicely finishes off the whole dish.
These sweet roasted carrots not only look so pretty and enticing to eat but they are also easy to throw together in a pinch.
If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner idea or a Thanksgiving side dish, these are a great addition to dinner. Not only do these carrots easily reheat, but they're also going to be a crowd-pleaser!
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
Learn a few tips and tricks to step up your game in the kitchen. By making this recipe you'll learn:
- Tips for roasting vegetables in the oven.
- Why you need to roast vegetables at a high temperature.
- An easy way to garnish the sweet roasted carrots to make them look extra fancy.
If you enjoy learning tips like these, be sure to sign up for my email series all about becoming a better home cook.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the ingredients you'll need for the sweet maple roasted carrots:
- Extra virgin olive oil: The oil helps the carrots become extra brown when roasted in the oven. It also adds a great addition of flavor.
- Pure maple syrup: Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored syrup. The maple syrup adds sweetness and also encourages the caramelization of the carrots.
- Whole carrots: You could substitute baby carrots if that's all you have, although I love the look of the full carrots.
- Morton kosher salt: All vegetables need a touch of salt to enhance their flavor.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground pepper provides the best taste. If you can buy a black pepper grinder, it's a game changer for your cooking.
- Whole milk Greek yogurt: While I prefer whole milk Greek yogurt, you can also use 2% or nonfat.
- Tahini: Tahini is made by grinding up sesame seeds into a smooth paste. This ingredient adds a great rich, nutty flavor to the dressing we drizzle over the carrots.
- Lemon juice: The lemon juice adds a nice acidic touch to the dressing.
- Pomegranate seeds/lemon zest: These elements add the perfect garnish to the dish. Plus, a delicious pop of flavor!
How To Make This Recipe
Here's a step-by-step photo guide to making sweet roasted carrots.
Prepare The Carrots
First, wash and peel the carrots. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice them in half lengthwise about ½ inch thick. It's important to cut the carrots to a similar size so they all cook evenly.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Then, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Next, mix the extra virgin olive oil with 1 ½ tablespoons of maple syrup in a mixing bowl. Throw the sliced carrots into the bowl and mix everything together until the carrots are well coated.
Roast the Carrots
Transfer the carrots to the sheet pan. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Make sure the carrots are in a single line. Don't stack them on top of each other or overcrowd the pan. Otherwise, the carrots will steam instead of roast.
Once the oven is preheated, allow the carrots to roast for 30 - 35 minutes. I'd suggest flipping the carrots halfway through the cooking process so they are evenly roasted.
The carrots are done cooking when they are fork-tender and caramelized with brown bits.
Make the Tahini Sauce
While your carrots are in the oven, work on the tahini sauce. Whisk together the remaining ½ tablespoon of maple syrup, Greek yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Since the sauce is so thick, slowly add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, add less water. If you prefer a thinner sauce to drizzle, add more water.
Garnish and Serve
Once the sweet roasted carrots are done cooking, remove them from the oven and place them on a serving platter. Drizzle with your tahini sauce, along with pomegranate seeds and lemon zest.
If you have leftover tahini sauce, you can serve it in a small bowl alongside the carrots for anyone who would like additional sauce.
Expert Tips
- To make carrots extra caramelized, be sure the carrots aren't packed too closely on the baking sheet. If they're too close together, the carrots will steam instead of roasting and caramelizing.
- Enjoy your carrots extra sweet? Add a touch more maple syrup to your liking.
- Any leftover tahini sauce you may have will taste great drizzled over other types of roasted vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, or roasted peppers and onions.
Recipe FAQs
The high temperatures encourage browning, caramelization, and a deep flavor in the carrots. I've found that 425°F (220°C) works the best!
The maple syrup can often add some dark caramelization to the carrots. Don't worry if you have some blackened carrots - it just adds flavor! However, you can also pull the carrots out of the oven a bit earlier if you'd prefer no blackened spots.
If your carrots are too tough, they need to cook longer. Allow them to continue cooking until they are fork tender. You can actually use a fork to double check if they're cooked through.
You can reheat them in the microwave if you're in a pinch. You can also reheat them in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed all the way through.
More Vegetable Side Dishes
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Sweet Maple Pan Roasted Carrots
Equipment
- serving platter
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup divided
- 2 pounds whole carrots scrubbed and sliced in half lengthwise ½ inch thick and wide
- ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons whole milk Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup tahini
- ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons water
- pomegranate seeds for garnish
- lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Mix olive oil and 1 ½ tablespoon of the maple syrup in a large bowl. Add in carrots and toss to combine. Arrange carrots on the lined baking pan, then season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Roast carrots for 30-35 minutes, flipping carrots over halfway through the cooking process, until carrots have caramelized and are fork tender.
- While the carrots are cooking, whisk together the remaining ½ tablespoon of maple syrup, Greek yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the sauce has thinned out to your desired consistency.
- Plate carrots on a serving platter. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with pomegranate seeds and lemon zest. Reserve extra sauce in a small bowl and serve alongside the carrots.
Pete
Tried these carrots and they were, by far, the BEST carrots I've ever had. Looking forward to enjoying them again soon. My compliments to Homebody Eats. ❤️👍👏