Honey roasted carrots, sliced carrots roasted until tender and then tossed with a sweet and sticky honey butter sauce, are a simple and crowd-pleasing side dish that you can have ready for the oven in just minutes.
Honey roasted carrots are a fantastic way to dress up classic roasted carrots. Roasting carrots already brings out their natural sweetness, and tossing them with a sticky-sweet honey butter sauce makes them completely irresistible.
You can prep them in just a few minutes, and unlike honey carrots cooked on the stovetop, these carrots are pretty much hands-off once they go into the oven.
Give the pan a shake halfway through, but other than that, they roast up tender and beautiful with next to no babysitting.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Olive oil: For convenience sake, I like to use olive oil when roasting the carrots, but you can replace the olive oil with the same amount of melted butter.
- Salted butter: For the honey butter sauce, substitute unsalted butter if that’s what you keep on hand, just up the salt in the recipe by a pinch.
- Balsamic vinegar: A bit of balsamic vinegar mixed with the honey and butter adds a little tang and sophistication to the buttery sweet coating. But if you don’t have any, you can skip it.
Chef’s tip: Give your measuring spoon a quick spritz with cooking spray before measuring out your honey and it will slide right out, making measuring quick and easy.
How to Make Honey Roasted Carrots
1. Prep the carrots: Peel and trim the tops from your carrots and slice them into 2-inch chunks. For larger carrots, slice the thick upper part in half lengthwise before cutting into chunks so everything roasts evenly. Transfer the carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil and salt until well-coated. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer.
2. Roast: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the tray vigorously to toss the carrots once halfway through, until the carrots are beginning to caramelize around the edges and are fork-tender.
3. Make the honey butter sauce: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine honey and butter. Microwave until honey begins to bubble, 20 to 30 seconds. The mixture will be hot, so very carefully remove it from the microwave. Add optional balsamic vinegar if desired, and stir until everything is well-combined.
4. Mix with sauce: Pour honey mixture over the hot carrots and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
- Less-sticky roasted carrots: As written, this recipe makes roasted carrots that are then coated with a sticky, syrupy glaze. If you prefer your honey roasted carrots with a more baked-in honey flavor, omit the olive oil, and melt together 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of honey. Add the optional balsamic vinegar and toss the raw carrots in the mixture and then bake according to recipe instructions.
- Quick honey carrots: If you like this glaze and you’re short on time, you can also steam carrots in the microwave and toss them with the honey butter glaze.
FAQ
Can I make these with baby carrots instead of cut carrots?
Absolutely. Baby carrots work great with this recipe.
Can I cook these at the same time as my main dish?
Yes. Just like when making regular roasted carrots, as long as your dish is cooking at 450°F or lower, you can cook your carrots at the same time as your main dish, however the carrots may not get as browned and may need a slightly longer roasting time than when cooked alone.
Roast the carrots on a rack below the main dish and extend the baking time as needed for the carrots to become tender.
More Easy Side Dishes
Honey Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon (14g) salted butter
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel and trim the tops from your carrots and slice them into 2-inch chunks. For larger carrots, slice the thick upper part in half lengthwise before cutting into chunks.
- Transfer the carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil and salt until well-coated. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the carrots once halfway through, until the carrots are beginning to caramelize around the edges and are fork-tender.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine honey and butter. Microwave until honey begins to bubble, 20 to 30 seconds. Carefully remove from the microwave. Add optional balsamic vinegar if desired, and stir until everything is well-combined.
- Pour honey mixture over the hot carrots and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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