Quick Garlic Roasted Carrots
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Garlic roasted carrots are very easy to make, and they cook quickly on high heat in your oven. It’s a great side dish recipe for when you want to eat well but are short on time. Bonus: the high cooking temperature caramelizes the carrots, making them taste amazing!
This is a recipe I make at least once a week. We always have a bag of carrots in the fridge, so when it’s six o’clock, everyone’s hungry, and life feels a little chaotic, I reach for them and make garlic-roasted carrots. They’re simple, reliable, and somehow always the first thing to disappear from the table.
In about five minutes, the carrots are in the oven, and fifteen minutes later, they’re ready to eat. As they roast, those dark, blistered spots make the carrots extra sweet, while a simple mix of garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning keeps the flavor easy and versatile. I finish them with a small knob of butter tossed into the hot pan, so it melts and lightly coats everything. It’s not fancy—but there are never leftovers.
Tips for making the best roast carrots
This is an easy roasted carrots recipe, but there are a few tricks you should know so that they turn out the best.
- Garlic paste – either use a Microplane to grate the garlic or mince it into a paste. Larger chunks of garlic will burn at the high temperature required to cook these carrots quickly. Garlic paste can withstand the heat!
- High heat – 500 degrees isn’t a typo. The carrots can handle the high heat for 15 minutes without easily burning. If you’re opting to cook them for longer than 15 minutes, keep a close eye on them.
- Use lots of oil – this recipe calls for a tablespoon of oil and I don’t recommend reducing that amount. Coating the carrots well in oil helps them to cook.
- Give them room on the pan – Piling any vegetable on a pan will cause it to steam when it goes into the oven. If you want steamed veggies, use a pot. If you want roasted veggies, give them lots of space on the pan. Use two pans, if needed!
What to serve with garlic roasted carrots
Garlic roasted carrots are an easy side dish that goes well with so many mains. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts
- Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs
- Crockpot Roast Chicken
- Juicy Baked Pork Chops
- Asian Honey Glazed Salmon
If you feel like a bigger meal, add some Greek Lemon Potatoes or Smoky Roast Potatoes. Both are delicious!
Quick Garlic Roasted Carrots Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb carrots (about 12 medium carrots, cut ¾ inch thick on the diagonal)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic (grated with a Microplane or minced to a paste)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon butter (vegan or ghee, as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 500 degrees – see notes.
- Add the carrots to a baking sheet that is at least 13" x 18" large. If you only have smaller baking sheets, use 2 instead. Toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt, Italian seasoning and garlic and spread them out evenly on the sheet pan.2 lb carrots, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and Italian seasoning, 2 cloves garlic
- Roast the carrots for 15 minutes, mixing the carrots around the pan halfway through cooking. If you'd like more dark caramelized spots on the carrots you can leave them in the oven for up to 5 more minutes.
- Remove the carrots from the oven and, if using, add the butter. Let it melt for 1 minute then mix it into the carrots.Optional: 1 teaspoon butter
Notes
Nutrition
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Can I double the recipe
Absolutely you can! Just make sure the carrots have enough space on the pan to roast instead of steam. You can use two baking sheets if needed.
This recipe has become my go to carrot recipe. I love how quick and easy it is!
So happy to know that you love the recipe as much as we do!
I only have the minced garlic that is in the refrigerator section — can I use that?
I would worry that it might burn before the carrots are done. I think that adding it to the pan for the last few minutes of cooking is probably a better idea!
Thank you, I’ll try the frig kind first, never had much luck with fresh garlic and mincing. LOL These sound delicious.
Would baby carrots be too small for this heat/time?
While I haven’t tried it, I think they would actually work quite well. I wouldn’t cut them though. Just take them out of the bag and pop them onto the tray. 🙂