Simple Balsamic Roasted Carrots
I called this recipe Simple Balsamic Roasted Carrots for a reason, because you basically don’t even need a recipe they’re THAT easy. There is just something a little extra special that happens to plain old vegetables when you roast them. In my opinion, it just brings out the best flavors, and I love the little crispy caramelized bits that appear.
In my local store, they have these bundles of beautiful rainbow carrots. They’re definitely not a necessity for this recipe, but they are just really pretty, especially if you’re making these for a holiday or dinner party. I used a couple bundles of these rainbow carrots, along with some regular orange carrots. All they need is a washing, peeling, and trimming of the tops. Toss is some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast!
When there’s about 5 minutes left in roasting, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and even better…try an infused flavored balsamic vinegar. I have a couple great varieties that I am loving. I used a ginger pear infused white balsamic with these for a little added boost of flavor. Really delicious! The reason for waiting on adding the balsamic is because it does tend to burn easily if you roast with it up front.
This recipe is great for entertaining because it is easy to size up or down. I made these for just the two of us for a meal, and some leftovers. You could do two large sheet pans if you’re feeding a crowd. A simple tip would be to make sure your carrots are all similar in size, so that they finish roasting at the same time. You don’t want some too crunchy or some too mushy! Depending on what you are serving these with, I would say 3-5 small-medium carrots per person. For example, if you have five other sides for the holidays then 3 per person. If you are simply serving as your only vegetable side with a protein I would say closer to the 5.
I’m all about sides, check out some of my other favorites!
20 Holiday Sides and Treats recipes from MN Food Bloggers
Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Bacon
Sour Cream and Chive Smashed Potatoes
Simple Balsamic Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 16 medium whole carrots washed, peeled, stems trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- salt and pepper
- drizzle balsamic vinegar or flavor infused balsamic vinegar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet pan with parchment or foil.
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Arrange the washed and peeled carrots on the baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss using a wooden spoon or your hands to coat all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, turning the carrots halfway through to brown on all sides. Note-if your carrots are large they will take longer.
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Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the balsamic is reduced and caramelized.
Recipe Notes
I used a combination of colored carrots I found at my local grocery store, along with a bundle of regular orange carrots. I just like the festive fall color variety it provides.
I also used a honey and ginger infused balsamic vinegar for added flavor. You can find a lot of infused balsamic vinegars in the grocery store these days, and even more in some specialty stores.
