Roasted Carrots

I love carrots. I enjoy them in their raw state, dipped in a homemade ranch dip or in a tasty Greek yogurt dip. But I especially enjoy them cooked. Cooking takes away their crunch but enhances their delicate sweetness.

These roasted carrots are especially good. The combination of the natural sweetness of the carrots and the deep flavor of the olive oil is wonderful.

It's surprising really, how high-heat roasting turns almost any vegetable into a crispy, caramelized delicacy. It's true for carrots, as this recipe proves. And it's also true for roasted Brussels sprouts and for roasted cauliflower.

In fact, baking in the oven is the only reliable way to make my Picky Eater eat her vegetables. (Or covering them in cheese sauce!)

You'll only need five simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Carrots: The carrots marketed as "baby carrots" will not work as well. I like to use petite carrots - those small carrots that are sold with their green tops still attached:

But if you can't find those, it's fine to use regular carrots, as long as you cut them in half, then cut the thicker halves lengthwise. Ideally, you want a fairly even thickness.

Olive oil: I love cooking with this flavorful oil. Melted butter is another good option.

Honey: As mentioned above, this ingredient is optional, but it helps the carrots caramelize and it also adds wonderful flavor.

To season: I simply use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Variations

• Use melted butter instead of olive oil. I like both versions - try and decide for yourself!
• Use real maple syrup instead of honey. You can also omit the honey altogether, although it does enhance the dish and aids with caramelization.
• Add spices such as dried thyme or garlic powder. I like to add ½ teaspoon of each.

This roasted carrots recipe is truly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

• Toss the carrots with olive oil (or butter), honey, kosher salt, and black pepper. (Photos 1-3).
• Spread the coated carrots on a rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake them for about 15 minutes per side in a 400°F oven. (Photo 4).

Don't attempt to use bagged baby carrots when making this recipe. Their water content is too high for this recipe to succeed. It's not easy to get them caramelized (though it's not impossible either).

You want young, firm, dry carrots. The small, 4-5 inch ones that are usually sold in bunches with their greens still attached are perfect. But you can also use mature carrots if that's all you can find.

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

This is one of those recipes where the leftovers taste really good - almost as good as the freshly made dish.