these easy maple roasted carrots are the perfect holiday side dish! they are also great for weeknights, you will love them.

the inspiration

Maple roasted carrots are nothing new but I really wanted to share these on the blog. I love how pretty they are and they are so delicious. These maple roasted carrots are such a beautiful side dish they might even end up stealing the show. I think adding the pomegranate seeds and fresh oregano gives it a special touch.

the ingredients

Carrots: naturally, you are going to need some carrots for this recipe. I personally love when you can get carrots with their greens still attached. They look so beautiful with that little bit of green popping out the top.
Olive Oil: you will need a little oil to help coat and roast the carrots. I always prefer a light olive oil.
Maple Syrup: for this recipe I think good grade-A maple syrup is very important. You could go really crazy and buy very expensive maple syrup. However, I always opt for the grocery store brands because they are delicious.
Ground Cinnamon: this will add nice flavor to the dish.
Paprika: this adds a tiny bit of flavor and color to the maple roasted carrots.
Pomegranate Seeds: these are an optional garnish but they look so beautiful. I think they add a special touch and they look like jewels!
Fresh Herbs: herbs will enhance the dish in presence and flavor. I opted for some fresh oregano because they looked best at the grocery store but you can use rosemary or parsley.
Flaky Sea Salt: another final touch to the dish that is beautiful and will add a special touch. This is totally not necessary you can always use regular salt to add the flavor.

removing the carrot greens

The first step will be to prepare the carrots. Part one will be removing the carrot greens. You will remove most of them aside from a tiny bit on top. I personally like how it looks with a little bit left on top. If you would you like to get rid of all the greens you of course can. Don’t throw away the carrot greens! Use them to make a pesto or put them in a veggie broth.

prepping the carrots

The next step will be to prepare your carrots. You will need to peel them. There are times when I actually don’t peel my carrots – if they don’t look too dirty or if they are just going in a soup/sauce. However, because this dish is centered around the carrots I find it best to peel them.

hALVE YOUR CARROTS!

Okay, there is a big secret to make delicious maple roasted carrots and that is to halve the carrots lengthwise. This will make more surface area and allow for the carrots to get cooked beautifully. I place the carrots halved side down so they get a beautiful color and crispiness on them.

experiment with the carrots

You can play around with this recipe by cutting your carrots differently. For example, use baby carrots and cut them on a bias for smaller carrot pieces.

simple is best

These maple roasted carrots don’t need too much when it comes to adding flavor. After they are all prepped and ready to go you will just toss them in olive oil, cinnamon, paprika, and maple syrup. I find these flavors work well together and nothing overpowers one another. Also, the olive oil and maple syrup work well together to add a bit of fat and sweetness to the carrots. Then, you will just roast them!

maple roasted carrot goodness

Once they are done roasting in the oven you will be left with magic! The carrots will be a little bit crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It almost starts to remind me of a sweet potato inside. They also get these little candied bits and pieces that are so good. They will be ready to eat immediately so I think these are better to make right before your meal or you can warm them up in the oven if necessary.

garnishing the maple roasted carrots

Once these maple roasted carrots are done in the oven it is time to plate! You can make this dish extra special with pomegranate seeds, fresh oregano, and some flaky sea salt. If you want to do a different fresh herb I think rosemary or chopped parsley would be great as well. The pomegranate seeds are of course optional but they just add a nice seasonal touch.

maple roasted carrots faq

Is this recipe soy free? Yes.
Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
Is this recipe gluten free? Yes.
How can I store leftovers? They will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How can I reheat leftovers? You can microwave them or place in the oven.
Can I add other things to this? Sure, feel free to play around with the seasonings or garnish!

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