Roasted Carrots

Name: Roasted Carrots
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 6 ounces small carrots, trimmed and scrubbed; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 2 (6-inch) thyme sprigs; 1 medium garlic clove, smashed; 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt

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2021 F&W Best New Chef Gaby Maeda's method for making these flavorful, buttery roasted carrots starts with briefly cooking whole carrots in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and sautéing them in a little olive oil until they are browned in spots. She then tosses them with butter, thyme sprigs, and garlic, and seasons them with salt. The carrots are finally briefly roasted in a hot oven, where the high heat creates caramelized edges that add texture to their outsides, while their interior turns soft and creamy, but not mushy. The entire process takes just 20 minutes, and yields fork-tender carrots with satisfying flavor.

By Gaby Maeda

Published on March 9, 2022

Roasted Carrots — Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Yield:

2 cups

When carrots are roasted, the heat from the oven intensifies their sugars. The result is carrots that are so sweet, they taste almost like candy. 2021 F&W Best New Chef Gaby Maeda likes to use these roasted carrots as an element of her Carrot Mochi with Pistachio Dukkah, but they also make an easy, quick, tasty vegetable side dish on their own. (The recipe can easily doubled if you're feeding a larger crowd.) Small carrots look especially pretty when cooked whole, but if you can only find medium ones, you can cut them in half lengthwise. You can mix up the herbs used, if you like—Maeda uses thyme, but another woody herb, like rosemary, also works beautifully here. This recipe is easily doubled for a larger crowd.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces small carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 (6-inch) thyme sprigs
1 medium garlic clove, smashed
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high until wisps of smoke form, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add carrots in a single layer; cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Add butter, thyme, and garlic; cook, tossing constantly, until butter melts, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle carrots with salt, and toss. Transfer skillet to preheated oven. Roast until carrots are fork tender, 8 to 10 minutes. If desired, turn oven off, and crack oven door open; keep carrots warm in oven up to 15 minutes.