Oven Roasted Carrots with Hot Pepper Jelly
These oven roasted carrots with hot pepper jelly make a delicious and pretty side dish. Say hello to your new favourite way to enjoy roasted carrots. Simple, delicious and pretty – what more could you want in a side dish?!
Also Read: How to Make Hot Pepper Jelly, Carrot and Apple Salad, Oven Roasted Broccoli
Seasoning Oven Roasted Carrots
The key to tasty oven roasted carrots is to season them well and add a little fat and acid.
At minimum, coat with a little bit of oil and season with salt and pepper before roasting. Just before serving, sprinkle with a little squeeze of lemon, lime or orange juice.
If you want to get fancier replace the salt and pepper with Cajun Seasoning, cumin with salt and pepper, thyme and garlic, Chili Lime Seasoning or whatever seasoning blend you love best!
In this recipe, we add even more flavor by tossing the roasted carrots with hot pepper jelly. It adds a tasty blend of sweet and spicy. I prefer adding it after roasting so it doesn’t burn and char on the carrots.
Substitute for Hot Pepper Jelly
Don’t have hot pepper jelly? No problem, here are some alternatives to try:
- honey & hot pepper flakes
- apricot preserves, apple jelly & hot pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- brown sugar & hot pepper flakes
- maple syrup & cayenne pepper
How to Cut Carrots for Roasting
Shape/Style of Cut: You can roast carrots whole, halved, cut into spears, sliced into coins, or sliced into diagonal bites. The key is to pick a size and style and be consistent so your carrots will roast evenly. Of course, it makes sense that the thicker the pieces, the longer they’ll take to roast. For that reason, I would only roast thin, slender carrots to roast whole.
My favourite cut for roasting carrots is the diagonal cut. It’s pretty and functional. The carrots are thin enough that they’ll roast fairly quickly and the flat surface area gives more opportunity for beautiful caramelizing.
Size of Carrot Pieces: Don’t go too small or the carrots will char or get too wrinkly. Aim for 1/2 inch or 13 mm thick and at least 1 1/2 inches or 4 cm long.
Can You Roast Baby Carrots for Roasting?
Yes! You can absolutely use baby peeled carrots for roasting. I recommend cutting them in half lengthwise before roasting. Follow the rest of the recipe as outlined.
How Many Carrots Do I Need?
As a rough estimate, plan for 2 medium sized carrots per person. Adjust as needed depending on your guest (kids vs adults) and what else is being served.
Also remember that carrots shrink quite a bit when roasted, so what looks like a lot before roasting, will look like a lot less once roasted and in a serving dish.
Helpful carrot measures:
- 1 lb (454 g) = ~5-6 medium carrots
- 2 lb (907 g) = ~10-12 medium carrots
- 1 serving size = ~ 2 medium carrots or 12 baby carrots
Time and Temperature for Roasted Carrots
Preferred Roasting Temperature for Carrots: 400°F / 204°C
Average Roasting Time for Carrots: Roasting time can vary based on the size of the carrot pieces. Generally, for medium-sized carrot chunks, roast for about 20-30 minutes. Larger pieces may take a bit longer, and smaller pieces might be ready in 15-20 minutes.
Carrots are done when they are fork-tender.
Why Are My Carrots Still Hard?
If your carrots are not as tender as you’d like, here are a few options to try:
- Increase the cooking time: Put the carrots back in the oven and continue roasting. Check them every 5 minutes until they reach the desired tenderness. If they are browning too much for you, cover them with foil.
- Adjust the temperature: If you find that the outside is cooking too quickly while the inside remains hard, you can reduce the oven temperature slightly. This allows the carrots to cook more evenly without burning the outer layers.
- Cut them smaller: Smaller pieces will generally cook faster. If the carrots are in large chunks, consider cutting them into smaller, more uniform pieces for more consistent cooking. While not ideal, you can even cut them after they’ve been in the oven for a while – it will help cook them faster.
- Use a higher oven temperature: While a temperature of around 400°F (about 204°C) is common, you can try increasing the temperature slightly. Just keep a close eye on them to prevent overcooking.
- Par boil: To speed up the roasting time and ensure a more tender carrot, blanch or par boil your carrots for 3-5 minutes before seasoning and roasting.
How to Store and Reheat Roasted Carrots
Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat: Reheat in a fry pan on medium high heat with a little bit of melted butter. Or return to the oven with a little butter at 350°F/180°C for 15 minutes or until heated through.
Repurpose: These sweet and savory roasted carrots would be great in a soup, especially in a blended soup like this butternut squash soup.
Recipe for Oven Roasted Carrots with Hot Pepper Jelly
Oven Roasted Carrots with Hot Pepper Jelly
Ingredients
- 2 lb carrots (10 med carrots) see note
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp hot pepper jelly*
- dash hot pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 Tbsp goat cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F/204°C and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and peel (optional) carrots. Cut in even sized pieces. I prefer diagonal slices 1/2" thick by 1 1/2" long. (see options in article)
- Toss and coat carrots with 1 Tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread evenly in single layer on rimmed sheet pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes to desired tenderness, stirring once.
- Melt butter and stir in jelly until runny. Immediately when carrots come out of the oven mix butter and hot pepper jelly with carrots directly on the baking sheet. Toss until well blended. (Doing it directly on the baking sheet saves on dishes, but if you prefer you can toss in a bowl.) Pour into serving dish.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley and goat cheese if using.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Other Roasted Vegetables to Try
Let me know if you make these carrots and what you think.
And furthermore, I’d love to hear your recipe ideas for carrots. What’s your favourite way to prepare them? Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram at #getgettys or Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist and show me all your carrot recipes!
Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist, speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas. She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.