Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots are a crowd-pleasing side that pairs perfectly with any meal. Just a few ingredients and simple steps for a flavorful dish in no time!
Or try this original Roasted Carrots recipe for a savory roasted carrot recipe!
Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
I’m all about savory roasted veggies, but there’s something magical about bringing out a vegetable’s sweet side. These brown sugar roasted carrots have me hooked!
With a perfect sweet-savory balance, caramelized edges, and a tender, juicy center, they’re irresistible. The brown sugar brings out the natural sweetness, and a touch of salt, pepper, and cinnamon adds the ideal contrast. One bite, and you’ll be reaching for more!
Quick Tip
These carrots are perfect for your holiday spread! Pair them with Smashed Potatoes, Asparagus Salad, Dinner Rolls, Carrot Cheeseball, Fruit Salad, or Au Gratin Potatoes.
Picking Out The Best Carrots
Here are some tips for picking out the best carrots:
- Pick firm carrots without spots or cracks, with a bright orange color for the best flavor.
- Avoid soft, floppy, or moldy carrots.
- Fresh green tops are a bonus—they’re great for salads or as garnishes!
- Choose similar-sized carrots to cook evenly.
- Go for organic carrots when you can to cut down on chemicals.
Preparing Carrots
- Use a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board to slice the carrots.
- Cut them into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly. If the pieces are too large, they might not cook all the way.
Quick Tip
For the best roast, use an extra-large sheet pan (15×21 inches) to give carrots space. Crowding can lead to steaming, which makes them soft instead of caramelized.
How To Make Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
- Preheat oven to 425℉ and set out an extra-large sheet pan.
- Peel and slice carrots into 2-inch pieces; halve any thick pieces lengthwise.
- Toss carrots in a bowl with olive oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and optional cinnamon.
- Spread carrots on the sheet pan, cut side down with space between pieces.
- Roast for 15 minutes, toss and flip, then roast another 10–15 minutes until tender and caramelized.
- Serve warm.
What To Serve With Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
These Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots make a great side dish with all sorts of main meals. Here are some ideas to serve them with:
- Roasted chicken: These carrots go really well with roasted chicken or my favorite Blackened Chicken.
- Grilled steak: The brown sugar sweetness in the carrots goes great with Grilled Steak.
- Baked salmon: Roasted carrots are tasty with baked salmon.
- Veggie burgers: For a vegetarian option, serve with Veggie Burgers for a hearty meal.
- Quinoa salad: Include roasted carrots as part of a quinoa salad or grain bowl for a delicious bowl.
Storage
Leftovers?
Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots taste best warm and crispy, just after cooking. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.
For a cold option, chop and add to a salad with greens, veggies, and your favorite Vinaigrette.
To reheat, skip the microwave to keep their crunch. Use the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer at 350°F for 5-10 minutes until hot.
More Favorite Carrot Recipes:
- French Carrot Salad with a quick lemon-Dijon dressing
- Carrot Soup with pepitas
- Moroccan Carrot Salad with couscous and chickpeas
- Carrot Smoothie tastes like carrot cake, but more nutritious!
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting
Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
Equipment
- Extra-Large Sheet Pan see note 1
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Set out an extra-large (21×15-inch) sheet pan.
- Peel carrots and slice them diagonally into 2-inch pieces. If carrots are more than 1-inch thick, cut them in half lengthwise so they cook evenly. Aim to get roughly the same length and width of carrot pieces. You should end up with about 6 cups of carrots.
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon (if using), salt, and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper) until well combined.Add carrots to the bowl and toss well to coat with the mixture. (Do this in a bowl and not on the sheet pan so carrots are evenly coated.)
- Dump coated carrots onto the sheet pan using a spatula. Space carrots out as much as possible. Place cut sides down so they’re touching the tray. Roast carrots 15 minutes, remove them from oven, and toss them well. Space them out again and flip the cut sides down to touch the tray. Roast another 10–15 minutes or until carrots are nicely caramelized and tender. Remove from oven and toss once more.
- Serve warm right out of the oven.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
